A legal translator must master the terminology and concepts of not just law, but also the area to which the law is being applied.

What is A Legal Translator?

A translator translates content from one language into another language; however, a legal translator must master the terminology and concepts of not just law, but also the area to which the law is being applied. Legal translation sits at the very heart of multilingual communication because it enables companies, individuals, government and legal agencies to communicate across different cultures and languages both within and across borders. Translators involved in legal translation require a deep and thorough knowledge not only of specialist terminology but also of linguistic conventions used in related documents.

What’s Required in Legal Translation?

Legal translation services work is a highly specialized field requiring skills and expertise beyond general-purpose translation. Legal translators might be involved in translating court documentation, translating international agreements and contracts, foreign law, and so on; all of which require a comprehensive knowledge of legal terminology. Having knowledge of a specific country’s legal system, proper terminology and accurate interpretation of linguistic nuances are just some of the prerequisites of a legal translation. Anyone involved in translating in the legal arena must be highly committed to not only accuracy but ethics as well.

Taking Your Skills to the Next Level

Many translators assist with legal matters pertaining to criminal law, immigration matters, and other issues where at least one of the parties involved doesn’t speak the English language. However, some translators work with these matters on a much larger scale, such as in courts of international law or with the United Nations. These courts try legal cases with international consequences, and which in many cases have people right around the globe following with great interest: the courts involved might include the European Court of Justice, the European Court of Human Rights, and the War Crimes Tribunals of The Hague. So, it’s obvious that, in these circumstances, highly accurate and fast translation skills are an absolute necessity.

It’s All about Your Reputation

When it comes to translation and cases being tried in international courts, only the best-of-the-best will be accepted (or even considered) for this type of work. This means that translators seeking this type of work must not only be exceptionally skilled; they need the references and credentials to prove they’re actually capable of meeting the demands of this type of translation work. Translators who are just starting out and those with limited real-world experience will not even be considered for these positions because there’s simply way too much at stake for everyone involved in these court cases.

If your career goal is to work on legal cases being tried in any of the world-famous international courts, then you need to start creating a great reputation as a highly skilled translator.