Law is full of technical jargon, sensitive situations and narrowly missed loopholes even without the problem of language barriers getting in the way. The UK alone is home to over 250 different languages, with many people not speaking English as their first language.
This means that as a legal practitioner, the chances of encountering people in need of legal advice who are not fluent in English are high. This is where legal translation comes in.
There are also often cases where documents need to be translated or sent to a different country. This is why in a law firm you should always keep a certified translations agency on hand in case you need help. In these modern diverse times, translations agencies are becoming a crucial part of making sure that your firm is on-par and on-board.
Gaining Your Client’s Trust
Studies have shown that people respond best when spoken to and communicated with in their own language. Gaining your client’s trust is paramount when working in law. Legal matters are often sensitive matters, and if a client feels confident in their legal advisor then they are more than likely to use them in the future.
This means that translating texts and communicating with them in a language they are comfortable with is always the best choice when handling clients. If a lawyer has inferior translations, it will only breed uncertainty in the client and can cause problems in the long run.
The Importance of Accuracy
Some legal firms think that having a bilingual speaker or general interpreter is enough when translating legal documents. However, what most people forget is that law can be one of the most difficult industries to translate for. Legal terminology by its very nature is subject to incongruity. Difficulties may arise with differences in legal systems in other countries, or with the highly technical jargon. This is why legal documentation should be translated by a certified translations agency who understands it in both languages, knows the laws of both countries and is able to translate documents in a way that is completely accurate and easy to comprehend.
Accurate translation is crucial because mistranslation could lead to unwanted consequences. The mistranslation of a single passage in a contract could lead to lawsuits, loss of money, or worse.
Understanding Cultural and Language Differences
While accuracy is important, having a translator that understands the cultural and technical differences in languages is even more important. Translations agencies need to be able to translate documents in the best way for the audience reading them while still remaining legally sound.
There is a common misconception among people that a literal translation is the right translation, but this is not always the case. There is no point translating a legal document verbatim when half of the words don’t make sense in the other language or to the person reading it. Translators need to take into account phrasing, grammar, missing vocabulary and even dialects. This is another reason why asking your bilingual friend to translate a legal document is not a good idea.
When to Use Legal Translations
Legal translations need to be used when the document is going to be used in court or for legal matters. This can often be the case when people immigrate and need wills, birth certificates and other legal papers translated so that they can go through the relevant legal proceedings of that country if need be. Some other documents that may need translation are contracts, insurance claims and court case transcripts.
There are often cases where translation is needed for evidence. Court transcripts need to be translated when eye witnesses are not English speaking or if evidence is coming from another country. Legal practitioners can get these documents professionally translated so that they can be effectively used in a trial.
If you work in patenting and need to get patent rights or contracts from another country, you will also need to use a translations agency that is fast, well-informed and accurate.
Romo Translations is a certified translations agency that specialises the translation of legal documents from all languages. If you are in need of a professional and experienced translator, feel free to contact us for a free quote.