The National Notary Association’s Vice President of Best Practices, William A. Anderson, gave presentations on Notary liability and standards of practice at the inaugural Montana Notary Conference earlier this month.
The one-day event, held May 5 in Billings and sponsored by the Montana Secretary of State’s office, drew Notaries from across the state.
“Montana Secretary of State Linda McCulloch and her staff have always been staunch advocates for improving the standards and professionalism of the Notary Public office in the state, and the NNA has worked closely with them in this effort,” Anderson said. “This was an opportunity to continue that cooperation and engage the Montana Notary community in a dialogue about key issues facing all of America’s 4.4 million Notaries.”
In the presentation entitled, “Limiting Notary Liability,” Anderson discussed how liability claims against Notaries have increased since the downturn in the housing market. He noted that a large portion of losses are incurred by relatively inexperienced Notaries.
The “Professional Standards of Practice” presentation offered information to help Notaries understand how to comply with the legal requirements of their office and apply the highest degree of ethics and best practices while carrying out their duties.
The day before, Anderson took part in a seminar on “Notary Law & Ethics” attended by several dozen legal professionals. The event was led by Michael Closen, Professor Emeritus at The John Marshall Law School in Chicago and one the nation’s leading experts on Notary law.
