There are few industries that are as complicated and nuanced as the legal industry. With so many different aspects of law to contend with, we know writing documents in your native English can be a daunting prospect, let alone having them translated effectively into another language.
So where do you start? It’s a question that, as a Language Services Provider (LSP), we get asked all the time by our clients. The first and most crucial step to getting this right is to find a translation partner that you can trust.
If this sounds easier said than done, we understand. This is why we’re going to outline the top questions you should ask a prospective translation service provider to ensure you work with one that fits with your business.
7 Considerations for Choosing a Legal Translation Service Provider
1. Do They Have Industry Experience?
The right translation provider should have a team of translators on their roster who are not only totally fluent in the target language, but who also are subject matter experts in the legal industry.
The on-the-ground knowledge that comes from having spent years in the legal field is what will make translations not only accurate, but relevant to the specific circumstances of your situation.
2. What Languages do They Cover?
It might go without saying, but your LSP needs to be able to support the languages that you need your documentation translated into. And actually, the larger the amount of languages that can be catered for, the better. Even if you currently only need your documents translated into Spanish and French, in the future you may need to operate with German or Korean clients, and at that time you don’t want to have to go and look for another language partner.
3. What’s Their Project Management Process?
You want to know how the translation process is going to run from beginning to end. What will the LSP need from you at each stage? When will you be able to test translations and feedback? Will you have a dedicated account handler who is a single point of contact representing your best interests at the LSP and for the duration of the process?
Having someone who knows the ropes helping you navigate your way through the ins and outs of a translation is critical to the success of the project. It also allows you to have the peace of mind so you can continue to concentrate on running your business.
4. How do They Handle Quality Assurance?
Understanding and believing in your LSP’s Quality Assurance (QA) capability is crucial to knowing that you’re going to get a high quality translation.
After all, you can’t check the translation yourself unless you speak the target language. So, how do you know what you’re getting unless you can trust the LSP’s QA process? One way to ensure that the process works is to ask them…
5. Are They ISO Certified?
Having certification from the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) means the LSP subjects their processes to regular independent auditing by the leading standards organization in the world.
ISO certification proves that they have a robust process that leads to strong results. For an LSP you want to check that they are ISO 17100 certified. This is the gold standard for translation services and no LSP should be without it.
6. Do They Fit with the Way Your Business Works?
You’ve established your brand, the way you communicate and represent yourself with clients, suppliers and partners, and your working practices. It’s what makes your business individual and probably a big reason why your clients like doing business with you.
Your chosen LSP needs to be able to work with you, within the confines of your working practices and business ethos. The way of working needs to be frictionless.
For example, if they can’t give you a dedicated account manager, or they don’t operate during working hours in your time zone, or even if their environmental responsibility doesn’t match yours (and might bring your business practices into question), then are they really the right partner for you?
7. Partnering for the Bigger Picture
With the right language services partner, you’re setting yourself up for far more than just accurate translations. You’re bringing on board a team that can help you localize into new markets with cultural insights allowing you to grow clients in new territories quickly and effectively.
Asking the right questions about the LSP’s legal experience, their language range, their processes, the way they run their business and their localization experience will put you track to make this critical decision in a well-informed way.
Get A Quote for Your Legal Translation Project
If you’ve got legal translation requirements that you need help with, we’d love to sit down and talk with you about it.
Consultations are free and there’s no obligation.
With Lingualinx, you won't ever have to worry about your message getting lost as it’s interpreted or translated.
You know you're in good hands as we’re ISO 17100 and ISO 9001 compliant, have over twenty years of professional translation experience, and have earned the trust of organizations around the world.
