Many firms address the client Authority and Instruction form (A & I) to all Certify and Sign capable solicitors in the firm. This provides for maximum flexibility of who can Certify and Sign the instruments in a dealing if the usual solicitor is unavailable.

With larger firms, the list of names of solicitors on the A & I is long and adds to the length and complexity of the form for completion.

In the interests of expediency the NZLS and Registrar-General of Land have agreed that the A & I may now simply be addressed to the firm only without the need to list the solicitors¡¦ names. The unique Digital Certificate allows LINZ to identify clearly which solicitor Certified and Signed the instruments for the purpose of a Compliance Review.

If the 'option 2' exception to establishing identity is invoked, the solicitor who witnessed the client sign the A & I must be the same solicitor who Certifies and Signs the instruments in that dealing.

For that reason it is recommended that a copy of the ID is attached and that ¡¥option 1¡¦ is used for the A & I as a matter of best practice. This allows wider options for who may Certify and Signand also provides consistency. As noted in the Section News on page four and previous Property Lawyer articles, it is likely that the ¡¥option 2¡¦ exception will be removed from the next revision of the A & I form.