Areas of Practice
Notarial Services
A comprehensive range of notarial services for private clients, businesses, and international institutions. All work is carried out personally by James Harrington, Notary Public.
Private Clients
Personal Notarial Services
We provide a full range of notarial services for private individuals who require documents authenticated for use abroad. Whether you are purchasing property overseas, relocating, dealing with an inheritance, or managing affairs in a foreign country, we are able to assist.
Each matter is handled with care and discretion. We take the time to understand your specific requirements and ensure that your documents are properly prepared and authenticated for their intended use.
Documents we commonly notarise
- Passports, birth, marriage, and death certificates for international use
- Educational and professional qualifications
- Powers of attorney for property, financial, and personal matters
- Consent letters for children travelling abroad
- Statutory declarations and affidavits
- Deed polls and change of name documents
- Divorce and civil partnership documents
- Wills and inheritance-related documents
- Property-related documents for overseas transactions
Companies & Organisations
Corporate & Commercial
We act for a wide range of businesses - from sole traders to FTSE-listed companies and international law firms - providing notarial authentication for corporate documents destined for foreign jurisdictions.
Our experience across more than forty jurisdictions means we are well placed to advise on the precise requirements of the receiving country, and to anticipate and resolve issues before they cause delay.
Corporate documents we handle
- Corporate powers of attorney and authorisations
- Board resolutions and minutes
- Certificates of incorporation and good standing
- Memoranda and articles of association
- Commercial contracts and agreements
- Due diligence and KYC documentation
- Shareholder agreements and share certificates
- Intellectual property assignments
- Banking and financial institution documents
Documents for Use Abroad
International & Consular
Many countries require that documents originating in the United Kingdom be authenticated by a notary before they will be accepted by foreign courts, government bodies, or private institutions. Our practice is experienced in managing these requirements efficiently.
We regularly prepare documents for submission to embassies and consulates in London, and are familiar with the specific requirements of a wide range of jurisdictions, including France, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Germany, the United Arab Emirates, the United States, Canada, and Australia, among others.
International services
- Notarisation for submission to foreign embassies and consulates
- Apostille certification under the 1961 Hague Convention
- Full legalisation for non-Hague Convention countries
- Translation and notarisation of foreign documents
- Preparation of documents for use in civil law jurisdictions
- Assistance with foreign property transactions
- Documents for foreign probate and succession proceedings
Apostille & the Hague Convention
Apostille & Legalisation
An Apostille is a certificate issued by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) which authenticates the signature of a notary for use in countries that are party to the 1961 Hague Convention. Once an Apostille is attached to a notarised document, it will generally be accepted in all Hague Convention countries without further authentication.
For countries that are not party to the Hague Convention, a further process of legalisation - involving the relevant embassy or consulate - is required. We manage both processes on behalf of our clients.
The Apostille process
- We notarise your document at our London office
- We submit the notarised document to the FCDO for Apostille
- The FCDO attaches the Apostille certificate (typically 3–5 working days)
- We return your completed documents by tracked delivery
- Urgent FCDO processing is available for an additional fee
Authorising Someone to Act
Powers of Attorney
A power of attorney is a legal document by which one person (the donor) grants another person (the attorney) the authority to act on their behalf in legal and financial matters. When that power of attorney is to be used in a foreign country, it must first be notarised - and in most cases also apostilled or legalised.
We prepare and notarise powers of attorney for a wide range of purposes, including property transactions abroad, management of foreign bank accounts, company formations, and family matters.
We regularly prepare powers of attorney for
- Buying, selling, or mortgaging property abroad
- Managing bank accounts or investments in foreign countries
- Conducting litigation in overseas courts
- Registering or managing a foreign company
- Representing clients before foreign government authorities
- Managing estate or inheritance matters abroad
Oaths, Declarations & Affidavits
Statutory Declarations & Affidavits
A statutory declaration is a formal written statement of fact, declared before a notary or other authorised person. Affidavits serve a similar purpose but are sworn documents used primarily in legal proceedings. Both are frequently required for international use.
Common uses
- Confirming identity or change of name
- Confirming marital status for foreign marriage proceedings
- Confirming address or residence history
- Supporting visa and immigration applications
- Confirming execution of documents
- Supporting foreign pension or benefit claims
Not certain what you need?
Describe your document and its destination - we will tell you exactly what is required and what it will cost.