In the world of remote and hybrid working, the legal industry has put a lot of effort into providing reliable tools to improve the quality of working life. Gone are the days when you would walk into a notary’s office and find a desk full of papers.
The digitalization of different processes in the legal industry is a reality, and so is Remote Online Notarization (RON).
Shifting from a traditional way of notarizing documents to processing documents online might seem like a big step, but notaries in the European Union have already been implementing numerous new technologies in their daily activities, so why not Remote Online Notarization?
This article explores the benefits that Remote Online Notarization has for notaries and how making that shift can be beneficial for the notarial profession.
Remote Online Notarization benefits notaries by providing:
Efficiency:
With Remote Online Notarization, notaries are able to assist more clients in a shorter time as it eliminates the travelling time for both the notaries and clients. Additionally, when using Remote Online Notarization, the client will make an appointment directly with the notary via an online booking system. This way notaries don’t have to take extra time to respond to unstructured client requests by phone or take walk-in clients.
When using Remote Online Notarization, the client uploads the documents together with the request, which allows the notary to evaluate the case at the most convenient time. Having the documentation available prior to the call also provides the notary with flexibility when it comes to preparing for the video meeting with the client.
Verification:
Remote Online Notarization significantly reduces the possibility of altering the notarized document since it becomes evident if someone has tampered with its content.
Moreover, when providing the notarial services remotely, the identity of the client is checked by AI-powered technology, providing better warranties than a traditional identification process. The verification of the identity document and the biometrics of the client connecting to the session takes place even before the meeting, allowing the notary to double-check the identity of the signatories.
Security:
During a remote session, the notary can observe the signer’s behaviour and surroundings to determine if the client is signing the documents of his own free will. Emotion recognition technology can also help notary’s judgment.
As Remote Online Notarization offers the possibility to save the recording of the notarization session, the notaries can keep these records in case they need to review them in the future, complementing the traditional journal entry. This way the full recording of the notarization process can protect the notary and the signer from any accusations of wrongdoing.
Safer information storage:
By using Remote Online Notarization, it becomes easier to deposit all the copies of documents in a safer manner electronically. This way, they remain accessible to all the parties involved, at all times.
With Remote Online Notarization there is no danger of copies getting lost, therefore the notary will not have to worry about the chance of misplacing the documents. Additionally, having all notarized documents safely stored online helps the notaries fulfil the compliance requirements and, in case of an inquiry, allows them immediate access to the requested documentation.
Cost-effective and sustainable processes:
By reducing the amount of paperwork and the need to travel, Remote Online Notarization not only minimizes the ecological footprint but also significantly lowers overall costs.
Safety:
In-person meetings with clients or frequent travels expose notaries healthwise in the post-pandemic reality. Remote Online Notarization eliminates these risks during a notarization session as it allows notaries to work remotely.
If you are a notary and want to learn more about the benefits of Remote Online Notarization, please get in touch with us at Legitify by emailing at: info@legitify.eu or legal@legitify.eu. We will help you throughout the entire onboarding process and answer any questions you may have.
This article was written by Clara Valls Cunillera, Marketing Intern and Marta Gesinska (PhD), Legal Analyst at Legitify.
