Ann Stanyer: Are electronic signatures safe for vulnerable clients?

Has potentially wide implications in estate planning

clock • 4 min read

Ann Stanyer looks at the Law Commission's consultation investigating the use of electronic signatures and asks if enough protection is in place for elderly and vulnerable clients...

The Law Commission's Consultation Paper Electronic execution of documents issued on 21 August is looking into the legal requirements for signing, witnessing, and delivery of documents by both commercial parties and consumers. This has potentially wide implications for elderly and vulnerable adults. In particular, the paper considers whether the current execution requirements for lasting powers of attorney (LPAs) could be included in this discussion and thereby introduce digital execution of such powers. Wills are excluded from the ambit of the consultation as they are being conside...

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