Tips for legal secretaries

The ability to interpret a foreign language in court is not the same as being bilingual.  Many untested bilingual people try to get work as interpreters without any training and without knowing the rules of legal procedure.

Be sure to know how to tell the difference and select a qualified interpreter.

 

 

Interview and qualify the interpreters first before you schedule them.  If you take the time to set up your criteria once, and make a list of who meets the criteria, you'll be ready with professional interpreters at hand.  If you rely on an Interpretation/Translation agency to meet your requests, review how they qualify their staff.

 

Here’s what to look for:

 

Þ Texas Department of Licensing Licensed Court Interpreter Number.

Þ Verify their status online at http://www.license.state.tx.us/LicenseSearch/.

Þ  Focus on those with legal experience specifically in the courtroom, training, their membership in professional associations, and certifications.

Þ Verify their law firm references and ask about any confusion that occurred during testimony and their professional behavior.  Are they on time, polite, flexible with cancellations, etc.

Þ Note their training and CE’s, a degree in Spanish is simply not enough.

Þ Verify their fluency in English by calling and speaking with them yourself.

Þ Confirm  if they perform simultaneous or consecutive; see TIP under “Modes of Interpreting” on the Working With Interpreters page.

Þ Ask about their rates, payment terms, minimums and advance notice requirements.

 

Let us know what to expect from your law firm.

 

Freelance interpreters need to know the following:

 

· The firm’s terms for payment.

· Your policy on additional fee’s such as cancellations, travel, or parking.  

· Name and address of whom to bill.

· Invoicing requirements: what the invoice should include, such as cause number, case style, the attorney’s name.

 

 

 

ARE YOU BILLINGUAL IN SPANISH AND ENGLISH?

 

Pump up your translation and interpreting skills and increase your value to your company!

 

Increase your value at the office!

 This specially designed group course includes:

· Individual aptitude assessment of each group member.

· Language skills improvement: written and spoken, terminology and phraseology.

· Professional Interpreting skills improvement: consecutive and simultaneous modes.

· Interpreting tools and resources

· Translation tools and resources

The course is designed to meet your  specific needs and to enhance your performance. Contact Diane dianeteichman@linquisticworld.com for details today.

 

 

 

 

TIME AND MONEY SAVING TIPS

 

Before the Bon Voyage on depositions overseas…

 

Legal procedures as per the rules are not common practice in many countries.  Often scheduling a simple deposition requires piecing together of available services, working around customary work hours, and business practices to meet the US legal requirements of the procedure.  For example a Notary is not the same profession in Mexico as it is in the United States.

 

I can help you with securing necessary services, while informing your office of on site requirements and even confirm a conference room.  We can tip you off to cultural business etiquette, foreseeable delays, what to wear and yes…even recommend restaurants.  While on the trip, upon your request; I will assist with customs and immigration at airport, assist the court reporter, videographer and experts in getting their equipment through customs.

 

Save Money for the BOSS!  Instead of having a deposition transcript or settlement agreement translated (written out), we can come to your office and read it to them.  This is called Sight Translation and is a recognized procedure.

We provide a notarized certificate signed by the interpreter stating that said document was orally translated to said persons, verbatim and another notarized certificate in both languages which the client signs, stating that it was read to them and that they understood it.

 

Decipher the unknown quantity When you are presented with file boxes of evidentiary documents in a foreign language; call us to come and index it for you. Then you can identify only the germane documents to be translated.