'Collaboration with lawyers is virtually unthinkable in most countries'

International contacts, knowledge of notarial practices in other countries, and wonderful memories. That's what candidate notaries Loran Somé and Britt Weijtmans gained from their participation in the World Notariat University in Paris. "I would absolutely recommend it to everyone."

For a week, they attended lectures on topics including corporate law, real estate law, inheritance law, and personal law in other countries. They did this alongside approximately 100 (junior) civil-law notaries from around the world. "It was fantastic and inspiring to see how other countries approach the profession," Somé reflects. "There are many similarities between the different notarial professions. We protect public order and the rule of law everywhere and play an important role in society." Although there are, of course, differences as well. For example, he learned that in Poland it's possible to marry by proxy. "Also striking: in the Netherlands, we work with lawyers, which is quite unthinkable in most countries."

To compare
"It's interesting to hear how certain matters are regulated in other countries, what solutions they have, and how the law works there," Weijtmans adds. "It's quite unique to have such a comparative legal framework." She discovered, for example, that matters in other countries aren't always as well-regulated as in the Netherlands. "In several South American countries, registers are kept very minimally. Then it's difficult to find evidence to verify a name and date of birth. While we have a very advanced system in place, in some countries it's a problem. I found that quite surprising."

Contacts
Both candidate civil-law notaries have made many connections between lectures. "Suppose a client runs into a problem in France or Poland, I now have someone I can refer them to," says Somé. "It was also personally valuable for me to get to know people from all over the world." Weijtmans has also made many connections. "We have a WhatsApp group with all the participants, and we've also exchanged LinkedIn profiles. If necessary, I have a number of people I can turn to with questions."

Certain way
Weijtmans recommends everyone to apply for World Notariat University next year. "It's simply a fantastic experience with interesting lectures. It's also a great atmosphere, with so many young candidates." For Somé, it also gave him more insight into his profession. "By comparing your profession with that of other countries, you understand better why we do things a certain way here. I would absolutely recommend it to everyone."