The Notary Group

03/28/2026

Here's a scenario where people get into real trouble.

In BC, an Attorney's duties usually start as soon as they sign the Power of Attorney appointing them. Under the old system, Attorneys would sign it, put it away in a drawer, then forget about it. But things have changed.

Now....once you accept that appointment… you're responsible for new rules and fiduciary duties. You might be shocked to know that you could be found personally liable for things you should have been paying attention to.

Imagine this:

Your Adult has a house fire or a car accident… and it turns out they didn't have proper insurance in place. As the Attorney, if you've accepted your appointment, you could personally be on the hook for not properly protecting those assets. Even if your Adult hasn't asked you to help them yet.

The law has changed. The practice needs to change with it.

This is one of the issues covered in our book So You're an Attorney under a Power of Attorney: A Practical Guide for Attorneys in British Columbia. This guide helps you understand what it means to act as an Attorney in BC.

Click here to get your copy today: https://lnkd.in/gyp4JZ9C

03/02/2026

Acting as an Attorney under a Power of Attorney sounds straightforward — until you actually have to do it.
Many people in British Columbia are surprised to learn that an Attorney must always act in the best interests of the adult, and cannot use their authority to benefit themselves ahead of the person they are helping. This means you can't just start giving away your Adult's assets.

We regularly see well-meaning family members struggling to understand what their role allows — and what it doesn’t.

Our practical guide explains the responsibilities of an Attorney in plain language, with real-world examples.

Learn more or order your copy here:
https://thenotarygroup.ca/.../so-youre-an-attorney-under.../

02/28/2026

Acting as an Attorney under a Power of Attorney sounds simple — until you actually have to do it.

One of the biggest surprises for many Attorneys in BC is that they must always put the Adult’s interests ahead of their own. You might be surprised to know this means you usually can't transfer your Adult's assets to you or other family members.

If you’re helping a parent, spouse, or family member, this guide explains what you need to know in plain language.

Find out more here: https://thenotarygroup.ca/product/so-youre-an-attorney-under-a-power-of-attorney/

02/21/2026

We did a thing! Vicky Helmink and I have written a book helping people understand how to act as an Attorney under a Power of Attorney!

If you have ever been appointed as an Attorney, and you have no idea what you are doing, this book is for you! It covers off all the rules and has great tips for how to manage the paperwork.

You can buy a softcover book ($54.95) or an ebook ($35.00). It comes with helpful checklists and other resources to get you through the work more smoothly!

Happy reading!

https://thenotarygroup.ca/.../so-youre-an-attorney-under.../

Have you been named as an Attorney under a Power of Attorney? Now there's a practical guide for Attorneys in British Columbia! You can buy: The softcover online for $54.95 plus shipping and taxes The softcover from one of The Notary Group offices for $54.95 plus taxes The eBook for $35.00 plus taxes...

08/18/2025

“Time is of the Essence” in Real Estate Contracts

In this week's edition of the Closer's Checklist, we talk about deadlines.

In BC conveyancing, deadlines matter. A missed date can put the entire deal at risk, even if everything else is ready. Read on to see what “time is of the essence” really means, why it’s in almost every real estate contract, and how to avoid the costly pitfalls of failing to meet a deadline.

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/why-time-essence-bc-real-estate-linda-caisley-abalc/?trackingId=QFH3BUIETtG25TSwGlXeAg%3D%3D

Welcome to The Closer's Checklist, where I identify insights, learnings, and experience from my over 15 years as a BC Notary to help you and your clients close residential real estate deals in BC safely and cost-effectively. You can learn more about me and what I do as a BC Notary through my work at

05/25/2024

Here's another creative solution to the problems that crop up in back-to-back or closely scheduled real estate deals:

Buy your new home before you sell your old one!

Read on for why you could save yourself a lot of time and stress by buying your new home weeks or even a month before your old home sells.

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/buy-first-sell-later-how-doing-backward-can-save-stress-linda-caisley-78ovc

04/08/2024

Using a Power of Attorney in a real estate transaction will now set off significant fraud flags.

If your clients want to use a Power of Attorney in a real estate transaction, get the original document to your BC Notary right away so they can help you vet it and make sure it can be used.

The longer you delay, the less time we have to address any issues. In a perfect world, you would get us the original POA as soon as your clients have identified that they will be using one.

https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7183152125634359297/

03/30/2024

Ever wonder what really happens on your closing date? Isn’t it just pushing buttons and e-transferring some money? Nope.

The process for getting the title into the buyers name and the money into the sellers hands is filled with minutiae and drama.

Read our most recent version of the Closers Checklist to find out more about the process and how you can make your life easier on closing!

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/what-really-happens-closing-date-linda-caisley-d6tuc?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_ios&utm_campaign=share_via

03/23/2024

Did you know picking the right closing date can make a huge difference in the stress level of your whole transaction? Find out which days you should avoid for closings, and how you can make your whole closing team much, much happier!!

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/lindacaisley_bcnotary-closingdate-realtor-activity-7177383360137244672-eRxZ?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop

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03/16/2024

Ever wonder why your or lawyer gets so stressed out when you sell one home and buy another on the exact same day?

Here's some info on why this is a terrible idea, and how you can avoid the mess it can cause:

03/04/2024

Wondering if a Power of Attorney is valid after death?

It’s not. Here’s a bit of information on that:

https://tnglegal.ca/estate-planning/is-a-power-of-attorney-still-valid-after-death/

Is a power of attorney valid after death? No. And here’s what you can do about that.