Solicitor joins the ranks of the Notary Publics
Ben Parmenter of Birkett Long has qualified as a Notary Public, one of just 800 in England and Wales. Ben is the current head of wills, trusts and probate in the firm’s Colchester office, and now becomes one of two practising notaries within the firm.
The notarial branch in the smallest and oldest within the legal profession in the United Kingdom. Notaries are required to swear an oath of allegiance to the Archbishop of Canterbury, and are authorised to carry out most general legal practices, authenticate and certify signatures on documents for use abroad, and also exercise the powers of a Commissioner for Oaths.
Ben highlighted the challenges of the notarial exams, which he described as far more demanding than law school. He said: ‘The notary profession is quite distinct from the better-known solicitor or barrister arms of the legal profession. After starting the academic stage, it quickly became clear this was going to be a tough course. This may be why there are almost 120,000 solicitors practising throughout England and Wales and only 800 Notary Publics!’
Ben added: ‘I was lucky that Birkett Long supported me through two years of intensive study, as well as being able to call on the expertise of two experienced Notary Publics within the firm. It is important for us to be able to assist clients with all of their legal needs. If a client needs the services of a Notary Public, maybe for a foreign land sale or commercial contracts for use in different jurisdictions, Birkett Long is able to help.’
The managing partner of the firm, Adrian Livesley, said: ‘Birkett Long’s strategy is to be a full-service law firm, so we are delighted that Ben has successfully passed his exams and qualified to practise as a Notary Public, adding to the experience and services we offer. We appreciate the hard work Ben put into this achievement.'
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