Notary & Ancillary Legal Services

In addition to our core practice areas, Goldstone Law Professional Corporation offers a comprehensive range of notary and ancillary legal services. These services are frequently required in connection with real estate transactions, business dealings, immigration applications, travel arrangements, and personal legal matters. As licensed lawyers in Ontario, our team is authorized to provide the full range of notarial and commissioning services recognized in Ontario and internationally.

Our Notary & Ancillary Services

Notarization of Documents

Many legal, business, and personal documents require notarization to be accepted by government authorities, financial institutions, and foreign jurisdictions. We notarize a wide range of documents, including powers of attorney for use outside Ontario, corporate documents intended for international use, consent letters for minors travelling abroad, affidavits and statutory declarations, and various forms and applications required by foreign governments. We ensure that all notarized documents meet the specific requirements of the jurisdiction or authority for which they are intended. Where documents must also be authenticated or apostilled for use in a foreign country under the Hague Convention, we advise on the appropriate process.

Independent Legal Advice (ILA)

Independent legal advice is a formal requirement in many legal contexts. When a party signs a legal document that significantly affects their rights — such as a mortgage, personal guarantee, domestic contract (prenuptial or cohabitation agreement), or settlement agreement — the other party or a third party (such as a lender) may require confirmation that the signing party received independent legal advice, understood the document, and signed voluntarily. Our lawyers provide independent legal advice by meeting with the client privately, reviewing the document in question, explaining its legal implications in plain language, answering the client’s questions, confirming that the client understands and consents to signing, and issuing a Certificate of Independent Legal Advice as required by the requesting party.

Statutory Declarations & Affidavits

Statutory declarations and affidavits are sworn statements used in a wide variety of legal, administrative, and immigration proceedings. We prepare and commission statutory declarations and affidavits for purposes including proof of identity, marital status, or residency; immigration and citizenship applications; estate and probate matters; insurance claims; and court proceedings. All documents are prepared in compliance with the Canada Evidence Act and the Ontario Evidence Act.

Certified True Copies

Certified true copies of original documents are frequently required for immigration applications, professional licensing applications, educational institution submissions, and various government filings. We certify copies of passports, birth certificates, academic transcripts, corporate documents, legal instruments, and other records, confirming that each copy is a true, complete, and accurate reproduction of the original document presented to us.

Document Execution Services

Certain legal documents require witnessing or specific execution formalities to be valid under Ontario law. We provide document execution and witnessing services for wills, powers of attorney, real estate documents, statutory declarations, affidavits, and other legal instruments that require a qualified witness.

Frequently Asked Questions — Notary & Ancillary Legal Services

Why Use a Lawyer for Notary Services?

In Ontario, the notarial function is performed by licensed lawyers and paralegals. Unlike some jurisdictions where notaries are separate professionals with a distinct licensing regime, Ontario does not have civil law notaries. As lawyers, we bring a legal understanding to the notarization process that goes beyond mechanical certification — we can advise on whether the document being notarized is legally adequate for its intended purpose and identify any legal issues that may affect its validity or effectiveness.

Contact Goldstone Law for prompt, professional notary and ancillary legal services. We are available to assist with all your legal documentation needs.