Legal translation is the conversion of a legal text or document from one language into another language. The legal system in our country and other countries is very influenced by its culture. Because culture plays a big part in the legal systems this makes translation an even more critical job for the legal professional translator. Only legal professional certified translators who specialize in translating legal text should translate legal writing. To be a legal professional certified translator one must be certified with the American Translators Association (ATA). ATA, a professional association, was established to confer a status to develop those professionals who translate and interpret. There are 10,000 members of the ATA and the membership covers 90 plus countries. Their professional members work in many careers such as translators, interpreters, teachers, web and software developers, project managers, hospitals, government agencies, and universities. The goal of ATA is to foster the professional development of translators and interpreters while advancing the translation and interpreting professions. This includes legal interpretation through the certification program the organization offers to all translators. The following are the steps to become an ATA member and become certified: Become an ATA Associate member. Associate membership is available to any person interested in the ATA. Applicants will remain Associate members for four weeks before they apply for Active Membership Review or take the ATA certification test. When an associate passes the certification exam he automatically advances to Active status. Related Article How to Become a Legal Researcher Lawyers are generally very busy people. That's because they sometimes take on many cases within the same time frame. They're so busy that they can't do all the legal researching themselves. That's where Legal Researchers come in. If you're considering a career in legal research or want to do freelance researc .... How to Become a Certified Court Reporter Are you considering a job in the legal field but the thought of spending seven years to become a lawyer just seems like too much? If so, you may consider a job that is just as crucial to judicial proceedings, but takes a lot less time to begin your career, such as a certified court report. .... How to Become a Certified Legal Assistant? The following article aims to inform the readers that the paralegals or the legal assistants are responsible for performing significant and specially delegated legal tasks. The job market is very conducive to the paralegals as they assist the lawyers in performing many important tasks related to the trial cas .... Meet Eligibility Requirements 1. Verification of a bachelor's degree. (If a translator does not have a bachelor's degree he may substitute 5 years work experience as a translator or interpreter.) 2. Documentation that the candidate has worked at least 2 years as a translator or interpreter. Sign Up for a Three Hour, Open Book ATA Exam. Certify in a language combination. These steps will satisfy employers of ones ability to do professional certified legal translation but some law firms might have more requirements than just being a certified translator. Here are some specific requirements set forth by a company which hires legal professional certified translators to be on staff for legal translation. The interpretation of legal language and the intent of the source text to suit its culture A legal translator being familiar with the legal system from which the document originates The knowledge of most legal documents and the precise rights and duties established for the involved individuals Legal translation of Certificates of Accuracy, Trusts, Wills, Articles of Incorporation, and Depositions Occasionally court attendance by the legal translator The use of law dictionaries There are many legal events to which the legal translator might have to be a participant: contract translations, purchase agreements, legal disclaimers, non-disclosure agreements, legal certifications and statements, legal rulings, litigation support, export reports, and arbitration. Legal professional certified translator's salaries and the job outlook are great. Salaries range from $33,000 to $93,000. The job outlook is expected to be better than average as growth will be faster for this occupation. The contributing factors are international connections and the expected increase of foreign language speakers in the U.S.

Share    Tweet

Rate This Article 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Select    View top rated articles

Printable Version    PDF Version    Email to a Friend    Post A Comment    View Comment    Discuss

Popular Tags

bachelor's degree  depositions  arbitrations  writing  developers  legal language  knowledge  legal documents  cultures  professional development

Featured Testimonials

The facility to apply online on LawCrossing is very helpful while the email alert function is amazing. A great website! Kevin

Facts

LawCrossing Fact #171: Our “Job Source” key lets you display jobs from recruiters, employers, or both!

"We want to hear your thoughts. Please comment on this article (below)!" Comments

Article ID: 5376     Article Title: How to Become a Legal Professional Certified Translator Comment not found for this article. Comment

Facebook comments: