Studies & Degrees in Legal-Economic Translation

Choose where you would like to study Legal-Economic Translation:

Translation involves the act of translating written documents from one language to another. In the case of legal-economic translation, the requirement is for a precise and error-free translation of legal, financial, and executive documents. Nowadays this service is growing in popularity due to the increase of the international communications between companies. This is a highly responsible profession, because when a contract, a company presentation, a patent, or any financial document requires translation, absolute precision of the terms outlined is crucial for both sides. For this reason, translators not simply take words and turn them into another language – they need to fully understand the meaning of the original document and the culture it comes from – legal terminology can be of great complexity and shaded with a number of meanings. This is why documents have to be thoroughly read as a whole, before translating them. Translators often take notes while reviewing the document that needs translation, after which they consult specialized dictionaries and legal texts. Finally, the translator would come up with the final translation – having considered both the literal and the legal/economic meaning of the terms outlined.

Personal Qualities

A great deal of patience and attention to detail is required for this profession. You can ponder on the following other skills, too:

• Have an aptitude for learning at least one foreign language, and enjoy doing so

• Good memory

• The ability to research legal and economic terminology quickly and effectively

• Ability to work accurately and objectively

• Good at keeping confidential information

• Understand and be open-minded to different cultures

Study Options

There are various universities all over the world that offer both undergraduate and master’s degrees in what is called ‘specialized translation’. This means that you can specialize in legal/economic translation, and be prepared to learn two additional foreign languages in order to complete your degree. Usually, if you are planning to embark on a degree in translation, you can also explore other specialized fields like international law, computer science, history, etc.

It is crucial that the institution chosen by you offers good opportunities for internships with different organizations or translation offices, as the only way to truly learn a language is through practice. Besides, modern teaching methods including the good interaction of team work, critical thinking and well-structured translation methodology are vital for the quality of your education, too. Last but not least, you should research well what kind of certificate or diploma you will gain after completing your chosen course or degree, as this will be considered by your future employers.

Career Opportunities

As a legal/economic translator you are likely to find employment within large corporations who form contracts and lead negotiations with companies from various countries. They often have in-house specialists, who provide such services on a regular basis. You could also work for a specialized translation agency, and it would be a good idea to research which languages are on demand even before you start your education. You could also work on a freelance basis, but in any case sound experience and background in the field are of uppermost importance.