Prestige Network works extensively within the legal sector and our clients include government departments, police, solicitors and other commercial organisations as well as many individuals. Some of our clients include Beachcrofts, DLA Piper, Howard & Byrne, and Camps who specialise in Personal injury and provide services to Polish clients.

Our specialist translators will assist you in the translation of legal documents, contracts, terms and conditions and case papers.

Please contact us today at legal@prestigenetwork.com or call 01635 292 784 – we are waiting to help you!

NEWS! for the month of August 2011 we are offering special discounted rates for the translation of your legal documents, court papers and proceedings, tape transcriptions, medical notes and contracts.

Call 01635 292 784 today and speak directly to the Sales Manager, Salome Wagh.

We have found that there is an increasing use of language services by the legal profession with, for example, more and more legal firms providing services and supporting non-English-speaking clients.

With that in mind, we have produced the following guide to using language services for the Legal sector.

What to look for when choosing a language provider:

• How long has the company been established?
• What range of services do they offer?
• How much experience do they have providing the kind of service you need?
• How well do they know the market you operate in?
• How much experience do they have providing services for the language you need?
• Is the company accredited by the relevant Language Quality Assurance organisations?
• Are their translators and interpreters industry aware?
• Are their translators and interpreters culturally aware?

What You need to do

Good communication between you and a language services company is the starting point for ensuring that you achieve the best for your non-English speaking clients. Preliminary preparation is very useful.

When you make a booking, bear in mind these tips for getting the best results:

• Have as much information on the assignment available as possible, including any relevant documents to be translated
• If you know which language and which dialect is required, please inform us. We can help you, if you are unsure
• In many cases, language support can be provided very quickly, but it’s best to make arrangements in advance
• Clarify any unusual procedures or regulations involved
• Be clear about the deadlines you need to be met
• If the booking is for an on-site interpreter, be ready to confirm the date, duration and location
• If you have used the company’s services before, have your account details to hand

What the language services provider needs to do

As soon as the provider receives the go-ahead, they will find their best match of interpreter/translator skills and availability for your assignment.

When finding an interpreter or translator for you, the operations team needs to ensure that he/she has an appropriate qualification in legal work (such as a Diploma in Public Service Interpreting – Law Option, or an MA in Translations and Interpreting).

Other considerations in choice of linguist could include:

• Gender
• Social/ethnic issues
• Age
• Dialects

The linguist will be briefed with as much information as is available, including any factual information and background documents about the case.

For face-to-face interpreting, a pre-session could be arranged between you and the interpreter before the client arrives. This would give you the opportunity to go through:

• Factual information about the case
• The aim of the session
• Any technical terms you expect to use during the session

If you require any help please contact Prestige Network’s legal services team on 01635 292 784 or email legal@prestigenetwork.com

Supporting the legal sector with legal translation and legal interpreting services takes many forms – from working with litigation attorneys and solicitors at court hearings, patent hearings, and fraud cases, to helping out in personal injury claims and matrimonial arbitration to legal document translating services and court transcripts.

Meryem Skinner, Operations Manager at Berkshire-based Prestige Network (with specific responsibility for the legal division), said: “We have always seen the provision of our services to the legal profession as a very important part of what we do. Different skills are employed in the translation of a legal document to those used in supporting an international arbitration case and we ensure that translators and interpreters are hand picked to suit specific tasks.

Read the full article as featured in the Norfolk Law Society Journal, Spring 2009 edition on our translation services website.

Previously known as the Consumer Complaints Service (or CCS), the LCS is the independent handling body for complaints across the UK legal system.

Prestige were the only language company represented at the meeting which was centred around the topic of equal access to the LCS website for individuals for whom English isn’t their first language. A 30 minute presentation was given by Mr Khorassani on what the translation services involved and highlighting our extensive experience and excellent public sector provision.