Legal Translation
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Legal translation is one of the most complex and unique fields of translation. This is because legal documents (contracts, certificates, regulations, etc.) use specific legal terminology, and also because of the importance of each and every word, comma and mark in legally binding documents of this kind.
“Legalese” constitutes a language unto itself, which not only ordinary translators – professional as they may be – but also legal interns do not fully command. The unique lexicon of this field, and its specific grammar and phrasing customs, accentuate immediately the difference between an experienced translator who is knowledgeable in the field, and a translator who is not sufficiently skilled to perform translations of this kind.
Globus Translations aims to match each translation job with the right translator In other words, we match the content of the translation job with a translator who has the appropriate knowledge and experience. Legal translations are only sent to translators who are themselves attorneys or who have a great deal of experience and knowledge in the field of law, and in the required area of specialization, such as translation of contracts, real estate documents, tenders, criminal, taxes and more. We provide translations of many types of legal documents, including::
- Translation of contracts
- Translation of employment agreements
- Translation of statements of claim and statements of defense
- Translation of legal articles
- Translation of documents required for studies abroad
- Translation of wills and testaments
- Translation of financing documents
- Translation of power of attorney
- Translation of patents
- Translation of shrink-wrap agreements
- Translation of marriage certificates and birth certificates
- Translation of certificates of good character
- Translation of passports and authorizations
- Translation of immigration documents
- Translation of affidavits
- Translation of law firm websites
- Translation of “terms of use” for websites
- Translation of internet contracts
- Translation of court rulings
- Translation of copyright agreements
- Translation of consumer-company contracts
We can also provide notarized translations when needed. We recommend verifying in advance whether you require a notarized translation, or whether the entity requiring the document will also accept a certificate confirming the accuracy of the translation issued by the translation company.
In case of legal translation, there is no room for compromise on the quality and professionalism of the translation, due to the severe consequences which could ensue due to an unprofessional, inaccurate translation.
The question is not whether you can afford the cost of a high quality translation; it is whether you can afford the cost of an unprofessional translation.
Would you allow a medical student to perform surgery on you?
Would you risk a $200,000 contract on a translation prepared by someone with the knowledge and experience of an intern?
Complete command of the source and target languages are insufficient to produce a high-quality translation. Most bilingual speakers are not proficient in translation, and certainly not in a domain as specific as legal translation, since expertise in the specific field of law, and an in-depth understanding of the corresponding terms in the translation’s target language, are mandatory requirements for a legal translator. Thus, for example, an attorney specializing in criminal law cannot translate a document dealing with tax law. There is also a significant difference between the legal systems in different countries. In many cases, even the same term can have different meanings in different countries. For example, the term “double jeopardy” (a prohibition which prevents a defendant from being tried again on the same charges, following a previous acquittal) has a different meaning in Australia and in the United States. Furthermore, an incorrect translation of a word which has multiple meanings in the source language could have severe legal implications.
Thus, for example, in the sentence “He carries the Olympic torch”, it is clear that the word “torch” refers to the famous flame associated with the Olympic Games. However, in the sentence “He was carrying a torch”, the context could be completely different – for example, in case of a witness to an arson event in London, who states the above sentence about a passerby.
If the passerby was carrying a flame, the word “torch” in this means that the witness is referring to arson; however, this translation could be a complete distortion of what the witness meant to say, if he intended to convey that the passerby was merely what is known in the United States as a flashlight.
A professional translator will know how to find the most appropriate translation for each term, in consideration of the audience for which it is intended.
We therefore recommend that you contact us at Globus Translations in order to ensure peace of mind, with the knowledge that your translation will be done by a professional translator with the appropriate skills, training, know-how and experience in legal translation. It should be noted that many of our professional translators are also attorneys.
We would be happy to show you our work methods. Contact our sales team so we can learn about your needs.