The Client Relationship

It begins when the firm confirms in writing that it will act for you — usually an engagement letter or retainer agreement that names the professional, the scope of work and the fee basis. Nothing on this website, no form submission and no email exchange starts that relationship.

Information you send through the inquiry or booking forms is treated as sensitive and is not published or sold, but it may not attract full legal privilege because no retainer exists yet. Please do not send privileged material, detailed facts about a contested matter, or identification documents before the engagement letter is signed. If you need to discuss something confidential to decide whether to instruct us, ask for a paid consultation first.

Communications become confidential and, where legal advice is involved, privileged. We owe you a duty of loyalty, a duty to keep you reasonably informed, a duty to avoid conflicts of interest, and a duty to account for money and documents. You owe us instructions in good time, truthful information, and payment of the agreed fees.

We act only on the scope in the engagement letter. A notarial act, an application, an appeal and a court filing are separate instructions; taking one on does not commit us to another.

Before accepting an instruction we check for a conflict. If one exists, we say so, and we will point you to another professional where we can. Some conflicts can be waived with informed written consent from everyone affected; others cannot be waived at all.

Documents you give us remain yours. On request we will deliver or transfer your file, and we keep the record we are required to retain. Originals of notarised documents are returned to you; we retain a copy for the record.

You may end it at any time, in writing, and we will co-operate in handing over to your next professional. We may withdraw or be required to stop acting — for example where we cannot act honestly, where you do not meet your obligations, or where continuing would breach our duties. We give notice, account for money and documents, and do not abandon a matter with a deadline running.

Ending the relationship does not end our duty of confidentiality, which continues after it.

If you are unsure whether we are acting for you on a particular point, ask in writing and we will confirm. Write to info@nearnotary.ca.