Why legal translations should be left to professional translators
I’m sure you’ve been there, you’ve got a trial next week, and a stack of case materials that needs your attention. Time-consuming to say the least, but when they’re in a different language – let’s assume Spanish – the task becomes nearly unattainable. Perhaps your first instinct is to ask your colleague, who speaks Spanish, to translate the materials for you.
You think, what’s the harm? It’s free and fast, so why not take advantage of this available resource?
Legal translations require translation experts Even if your associate speaks flawless Spanish, that doesn’t make him a professional translator. After all, would you want someone who’s watched every episode of Law and Order to handle your case for you? Of course not. You’re trained extensively in law, and a professional translator is trained equally as thoroughly in working with a particular language. In addition, the translator should also have deep knowledge of the legal industry and its terminology.
Let’s assume you hand over your case material to your colleague for translation, and a key piece of information is mistranslated? You enter the courtroom, confident of a win for your client, only to learn that because of the mistranslation, your key piece of evidence is inadmissible. A new court date is set, and you’ve incurred additional cost and time for what should have been an open and shut case.
It takes training and skill to be a legal translator
Professional translators and language service providers (LSPs) spend years beyond formal training to gain a deep understanding of the terminology used in a given industry. A lawyer who can speak conversational Spanish may not be as familiar with Spanish legal terms. A professional legal translator, on the other hand, will understand the terms commonly used in law, trial research, etc.
Given the sheer number of legal translations a translator works on, he’s got a reservoir filled with terms and can easily recall them to expedite your translation project. Add to that his translation memory database, and he’s got everything he needs to quickly deliver a flawless translation.
What if your project doesn’t require word-for-word translation such as for case summaries, journal articles, research, laws and regulations, etc.? Summarization translation or machine translation can help lawyers get the gist of a document quickly and cost-effectively.
Legal translations, not just for law firms
To ensure that applications, registration documents, and contracts are accurately translated, pharmaceutical or medical device companies that operate on an international level should also rely on the skills of a professional legal translator. To avoid legal hold-ups, or worse country entrance denial, this isn’t an area to take on yourself if your company doesn’t have a dedicated translator.
Multinational companies benefit from partnering with a language service provider by gaining the ability to enter multiple markets faster. With a translation company, you’re able to get a single set of documents translated into many languages – taking the pressure off of you to find resources to translate documentation into multiple languages.
In addition, you’ll be able to minimize the risk of signing a contract that’s not quite clear. If, for example, you’re looking to sell products in China, a well laid-out, accurately translated contract can be the difference between a timely entrance into the country and one that is fraught with time-consuming and costly legal issues.
Summary
With so many other things on your plate, why take on the unnecessary burden of language translation? When you turn it over to professionals with legal expertise, you’ll receive timely and accurately translated documents.
If you’d like to learn more about how BURG Translations helps you ensure high quality legal translations, contact us today.
