Certified Legal
Translation

A certified legal translation is a complete rendering of the source document paired with a signed certificate of accuracy in which the translator attests that the translation is true and complete. Courts, opposing counsel, and government agencies rely on that certificate to accept the document into the record. Certification is about the attestation and the translator's accountability, not about a government licence, which is why the certificate must name the translator and be signed.

Yes. Our certified legal translations are prepared for evidentiary use, delivered with a signed certificate of accuracy, and formatted for the receiving body, whether that is a state court, a federal court, an arbitral tribunal, or a foreign authority. If a matter later requires it, we can provide independent review or back-translation so the rendering can be verified against the source on the record.

We build a case glossary before the first document is translated, fixing party names, defined terms, and any disputed vocabulary. Every linguist on the matter works from that glossary, and it is updated as the case develops. This is the single biggest source of translation challenges in large productions, because an inconsistent term across two exhibits invites an argument about the record rather than the merits.

Often, yes. Turnaround depends on volume, language pair, and how much of the material is technical, and we plan backward from your deadline from the first conversation. Many matters are completed with same-week availability, and larger productions are scheduled in tranches so review can begin before the full set is finished. Share the deadline when you send documents and we confirm a realistic timeline before starting.

Yes. We deliver certified translations with a signed certificate of accuracy and can arrange notarization or an apostille-ready package when the destination requires it, including consular and foreign-ministry formats. Tell us which body will receive the document and we prepare the certification to that body's requirements rather than a generic format.

Yes. Legal matters are handled under strict confidentiality with signed NDAs available, and files are accessible only to the assigned linguists and the project team. We do not use client documents to train machine systems, and we do not retain material beyond the period you specify.

No. Certified legal translation is done by human legal translators, then reviewed. Machine output cannot carry a certificate of accuracy, and it fails in exactly the places that matter in litigation: terms of art, negation, conditional obligations, and defined terms. Where a client wants machine output for internal triage before deciding what to certify, we will say so plainly and price the two steps separately.

Patent and IP work has its own requirements around claim scope, prosecution, and filing formats, so it is handled separately. See our certified patent translation service for USPTO, PCT, and national-phase filings, prior art, and office actions.

Yes. Translation covers documents; interpreting covers the spoken word. For sworn testimony, hearings, and client meetings, see our deposition interpreters and legal interpreters. Many firms use both on the same matter, and pairing them keeps terminology consistent between the documents and the record.

Send the documents, the target languages, and the deadline through our online form or by phone at (833) 547-7770. We confirm scope, certification format, and turnaround, and provide a fixed quote before any work begins.