How to become a certified legal translator in a certified translation office?
Translation is an interesting and challenging profession that allows its specialists to translate a variety of contents and acquire much knowledge. It also requires them to have specific skills, wide experience and a thorough knowledge of all the terminology of the field selected by the translator. Legal translation is one of the fields of accurate translation specializes in translating legal documents, such as agreements, contracts, patents, various certificates and other documents. Legal translation requires special skills and experience due to the nature of the relevant documents. Learn with us the most important skills and experiences you need to become a certified legal translator in a certified translation office.
Here some considerations to take into account if you want to work as a legal translator in a certified translation office:
Experience in the field of translation
Clients usually look for expertise when it comes to choosing a certified legal translator. You need years of experience in the field of legal translation and handling various types of documents such as contracts, agreements, commercial agencies, laws, legislation, judgments, lawsuits, records, legal representations and other documents in order to have sufficient experience that enables you to gain the customers ‘confidence.
Familiarity with two or more languages
To become legal translator, you must be fluent in at least two languages. Proficiency here means a deep understanding of both languages, including grammar, syntax, word choice, and all the skills needed to write correctly using them. The legal translator shall be fluent in the target language to which he conveys meaning from the source language, familiar with its rules and the rules of the source language as well and have the ability to formulate the translation in a clear, sound and error-free language.
Certificate of certified translation
Translators need to be certified in many countries to become certified translators with certified translation offices. Official authorities, embassies and universities abroad require that the translation be done by a certified translator accepted by them. The criteria for obtaining certification in translation vary from country to country and sometimes in the same fields of translation, for example in the legal field, in some countries the word “certified translator” means that you have taken an oath before a court and in other countries it means that you will undergo specific written exams. Every country is not very different, and most require some form of specialized training and certification to qualify as a certified translator.
In order to become a certified legal translator at an accredited translation office in Cairo, you shall obtain a certificate of accreditation from one of the following:
Egyptian Association of Translators
An association accredited by the Arab Union of Translators, and requires several conditions to grant accreditation to legal translators and other translators, including:
- The translator graduate from one of the faculties of languages and specialized in one or more languages. These faculties include the Faculty of Al-Alsun, the Faculty of Literature, the Faculty of Literature and Translation, and the Faculty of Languages and Translation.
- Association also grants accreditation to graduates of faculties of law (English/ French Department or commerce (English/ French Department), provided they pass an exam, submit certificates of experience in legal translation, or obtain a legal translation diploma from the Egyptian Association of Translators.
- The translator shall obtain translation diploma from the American University.
American Association of Translators
The American Translators Association includes those working in the field of interpretation and translation, and the Association grants a certified translation certificate after the translator undergoes a specific written exam that takes about 3 hours. The exam includes questions to measure skills and ability to understand and use terminology in many areas of translation such as legal translation, medical translation, technical translation and other fields after taking the specified exam.
International Federation of Translators
The International Federation of Translators includes a set of translation associations around the world. Translation associations in any country can apply for membership in the Federation, provided that the conditions for application are met. Members of the affiliated associations of the International Federation of Translators become certified translators.
How to become a Certified Translator in Egypt?
Legal expertise
A translator must have legal experience as one of the most important skills needed to become a certified translator. Handling legal documents is extremely sensitive due to the nature of these documents and their connection to the fate of others. A certified legal translator needs to be familiar with the laws and regulations in the countries he translates from and into, as legal documents are documents that do not tolerate any error. A certified legal translator shall have the ability to understand complicated texts in order to be able to translate them correctly. In addition, the legal translator shall have the necessary knowledge of all legal terms and how to use them correctly in the translation.
Cultural knowledge
The legal documents translation requires familiarity with the culture of the country where you are using the legal document to help formulate the translation optimally and to better understand terminology and context. There are terms that have no equivalent in other languages, so a similar term should be used. For example, in the US judicial system there is a jury that does not exist in many countries and there are other laws and legal terms that may not be understood in another language. Hence, the legal translator must be familiar with other cultures of the languages he is translating from and into.
In general, working as a legal translator requires having the ability to withstand work pressures and realize the importance and sensitivity of dealing with legal documents, and then adhere to accuracy to avoid making any mistake that may result in serious consequences.
What are the conditions for issuing licenses for the translation profession to a certified translation office in Cairo?
Many people need certified legal translation services to provide them to various authorities, such as courts, embassies, universities and other bodies. The translation office that provides this service must be certified and authorized to practice translation profession in Egypt.
- Obtaining a permit from the Egyptian commercial registry to practice the profession of translation.
- The company shall have a tax card on which the practice of the translation profession is recorded.
- Providing a department within the office dedicated to translation, provided that the director of this department has a graduate of one of the faculties of languages, such as the faculty of Al-Alsun, the faculty of Literature and the faculty of Languages and Translation.
- The minimum number of translators within the office should be three translators in three different languages.
- Obtaining a license from the Egyptian Association of Translators stating that the office is certified to practice translation and international certified services. In addition to certify the office in all embassies, ministries and consulates in Egypt and abroad.
- Obtaining a license for the company’s website, provided that the owner of the site is a graduate of the translation department.
Among the documents required to obtain licenses for a certified translation office in Cairo:
- A copy of the national ID card of the owner of a translation office.
- A copy of the lease or ownership contract for the company’s headquarters.
- Original and copy of the graduation certificate.
Al-Alsun certified translation office in Cairo provides certified legal translation services with the highest quality, accuracy and best prices. We have more than 15 years of experience in the field of certified legal translation, and our services cover more than 50 languages. Our company includes certified translators who are professionals in the field of legal translation. We understand the importance of accuracy and punctuality of translation delivery. For more information about our services, please contact us.
