Legal Definitions - per procurationem

The Latin phrase per procurationem, often abbreviated as p.p. or per pro., means "by proxy" or "through the agency of another." It is used to indicate that a person is signing a document or acting on behalf of another individual or organization, having been granted the authority to do so.

When someone signs "p.p." before their own name and then the name of the person they are representing, it signifies that they are acting as an authorized agent for the principal. This clarifies that the signatory is not acting in their personal capacity but rather exercising delegated authority.

Here are some examples illustrating the use of per procurationem:

• Example 1: Corporate Correspondence

  Imagine a busy CEO, Ms. Eleanor Vance, who needs to send a routine letter of acknowledgment to a business partner. Her executive assistant, Mr. David Chen, has standing authority to sign such non-critical correspondence on her behalf. Mr. Chen would sign the letter as: "p.p. Eleanor Vance, David Chen."

  This illustrates per procurationem because Mr. Chen is signing "by proxy" for Ms. Vance, indicating that he has the delegated authority to act on her behalf for this specific task, even though she is the principal author or intended signatory.

• Example 2: Financial Transactions

  A small business owner, Mr. Robert Miller, is out of the country and needs to authorize a payment for a supplier. He has given his trusted accountant, Ms. Sarah Jenkins, limited power of attorney to handle urgent financial matters. Ms. Jenkins might sign a payment authorization form as: "p.p. Robert Miller, Sarah Jenkins."

  Here, per procurationem signifies that Ms. Jenkins is acting as an authorized agent for Mr. Miller. Her signature is legally binding on Mr. Miller because she is exercising the authority he granted her, rather than making the payment in her own personal capacity.

• Example 3: Legal Office Administration

  A senior partner at a law firm, Ms. Olivia Reed, is in court all day and cannot personally sign a routine filing cover sheet for a document being submitted to the court. Her paralegal, Mr. Mark Thompson, has been authorized to sign such administrative documents. Mr. Thompson would sign the cover sheet as: "p.p. Olivia Reed, Mark Thompson."

  This demonstrates per procurationem because Mr. Thompson is signing on behalf of Ms. Reed, indicating that he has the delegated authority to perform this administrative act for her. The signature is valid because it represents Ms. Reed's authority exercised through her agent.