Ekaterine Jugeli Kamp - Notary Public and Solicitor of England and Wales

I am a qualified UK Residential and Commercial Property Solicitor and Notary Public and a registered member of Solicitors Regulated Authority and the Notaries Society of England and Wales. The Notaries Society represents most of the 850 Notaries  who practise in England and Wales. The Society was founded in 1882 and incorporated in 1907. Since 1553 Notaries have practised under the authority of the Archbishop of Canterbury. They are regulated by the Court of Faculties - one of the oldest courts in England. It is presided over by the most senior ecclesiastical judge who may also be a High Court judge. Notaries form the oldest branch of the legal profession. Their origins can be traced as far back as Roman times. In old times , most people were illiterate. Traders and merchants needed someone to record what they had agreed. The clergy were the main literate group from whom the Pope appointed notaries. Following the Reformation the Archbishop has, since 1533, exercised this role. All Notaries are qualified lawyers who have undergone further training to qualify as Notaries. To do so, they follow a two-year post graduate university course. A Notary prepares, witnesses or certifies documents going abroad. Often a document will have been prepared by a foreign lawyer. They include powers of attorney, sworn statements, contracts, property papers and certificates of law. Documents which are handled by a Notary are referred to as“notarial acts”. These may be in public or private form - the latter largely confined to witnessing signatures. An act in public form is required where a Notary confirms facts which he or she has verified personally. Notaries must verify for each client their identity, legal capacity and understanding of the document as well as their authority if signing on behalf of another party such as a limited company. Throughout the centuries, Notarial acts have been recognised and accepted throughout the world. Anyone with business abroad may rely on a Notary to provide acceptable documentation quickly and at a reasonable cost.