Legal translation of statutes & regulations

The legal systems in the German-speaking area distinguish between several types of legal norm. In the so-called national hierarchy of norms, the “formal laws” rank behind the constitution. Regulations (as well as provisions of administrative law) are subordinate to those formal laws.

I translate the following legal texts into English:

  • Laws
  • Regulations
  • Provisions of administrative law

I can:

  • Translate entire laws or regulations or selected parts of them into English
  • Proofread and edit translations done by third parties
  • One round of corrections free of charge

How I work:

  • You tell me which legal text (or which part of a legal text) you need translated
  • Don’t forget to specify which version of the law/regulation I should translate! If you do not state anything to the contrary, I will translate the version valid on the day when you accept my offer (according to the relevant databanks for your country, e.g. RIS in Austria)
  • I send you a non-binding quote as well as any questions on the source text
  • I deliver the translation by the agreed deadline; if any questions arise during the translation process, I will contact you promptly for clarification.
  • Every word of laws and regulations has to “stick”. In order to ensure your full satisfaction, I am available for questions and discussion as part of a round of corrections.

Why you should choose an expert legal translator

A lawyer spends his professional life absorbing legal principles and mastering their application in practice. This means that they don’t just understand the words of a legal text, but also the legal foundations on which they are based. They know why the legislator used a certain word or phrase and – just as important – why it left others out.

In other words: a lawyer looks at legal texts in a whole different way to someone who never worked in the field. Reading and interpreting laws in the right way is crucial in order to achieve an accurate translation.