Scrivener Notaries

There are two classes of notaries practising in England and Wales. These are:

1. Scrivener notaries
2. General notaries

All notaries are required to qualify first as General notaries, before continuing their studies in order to qualify as a Scrivener notary if they so wish. General notaries who are continuing to qualify as Scrivener notaries are called Candidate Scrivener notaries.

Saville & Co. is a firm of Scrivener notaries. We currently have four partners who are all Scrivener notaries and three associates, who are General notaries and Candidate Scrivener notaries.

Scrivener notaries are members of a City of London Livery company, or Guild, called The Scriveners' Company, which plays an active part in City life. As the body in charge of the training and admission of Scrivener notaries, it remains today one of the few Livery Companies having direct control over the profession of its members, a control which it has maintained at least since 1373. The membership of the Company includes not only notaries but also members of several other professions. Scrivener notaries have their own separate governing and professional bodies and are thus independent of the Law Society of England and Wales, which regulates and represents solicitors, and the Bar Council of England and Wales, which exercises similar powers in respect of barristers.

Scrivener notaries normally practise exclusively as notaries, predominantly in London and, by virtue of their further qualifications and training, have knowledge of foreign law and foreign languages as well as knowledge of English law. They are therefore highly professional and experienced in all aspects of notarial practice and are competent to deal with documents intended for use anywhere in the world.

General notaries who are not Candidate Scrivener Notaries normally practise primarily as solicitors, mainly outside London and only occasionally act as notaries. Knowledge of foreign law and languages does not form part of the qualification.

The distinction between Scrivener notaries and General notaries has arisen for historical reasons. London being the main centre for international legal and commercial activity, a specialised more highly trained full-time body of notaries has grown up there. On the other hand, outside London, the demand for notaries has been sporadic, localised and frequently related to a particular industry or community.