BC Notaries’ Education is Rigorous

Julia Maika

Late on the last night of our Business Practices course, Todd McKendrick connected online with his students, “Think about how hard you are working right now. You will be working at least this hard when you start working as a Notary, but probably harder.”

He was right. The valuable content of Todd’s course notwithstanding, his words stuck with me and prepared me for what to expect on the road ahead.

The MA-ALS Program provides a superb grounding in the numerous noncontentious areas of the law in which BC Notaries practise. (Notaries do not litigate.) The education is all applicable but certain seemingly simple lessons stood out. When I am alone in my office, puzzling over a difficult file and an answer is not immediately available, I fall back on them. 1. Pay attention to details and get them right. That was demonstrated to me after I did poorly on a Legal Research exam given by Graeme Bowbrick. I thought I had been “specific enough” in my answers, but I was unceremoniously jarred to the Notary’s requirement for exactitude and ferocious attention to detail. I am thankful for that awakening. 2. Always ask questions about unusual items on title searches (and other documents). Ron Usher helped me understand the importance of being curious. For example, I hear the words, “Just Read It,” when I pull a title search for a Personal Planning client and find a mortgage that was registered in 1952. I provide the best service to my client if I can remove outdated and unnecessary charges on title. 3. Ask what the law is trying to accomplish. That valuable advice from Dr. Margaret Hall was introduced in her Philosophy of Law course and reiterated many times in her Personal Planning courses. When I am faced with deciding which declarations are required for a property file or whether I should include a certain clause in a Will, the answer often presents itself if I ask myself, What is the law trying to do here? What is its purpose?

Opening my sole-practitioner Notary practice in 2019 was the most stressful thing I have ever done. I have come to realize that self-doubt is my friend—it demands that I always double- and triple-check my work.

I also rely on the great community of Notaries in Kamloops, including fellow graduates Leslie Madore and Franca Muraca and Notaries Janice Rutherford, Derek Smoluk, Jim Fulton, and their conveyancers who patiently field my email questions and offer their expertise. Advice to New Students The education of BC Notaries is rigorous. The profession requires dedication, precision, and problem-solving expertise. Expect the instructors in the Notary Education Program to require students to have a curious nature and to demonstrate meticulous attention to detail. After you graduate, embrace the demands placed on you as a Notary. Your fellow students will become your colleagues and your professional lifeline. s Julia Maika is a BC Notary in Kamloops.

I also rely on the great community of Notaries in Kamloops…

Camaraderie among Notaries

Elisabeth (Beth) Lee has completed her Notary examinations and has started working with Courtenay Notary Margot Rutherford, Dana, and Tess. Margot says, “We’re excited she has joined the firm; she’ll

Beth Lee keep us energized for another busy conveyancing year! Beth worked in our office a few years ago to see if she might want to become a Notary; she spent her 2-week practicum with us and a week with Notary Barbara Burns in Campbell River. Beth has been in

Margot close contact with Sally Houghton on

Rutherford Quadra Island. During her mentorship, Sally spent time in my office and Barb Burns’ office.