You might not even consider legal translation services as something which you or your company will ever need, but when you’re working internationally it is essentially a vital service which you’ll require far more often than you’d imagine.
Why might you need legal translation services?
There’s so many different reasons why you might need to seek out the serves of a translation agency to help with you. Here are some of the services they provide.
Document translation
This covers a huge range of legal translation services, everything from contracts to correspondence. Basically anything which is written down can be translated in this way. If you need the format to be adhered to, this is usually possible as well, and the agency will often be able to reformat any contracts so they suit the target country’s legal system.
Certificate translation
This includes marriage, birth or death certificates, and will make sure that everything fully complies with the legal system. Accuracy is vital, and a copy of the certificate is necessary to get start, whilst the actual certificate will need to be produced so that the new translated certificate can be verified.
There are many more options, including interpretation services which will allow you to conduct meetings or merely fasted correspondences in other languages.
What is the process?
The process of legal translation services begins with a lengthy dialogue between the individual interpreter or translation agency. This will allow the aims of the translation to be discussed thoroughly, as well as any words which could have multiple meanings to be clarified. This will prevent mistakes later on, and means that the end result will produced more quickly than it may be otherwise.
Next, when working with an agency, the right translator will need to be assigned to the job. They will need to be an expert in law (in the specific field which you’re working in, and in both countries where possible), and ideally they should also be a native speaker of the language which the document is being translated into. This will mean the document is not only entirely legally watertight but also it will read fluidly. Through their unique knowledge, the translator will be able to select the perfect phrases as well as make sure that it remains legally binding, and none of the meaning is lost.
Once the legal translation service has been completed, there are two options. The first, and that which is more highly recommended, is that the document is proofread by a second translator with similar skills, or even a native speaker of that country who is not bilingual. They will be able to point out any sections which aren’t entirely clear, and amend any potential errors, be it in the law, the syntax, or the grammar. Once this has been done, and both the translator and the proofread are content that the document is perfect, the document will be sent to the client. The other option is skip the proofreading stage and simply provide the client with their completed document.