The language used in the legal industry is very distinctive and precise and therefore, there is no room for mistakes. Law firms all over the world rely on professional translation companies to ensure that their translation requirements are met in best way possible.

Within the legal industry, the notion of trust is extremely important, and it is something which is earned. Clients in the legal industry will require advice and information that resonates with their own language, so it is a requirement that the documents when translated remain true to the original source and the integrity of the content is maintained.

What does legal translation refer to?

  • Legal translation is the term given to the translation of legal text. It is required when documents needed for legal proceedings are needed to be made available in the official language of a specific jurisdiction. For this reason, legal translation requires a variety of different sources and materials such as transcripts, contracts, patents and more.
  • Documents such as emails, bank statements, text messages and more may also need to be legally translated when it comes to a case.
  • There are a wide variety of law enforcement agencies which may require legal translation such as immigration agencies and courts of law. Other sectors in which legal translation can be needed are law firms, corporations, real estate agencies, academic institutions and property owners.

What qualities are required from legal translators?

  • Legal translators need to be educated to a high level as well as having meritorious linguistic skills. Legal translators, in most cases have to work with sensitive documents and therefore, must be able to translate documents to a very high-quality, conforming with the demands of the client.
  • The ability to understand complex text and then translate it is not an easy task, but one which is necessary for a legal translator. Another trait of legal translators that is important is being able to work under pressure, on tight deadline and delivering the required translation as per the criteria of the client.
  • There are not many legal translators because it is a risk involving job in which there is no room for error or mistranslation as any error can have adverse effects. This is what creates a huge demand for efficient legal translators.
  • The demand for legal translation is very high in the business world right now. As more and more companies are developing and exploring new markets globally, the expertise of legal translators is required. Furthermore, law firms are frequently involved in multijurisdictional disputes representing variety of global clients which has led to an increase in translation requirements in variety of languages. To conclude, it is essential for law firms and in-house legal departments, to carry out thorough due diligence before shortlisting prospective translation companies to cater to their respective requirements.

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