Unfortunately, no. A Witness-Only Closing is one in which an attorney presides over the execution of deeds of conveyance and other closing documents, but purports to do so merely as a witness and notary and not as someone who is practicing law.
Georgia is an “attorney state” and requires that an attorney licensed to practice law in the State of Georgia must be in control of the entire closing process. According to the Supreme Court of Georgia, an attorney participating in a closing merely as a witness or notary would violate the State Bar’s rules of professional conduct. Consequently, we will not participate in witness-only closings.
Would you like to know more? Here’s the ruling by the Georgia Supreme Court.
Harlan Florence is an Atlanta-based boutique law firm that believes there’s a better way to handle your real estate closing. We’d love to work with you. Contact us today, and let’s see what we can do together.