Legal work

Our work in the legal sector covers commercial law, company law, criminal law, family law and property law, e.g.:

We translated the indictment in a criminal case and engaged with the German consulate on behalf of our client to gain access to the master tape and check the transcription of the police interview against the recording.                                                                                                                                                      We also provided interpreting services for the defendant and his legal team – initially at HMP Durham and then during the trial at Newcastle Crown Court.

We provided interpreting services in a child adoption case in Tyne and Wear which included travelling to Germany with the LA social worker in charge to discuss the potential longterm placement with the father and his new partner in Germany, and assess the suitability of their home and the school environment for the child.

Recently, we provided consecutive interpreting at Newcastle Family Court during private meetings between counsel and client.

As in most interpreting assignments – even video conference interpreting – mindful people management by the interpreter is essential to ensure effective communication between all parties. This applies in particular to court environments where parties are often emotionally highly charged as there is much at stake and the outcomes can be life-changing. At times, the interpreter – because of his/her special position as intermediary – is asked to step in and take on tasks which go beyond the original brief, e.g. supervise the defendant at lunchtime during court proceedings, or take the defendant to a bail hostel, if nobody else is available.   

Other translation work undertaken includes documents in child abduction cases for the Scottish Executive Justice Department, Private and International Law Branch, and criminal record certificates.

We also provide certified translations of legal documents which have to fulfill strict formal requirements. The Chartered Institute of Linguists gives the following guidance:

"A self-certified translation should ideally only ever be sent by hard copy. The reason for this is to avoid the possibility of the translation being used on its own, or being affixed to a different source text for fraudulent purposes. A self-certified translation should, therefore, be affixed firmly to the source text - either by using rivets, or by folding the top left hand corner over, stapling it and stamping the back. Either variant will ensure that it is not possible to remove and/or replace individual pages of the translation or the source text. Obviously a copy may be sent by electronic means, but that will not normally qualify as a certified translation in its own right." 

Unlike in the UK, many countries have a system of sworn translators. We also provide translations by in-country sworn translators if required. 

Family Court, Newcastle upon Tyne

Title deed dating back to 1904

Self-certification stamp issued by the Chartered Institute of Linguists (CIOL)