The simple answer to this question is that it is crucial to translate any legal documents that you need to send to colleagues or clients elsewhere, assuming the recipients are not native English speakers.
Most businesses that regularly work with overseas clients, or with parts of their own organisation based in another country, rely on professional translation services to handle what can be complex and sensitive legal documents. In Australia, these services commonly work with certified translators who hold recognised professional certification as individuals and who can demonstrate suitable legal knowledge and experience to manage specialised material.
A common misconception among businesses in the English speaking world that are expanding overseas for the first time is that legal language is uniform and that English is used for legal documents worldwide. This is not the case. Most countries operate their own legal systems with distinct laws and terminology, even though some similarities may exist.
Choosing not to translate legal documents is likely to slow transactions, as the responsibility then falls to the recipients to interpret the material themselves. In some situations, failing to engage appropriate translation services in Australia or elsewhere can lead to missed opportunities or difficulties in securing important agreements and contracts.
By contrast, a considered choice of legal document translation services is generally appreciated by overseas lawyers and professional counterparts. Care is required when selecting who undertakes the translation, rather than relying on bilingual staff or generalist providers. Legal translations should be completed by human translators, even if they use advanced software to assist with efficiency. Only a limited number of practitioners have the combined expertise in legal subject matter, the source and target languages, and the relevant cultural and legal contexts.
