Do notaries bear the same responsibilities to clients as lawyers?

The answer is YES!

Notaries owe the same duty of care to our clients as lawyers.[1] This issue has been the subject of much litigation in the past, and each time the courts have held notaries bear the same responsibility to their clients as lawyers do.

Esser v Luom, 2004 BCCA 359

Anakotta et al. v Perusini et al., 2004 BCSC 168

Flandro v Mitha et al. (1992), 93 D.L.R. (4th) 222

Ruxton and Ruxton v Kelly, Peters & Associates Ltd. et al., [1985] 1 W.W.R. 66

Ferreira and Ferreira v Amando & Pereira, [1985] 1 W.W.R. 78

Dorndorf et al. v. Hoeter, [1981] 29 B.C.L.R. 71

 

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[1]  http://www.notaries.bc.ca/resources/Upload/04-09-2014-09-33-05_BecomingANotary-Sept4,%202014.pdf