Choosing the Right Legal Translation Option for Your Business Needs

There are several options available for businesses that wish to disseminate their content in one or multiple languages. The choice depends on their specific needs and is often adapted to their circumstances. Each option has its own advantages and disadvantages, especially when it comes to legal translation services.

Translation agencies

For businesses with a high volume of, and often urgent legal translation work, it can be advantageous to use the services of a translation agency. Agencies usually offer competitive prices and have the capacity to handle high volume within requested deadlines.

These agencies may employ a combination of employees and freelancers, who possess specialized skill sets. However, the quality of translations may vary depending on the expertise of their staff. Agencies sometimes assign tasks based on availability rather than competence.

In the case of legal translation, I have come across texts translated by individuals without a legal background. Even if the text produced is grammatically correct, translating legal jargon requires someone with extensive experience in the field, or a lawyer and certified translator, to grasp the nuances between the source and target languages. In some instances, legally untrained translators and revisers are entrusted with translating important legal documents, resulting in potential misunderstandings.

Therefore, unless an agency has a dedicated team of legal translation specialists available at all times to meet the demands of businesses requiring such services, it is advisable for the latter to establish strong relationships with freelancers to ensure that their objectives are met.

Freelancers

By using freelance legal translators, businesses can save on the overhead costs associated with translation agencies, such as salaries for administrative staff, office space, etc., by hiring them directly.

Freelancers, unless they have established relationships with counterparts, may not be able to handle large volumes of work and offer the same level of flexibility as an agency. Consequently, their service offering is therefore better suited for more ad hoc projects.

Another significant advantage is that businesses get to know the translator they are working with, eliminating the need for intermediaries (such as agencies) and allowing them to build a relationship based on trust.

Employees

Furthermore, if the legal translation needs are seasonal, businesses can avoid the costs of hiring an in-house translator, which would include expenses like salaries, insurance, and benefits.

A hybrid structure that combines both employees and freelancers may be a sensible choice for many organizations such as courts, law firms, private companies, or government bodies, allowing them to effectively meet their specific demands.

To learn more about the different types of legal translation professionals and how they can meet your specific needs, please consult this helpful guide on translation services.

Trusted Legal Translation Partners for High-Volume Demands

At Traductions nexus, we have established business relationships with trusted legal translators to meet our clients’ high-volume demands.