Within its specialised areas of law, the firm provides a full range of notarial services both domestic and with a foreign element or cross-border context. In this context, the main areas of activity are:

• Authentication and drafting of legal documents for domestic or overseas use
• Legalisation of documents
• Business Start-up and corporate administration
• Purchase and Sale of domestic and overseas real property
• Inheritance
• Wills and Trusts
• Construction project tendering
• Exchange control and foreign investment formalities

Legalisation

If a document is notarised in Italy and is intended for use in another country, there may be a further formality of recognition. The procedure is generally described as “legalisation” although it is sometimes referred to as “consularisation”.

Countries which have accepted the international convention on legalisation (signed at The Hague in 1961) have abolished the requirement for consular legalisation. It is replaced by a single certification – known as an “apostille”.

An apostille is currently issued in Italy by the Local Criminal Court . We arrange legalisation for our clients using both the standard service and a premium service. In either case, the documents are nearly always delivered and collected by our staff from the Court office.

Some countries require notarial documents to be legalised by their own authorities, and the document must in these circumstances be presented to the consulate or other diplomatic representation of the country where the document is to be used. We can arrange for legalisation at all of the consulates and diplomatic missions within the Milano area.

Translation

Our language training means that we can provide translation services, especially for legal documents. We can also certify the accuracy of a translation and thereby render it acceptable for production before courts and other authorities in Italy.

Advice:

Notarial services are not limited to Notarisation and Translation. Advice is available on all aspects of international documentation.

Authenticity (also known as public faith):

Special status granted by civil law countries to notarial acts. Greatly improves admission of documents in evidence and now expressly recognised by the Brussels, San-Sebastian and Lugano Conventions on Jurisdiction and Enforcement of Judgements in Civil and Commercial Matters (Sec 50).

Certificate:

Core function of a Notary – to issue certificates attesting to facts witnessed by or proved to him/her and attested under his/her signature and seal.

Draft:

Notaries prepare many varieties of legal documents and in different languages. Our basic precedent database contains precedents in English, French, Spanish, German, and Italian.

Holograph:

Form of will recognised in many civil law jurisdictions (and Scotland) written out entirely in the testator’s handwriting, dated and signed but not witnessed. Frequently used, with our advice, for UK residents and nationals owning property in France and Italy.

Identification:

A primary function of a notary is to identify the client. This can be in the form of a passport, national identity card, or a photocard driving licence. We may also need to see a marriage certificate or divorce judgment. We further require proof of residential address in the form of a recent gas, electricity or other bill or bank statement.

Knowledge:

An essential element of the work of an Italian Notary is a knowledge of the forms and requirements for documentation so that it is acceptable in an domestic and overseas jurisdiction. In almost fiffty years of its existence, Studio Bortoluzzi has acquired an extensive knowledge.

Money Laundering:

Notaries are within the scope of Italian money-laundering regulations.

Overseas Property:

Because of its facility with foreign languages and training in common law concepts Studio Bortoluzzi has been involved in multiple aspects of advice, drafting and notarising for leisure, retirement and investment property transactions in foreign jurisdictions. U.K ,U.S. Canada,France, Spain, Portugal and Switzerland are the most frequently involved jurisdictions.

Power of Attorney:

If for use In Italy and overseas, the document most frequently needing notarisation.

Protocol:

Special form of register of notarial acts drawn up in the civil law
“authentic“ form.

Tariff:

Notarial fees are unregulated, but ours have proved to be very competitive.

UINL:

Acronym for Union Internationale du Notariat (formerly known with the addition of the word Latin, hence the extra “L”). This is the world body for civil law notaries and Scrivener Notaries in U.K..

Visit:

Notaries do not only see clients at their offices but also attend at client premises. This is on a chargeable basis but allows management to make better use of valuable time. Special arrangements can be made for clients who are incapacitated or otherwise prevented from attending our offices.

Wax:

Skillful but messy way of annexing certificates. Thankfully now obsolete.

Xenophile:

People who like foreign matters. Our staff reflect the truly domestic and international nature of our business.

Zeal:

We give our best attention to all matters at all times.