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Unauthorized Practice of Law

Also called: UPL

Conducting activities that constitute the practice of law without being a licensed attorney. For Pennsylvania notaries, UPL is one of the most common ethics pitfalls — drafting documents, giving legal advice, and explaining legal consequences of signing all qualify.

A notary may confirm the identity of a signer and attest to their signature, but may not explain what the document means, draft it for the signer, or advise them whether to sign. The single phrase most likely to trigger UPL: answering “what does this mean?” with anything other than “I can’t advise you — please consult an attorney.” See Ethics & Prohibited Acts.

Source: 57 Pa.C.S. § 325 — Prohibited advertising and unauthorized practice of law — link

See also: notario-publico, prohibited-acts

This page is educational information, not legal advice. Pennsylvania notary law changes; always verify against the current version of RULONA (57 Pa.C.S. §§ 301–331) and 4 Pa. Code at pa.gov. Consult a PA-licensed attorney for specific situations.