Legal Translation on a Global Scale

Having worked in the legal industry for 20 years now, one thing I have noticed is the trend against using certified court reports to perform legal translations.  In the old days, one would find a certified court reporter that spoke the language being translated and that person would be hired to translate the document. One regret I have is that I didn't stick with Spanish after I learned it in my early days. I would have been that much more marketable.

Now days, there are services that specialize in such translation of legal documents, such as contracts, wills, trusts, and settlement agreements into another language.  I have family in the UK and apparently these companies are huge over there.  It is also my understanding that there is quite a market for translation given the global economy we’re living in.

So, if you are in the need for some legal translation, whether you are a corporation, legal firm or small company, there is indeed a market to service your very need.  Shop around, find someone reputable, and get references.  Just like any other job you’re hiring out, you want someone  who is good at what they do and preferably someone who specializes in the field you’re in.