About

Sealing trust with every signature.

Darcie was born and raised in Squamish, B.C. and feels very fortunate to still be living, working and playing in this beautiful town with her husband and 2 children.

Darcie began her legal career in 2003 as a paralegal for Race & Company LLP Lawyers in Squamish and Whistler after completing a Diploma in Paralegal Studies at Capilano University.

In 2019, she returned to Capilano University where she completed a Bachelor of Arts degree in Paralegal Studies with the eventual goal of becoming a Notary Public. Shortly thereafter, she was accepted into the Master of Arts in Applied Legal Studies program at Simon Fraser University which she completed in 2022. In 2023, she was commissioned in the Supreme Court of British Columbia as Notary Public.

After 20 years of working in the legal profession as a real estate paralegal, becoming a Notary felt like the natural next step in what has already been a very rewarding career. Darcie is passionate about making sure her clients leave her office feeling informed and comfortable. She understands that the transactions people hire notaries for are important and often life changing and loves being a part of helping people to finalize those decisions. She is excited to start this next chapter of her life.

Services

Your documents are our commitment.

  • Buying or Selling Real Estate

    When you buy or sell a home in British Columbia, the process used to complete the transaction is called a conveyance. A conveyance is the legal process of transferring ownership of real property (land and buildings) from one party to another.

    Conveyances can be fast paced and usually involve several steps to ensure that the proper information is obtained. The process involves a number of different parties and can be stressful, especially if you have never been through it before. My job is to work with you and your realtor to make sure that nothing gets missed and the transaction goes smoothly. If you are in the process of buying or selling a home, please reach out as early as possible so I can help guide you through the next steps.

    Title Transfers

    There may be other reasons why you may need to transfer ownership of your property. These transfers might include adding or removing a spouse, parent or child to the title of a property or where property is held in joint tenancy, transferring a deceased owner off the title after they have passed away. Although these transactions may seem straightforward, title transfers in British Columbia can be complex with significant implications and require several considerations to ensure they are valid and legally binding.

    Mortgages and Refinances

    Whether you are getting a new mortgage to purchase property or refinancing an existing mortgage to take out equity, we represent both borrowers and lenders to ensure the loan’s security. We review your mortgage terms and explain the legal implications of your mortgage so you understand all of the documents you are signing and are comfortable with the transaction before it completes.

  • Wills Preparation

    A will is a legal document that outlines a person's wishes regarding the distribution of their assets and property, as well as care for any minor children, after their death. It also appoints an executor who will be responsible for winding up the estate and distributing assets to the beneficiaries.

    Creating a will is a crucial step in estate planning to ensure that a person’s wishes are respected and that their loved ones are taken care of after they have passed away. If someone dies without a valid will, the law will determine who receives their assets, which might not align with their actual preferences. In addition, without a will a court will need to appoint someone to administer the estate which means unnecessary costs and delay for the family left behind.

    If you do not have a will or if your circumstances have changed and you want to make changes to an existing will, I can help you create a personalized estate plan giving you peace of mind that your wishes will be followed after you die.

    Power of Attorney

    A power of attorney is a powerful document that allows a mentally capable adult (the donor) to appoint someone else they trust (the attorney) to make legal decisions about finances and property for them. The powers given to an attorney can be broad or specific and if given the authority, can continue even if the donor becomes incapable of making legal decisions on their own. It is recommended that anyone who owns property, including bank accounts, have a power of attorney to avoid unnecessary costs and delay if they are not able to deal with their legal and financial affairs themselves.

    In British Columbia, a power of attorney must meet several specific legal requirements depending on how it will be used, in order to be valid and enforceable. Together we can create a power of attorney that not only meets these specific requirements but that also addresses your specific needs and protects your interests by ensuring your attorney can only make decisions for you that you are comfortable with.

    Representation Agreement

    In British Columbia, a Representation Agreement is a legal document that allows a mentally capable adult to appoint another person they trust (their representative) to make health care and personal care decisions for them should they become sick or injured and cannot make these decisions themselves. In other words, you can think of a Representation Agreement as a “Power of Attorney for health care and personal care”. Without this document, the law allows a doctor or other medical professional to take health care instructions from a pre-determined list of people who you may or may not want to make these decisions for you. If a personal care decision needs to be made, a court will first have to appoint someone as Committee before they can make these decisions which can be a long and expensive process. A representation agreement provides peace of mind that someone you know and trust will be in charge of your care should something unexpected happen to you.

  • A notarization is a formal process where a legally authorized person such as a notary public, lawyer or commissioner for taking oaths, verifies the authenticity of signatures, administers oaths or certifies a true copy of certain documents. While this may seem like a simple process, it is important as these documents can be used as evidence in court and therefore, the process helps to deter fraud and ensures the validity and integrity of legal transactions.

    Before notarizing a document, notaries are required to carefully review 2 pieces of original, unexpired and unaltered identification – one must be government issued photo ID (such as a drivers licence or passport) and the other must contain your full name and signature (such as a bank card or major credit card). We are also required to keep copies of the ID we verify and the notarized document for a minimum of 2 years.

    Since not all documents need to be notarized to be enforceable, we will usually ask that you provide the document to us in advance so we can determine whether our services are even required. If you have a document that you think needs to be notarized, please contact my office to make an appointment.

    Notarized documents include but are not limited to:

    • Affidavits
    • Statutory Declarations
    • Certified True Copies
    • Travel Consent Letter
    • Insurance Proof of Loss Declarations

    ** Please note that we do not notarize marriage contracts or separation agreements or the following documents which we have not prepared:

    • BC Land Title Act documents
    • Wills and Powers of Attorney
    • Representation Agreements