To begin, the biggest difference between a notary public and a lawyer is that a lawyer can represent you in court and be involved in litigation. Notaries generally handle non-contentious legal matters where all parties have reached an agreement and need a document draft/preparation and legal witness to advise and arrange the proceedings of said agreement.
All notaries also maintain ongoing trainings and are members of The Societies of Notaries Public in British Columbia which strictly follow the same standardized practices across the province. While a notary can offer legal advice in various circumstances; notary publics typically focus on real estate matters. As such, a Notary Public’s work is restricted, which consists of non-contentious legal matters, such as:
- Real estate
- Business
- Wills and Estates
- Contracts
- power of attorney
- notarizing documents
