International court interpreting in Switzerland
23.05.2023
Switzerland is a small country with great importance: its banking system enjoys an excellent international reputation and its jurisdiction is considered neutral, so it is not surprising that the Alpine republic is a popular place for international litigation, settlements, arbitration and mediation. Qualified court interpreters are in demand in Switzerland.
Yet it is not at all easy to find a professional court interpreter because the requirements are extremely high. Court interpreters must not only have a thorough command of the language to be translated, but also of the technical terminology of the courts. They also need a keen sense of linguistic and cultural nuances. In this article you will learn how to find suitable court interpreters as well as the criteria you should definitely consider when choosing one.
Where are international negotiations held in Switzerland?
For the settlement of international disputes, especially in commercial and financial matters, Switzerland is unavoidable as a place of jurisdiction. Switzerland’s well-developed legal system is often involved in the resolution of international disputes.
For example, the Commercial Court of Zurich, which is attached to the Supreme of the Canton of Zurich, is responsible for international arbitration proceedings, as it specialises in the legal settlement of international commercial disputes. This court has extensive experience in dealing with international parties and the services of qualified interpreters specialising in international legal matters are frequently used by this court.
Every word, comma and full stop can be crucial in legal matters. Trained and accredited court interpreters have the necessary legal expertise. Their portfolio goes beyond interpreting because they understand the meaning and sensitivity of the language they are interpreting from and into.
What qualifications must a court interpreter have?
These highly qualified professionals have in-depth professional experience and comprehensive knowledge of the areas of law. Most of them are specialised in specific areas of law. In addition, they are familiar with the relevant language variants. They have the following competences:
- Native speaker level: in order to understand the complex and nuanced legal terminology, interpreters must have a perfect command of both the source and the target language.
- Cultural understanding: another prerequisite for professional interpreting is a comprehensive knowledge of the cultural subtleties and linguistic peculiarities of the respective languages.
- Knowledge of the specialist terminology used in the courtroom: court interpreters also understand the legal intricacies of court proceedings and the legal systems of the countries for which they interpret.
- Ability to concentrate and work under pressure: interpreting at court hearings does not allow any mistakes, as these could have a lasting impact on the proceedings. Ability to work under pressure and accuracy are important prerequisites that an interpreter must have.
- Compliance with professional ethics: a good court interpreter is neutral and impartial. Working with legal topics and facts requires a high degree of discretion, confidentiality and compliance with data protection or official secrecy.
Professional legal and court interpreters keep up to date, constantly expand their legal knowledge and follow the latest developments in their field.
Where to find qualified court interpreters?
Whether you need a court interpreter for the first time or repeatedly, you have come to the right place.
We have at your disposal:
- a large network of qualified and accredited court interpreters with many years of experience in the legal field;
- extensive experience in interpreting in (international) arbitration and mediation proceedings before the Commercial Court of Zurich.
We will be happy to arrange suitable legal interpreters for negotiations and dispute resolution proceedings in various language combinations – even at short notice. Contact us.