In a world that is more connected than ever, the translation of Legal documents has become a necessity. Just a few possible scenarios where Legal Translation is needed:

• International Lawsuits
• Domestic Lawsuits where the parts don’t speak the same language
• The translation of evidence (for example audio or video recordings)
• eDiscovery processes where part of the documentation is in a different language
• International arbitration cases

With global trade and migration, Legal scenarios that used to be rare are now extremely normal. In this article, we will discuss some of the key aspects to consider when dealing with Legal Translations and give you advice on what you can do to help your translation team.

“Legalese” – Different in every country

It is commonly known that Legal text has its own language, a language that it is said only lawyers can understand. Even though that is a bit of a humorous exaggeration, it is true that Legal text is written in a very particular way that is different from every other type of content.

What is not so known is that the form and style of Legal text change from language to language. It is not enough to just translate the text; an accurate Legal translation must reflect the style used on the Legal texts that are written in the target language.

And this is true not only for different languages. There are strong differences in how Legal text is written in different countries that share the same language. When you compare, for example, Legal texts from Mexico and Argentina you can find differences in the grammatical constructions and in the expressions used.

Experts only: Key points and challenges of Legal Translations

For starters, the biggest obstacle to surmount is by far the differences between Legal systems. Every country has its own set of laws and sometimes even the basis of the Legal system can be different. For example, there are Legal systems based on the Common Law (where previous judicial opinions are of primary importance, such as the US), systems based on Civil Law (where codified statutes predominate, such as France or Germany), mixed systems, etc.

It is also very usual to find Legal terms that don’t necessarily have a direct translation because they don’t exist in the target country, and that require further explanation for the reader to understand them.

It is important that the translators have experience working with Legal content and are knowledgeable on the style and terms used in the target language and country. Translators need to adopt the writing style of local lawyers. This makes the text easier to read and understand which is what you must always aim for when translating.

Working with the right reference materials is key. Governments around the world usually have Legal Dictionaries online that are useful resources when looking to understand the meaning of a specific term.

In some jurisdictions, you will need to certify your translations in order to be admitted by the court. While this varies from country to country when this is a requirement you will need to receive a physical copy of the translation by mail, which must include the translator’s seal, signature, and license number.

Accuracy is key on Legal Translations. A missing period or a moved comma can change the meaning of a sentence. When hiring a Legal Translation Agency please make sure to ask them about how they ensure both accuracy and consistency across all your files. You can’t afford a mistake in a Legal process.

For this type of content receiving a translation performed by a single translator will not be enough. To ensure quality, it is important that the translation is reviewed by a second translator who is also specialized in Legal Translations. A fresh pair of professional eyes can detect errors or improvements that the initial translator might have missed.

Helping your Translation Team

You are a critical part of the translation process. Here is a shortlist of actions you can take on your end to help your translations go smoothly:

1. Be available for questions: it is important that the translators understand 100% of the text before they translate it. Leaving things ambiguous can result in serious mistranslations.
2. Whenever possible, make sure to send fully editable files: Non-editable files such as PDFs require either OCR or manual recreation, and with either process, you run the risk of introducing distortions in the text. Spending a bit of time looking for the original editable files usually pays off in cost, time, and accuracy.
3. Reference Materials: please send all the reference materials you have available, including information about the plaintiff and defendant, about the lawsuit itself, and previous translations (if applicable). This helps the translators have a better understanding of the documents they are translating, which results in a better translation.

Closing words

A faulty translation can derail your Legal Process. Keep in mind how important it is to choose the right people for your Legal Translations, and what you need to double-check with them before trusting that team with your translation needs: They need to be Legal Experts (both in the source and in the target language), they need to be Accurate and they need to have a solid Quality Process.

We hope that the information in this article helps you in all your future Legal Translations.

At Australis Localization, we have a long track record of Legal Translations. We can also provide Sworn Translations for many Latin American countries. Do you need our help with your Legal content? Contact us at production@australis-localization.com

We live in a world where people are more connected than ever. In the Services sector companies have clients and competitors all over the world.

In the product sector value chains go across continents, and in the manufacturing process of even the simplest of products you can find out that the different components were created in different countries and the final product assembled on another country altogether.

Globalization – An ongoing process

All of this is common knowledge, to the point that some people believe that Globalization is something that has already happened. Something that is old news.

The truth is that Globalization is far from over. It is an ever evolving and shifting process in which national and corporate interests.

Take, for example, China’s Belt and Road initiative, which aims to connect large parts of Asia (including the often-postponed Central Asia) with Europe. This initiative is the biggest transnational infrastructure project in modern times.

Europe in turn, is once again looking at Africa, both as a potential market, as well as a place where it can install factories. There are several trade corridors proposed, some modest and achievable, and others more difficult and challenging, but with greater potentials for profit.

There are many projects of this nature in several stages of development, which indicates that international integration is far from over.

The growth of eCommerce

We previously dedicated an entire article to the different options available for eCommerce. eCommerce has been an ongoing trend for a while now, but the pandemic has pushed it into the center of the world stage.

More people than ever are used to buying their products online and that number will only get bigger as new regions get added to the international trade networks.

A promising future – Reaching new markets

What does the future hold for you? It is hard to tell. But it is highly likely that, as new trade routes are open, your future clients and suppliers will come from new countries.

As you may imagine, doing business with a new country has unique challenges, here are some examples:

• Working under a completely new Legal framework (which includes labor, health and safety, trade and tax laws).
• If you are opening a new branch, this will require training and integrating your new staff to your company (which includes trainings, HR documents, healthcare documents, processes, internal policies, etc.).
• Adapting your sales and marketing strategy to a new demographic (marketing material, sales agreements, a new website in the target language, ad campaigns, videos, etc.).
• Onboarding new suppliers into your value chain requires bilingual contracts, and service-level agreements in their target language. It also involves processes and regulations that will allow you to coordinate work effectively with your new partner.

In all the examples above you will have to deal with linguistic challenges and it is key to have a partner that can help you navigate them so you can focus on your core business.

At Australis Localization we have over 120 language combinations and can work with many subject matters. Our translators are trained linguists, and experts in the target languages.

We can help you translate all the legal documents you will need, translate the healthcare plans of your new employees, help you with your new multilingual marketing campaign and, overall, give you peace of mind so you can focus on your main goals and not think about translations.

What is your strategy for the future? If you see the future as an opportunity, contact us today and let’s talk about how we can support your plans for expansion.

IMAGES:

1. Globalization: Designed by rawpixel.com / Freepik
2. eCommerce: Logo vector created by jcomp – www.freepik.com
3. Reaching new markets: Globe Vectors by Vecteezy