Opinion ID: 1413853
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Preparation of Loan Documents

Text: Stipulated facts 7 and 8 concern Lender's preparation of loan documents as well as the attorney's review of the documents and subsequent curative work, if needed. Doe argues the preparation of real estate documents constitutes the practice of law, but Lender has a pro se right to prepare documents where it is a party. We disagree. South Carolina law recognizes an individual's ability to appear pro se with leave of the court. See S.C.Code Ann. § 40-5-80 (1976). Corporations, which are artificial creatures of state law, do not have a right to appear pro se in all instances. See S.C.Code Ann. § 40-5-320 (1986). We granted corporations the ability to appear pro se, with leave of the court, in civil magistrate's court. See In re Unauthorized Practice of Law, supra . We explicitly rejected a corporation's ability to appear pro se in a state circuit or appellate court. Renaissance Enterprises, Inc. v. Summit Teleservices, Inc., 334 S.C. 649, 515 S.E.2d 257 (1999). The right of a corporation to practice law by completing real estate loan documents is not co-extensive with an individual's right. Doe's citation to this Court's previous holdings to suggest otherwise is misplaced. [3] In Buyers Service we specifically held the preparation of real estate instruments by lay persons constituted the unauthorized practice of law. See Buyers Service, 292 S.C. at 430-31, 357 S.E.2d at 17-18. Without the presence of Doe, acting as an independent supervising attorney, Lender could not prepare such instruments. Doe correctly differentiates this case from Buyers Service because an independent attorney will review the documents and correct them, if needed. Lender may prepare legal documents for use in refinancing a loan for real property as long as an independent attorney reviews and corrects, if needed, the documents to ensure their compliance with law.