Why is legal translation important for businesses?

Legal translation is a highly specialized type of translation since it is applied to the legal field. It combines a deep knowledge of the source and target languages and the mastery of legal terms. Companies as well as also private individuals might resort to translation agencies at one point.

This type of translation is not only necessary for the translation of documents for international court cases implicating various languages, but it also applies to other sectors such as:

• Patent matters
• Industrial and intellectual property
• Transactions
• Litigation
• Administration
• Insurance claims
• Business contracts and agreements

With their extensive legal experience, translators and interpreters will make sure to deliver a high-quality translation while respecting the norms, regulations, and international laws.

Translating legal documents is complex due to the specific legal terminology of each legal system. Legal terminology can be difficult to understand even for native speakers. The challenge for translator services is to be capable of translating the document in the client’s target language without the loss of meaning and accuracy, on which the legal protection of the client lies. For instance, a mistranslation in a contract or in an insurance claim can have serious legal and financial consequences for a company. 

That is why companies outsource the translation services to agencies. These agencies can create linguistic teams in order to meet your deadlines, especially when they are urgent. Working with teams guarantees the Four-Eye Principle, meaning that any decisions made by translators regarding the translation of legal documents must be approved by at least two people. That way, the content is double checked, and discrepancies and errors are prevented throughout the translation process. Resorting to work with a translation agency also guarantees the client a certain security as any loss caused by a defective translation is covered by an indemnity insurance. Finally, relocating translation services to agencies can represent an advantage in terms of costs and budget.

There is no room for errors, and an accurate translation needs to be made to prevent penalties and legal disputes. Moreover, it is possible that just a part of the document needs to be translated. If you want to avoid spending more money and also save time, you should do a selection of the part that needs to be translated before sending the entire document to the specialist or the agency. Only the parts selected will be translated, which will reduce the cost in total.

Depending on the country and the type of document, authorities and administration might need a level of certification such as certified translation, sworn, or notarized, a legalisation service, or an apostille service. Some agencies can provide different levels of certification. If you need a type of certification, you must find an agency that can deliver it to you.

You should specify not only the type that you want but also the country your document will be sent to, in that way, no mistake will be made in terms of certification. As an example, a tender application in France requires a translation made by a translator sworn in a French Court of Appeal in order to be considered as valid. Without a sworn translator, the translation will be invalid and the tender will be rejected by the French Administration.

In some cases, the localization method will be applied, so that the text will not only be translated in the language requested, but also, with the country’s very own cultural terms and local language specificities.

Even if the cost of legal translation can be high, if you resort to an agency, it is worth it and is the best option. It is in your best interest to seek the help of professionals for legal translation services, so they will provide an accurate translation that will be as legally binding as your original documents.