How legal translation differs from general translation
A legal document creates rights and obligations. If a liability clause or deadline is translated inaccurately, the parties end up reading two different documents and find out only when a dispute arises. That's why legal translation is about more than terminology. It needs wording that fixes the meaning without leaving room for a second interpretation.
Our typical clients are companies signing contracts with partners abroad and international organizations working in Central Asia: grant agreements, tender documents, internal policies.
What we pay attention to
- Terminology and functional equivalents. We choose the equivalent used in the reader's legal system, not a literal copy.
- Document structure. Clause numbering, cross-references and standard headings such as Subject Matter, Force Majeure and Details of the Parties are translated consistently.
- Figures and details. Amounts, dates, document numbers, names and the names of authorities get a separate check.
- Consistency with earlier documents. If you already have translated contracts, we use their terminology so the new document doesn't contradict the old ones.
How you can help the translator
Send the original or a clear copy, plus anything that helps keep things consistent: a list of abbreviations, the agreed spellings of names and companies, previous translations for the project. If the document will have a bilingual version, let us know up front and we'll lay it out in two columns from the start.
Turnaround and editing
A translator handles up to 2,000 words a day, and editing takes extra time. For contracts we always include a review by a second linguist, which is the Pro plan. Urgent translation of short documents is possible: just tell us your deadline when you send the file.