What kinds of legal work do notaries perform in civil-law countries?

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Singapore Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew stands at a podium speaking, with an ASEAN emblem and flags visible in the background. — Legal profession Lee Kuan Yew, 1987.

In civil-law countries, the role of a notary is significantly more specialized and authoritative than in common-law jurisdictions. Rather than merely authenticating signatures, the civil-law notary functions as a legal professional who specializes in specific areas of law.1

Their primary responsibilities include:

Document Preparation: Notaries draft and prepare legal documents, including those related to real estate, sales, mortgages, and the settlement of estates.1
Legal Authentication: They guarantee the identity of the parties involved in a transaction. Documents prepared or authenticated by a notary in these systems are admissible in court without further proof of their authenticity.1
Evidence Preservation: Much like the historical Roman tabularius, the modern civil-law notary acts to take and preserve evidence.1

While these notaries possess educational requirements similar to those of lawyers, they are generally prohibited from appearing in court to conduct proceedings.1