Many companies offer Danish-English and English-Danish translation services. However, when it comes to specialised and professional translations such as legal and financial documents, this is a job for a professional translator. The assistance of a skilled and experienced translator is essential, especially when significant effort and thought have gone into the original text. Without an experienced translator, there’s no guarantee that the quality of the translation will match that of the original. A useful rule of thumb is that if you’ve invested time, effort and care into crafting the source text, the translation is likely to require the same level of attention and skill.

When translating legal documents such as contracts and agreements, it is crucial that legal terms are translated with the utmost accuracy and precision. A good legal translation requires not only linguistic skill but also a deep understanding of the complexities of the law and in-depth knowledge of the differences between the legal systems in the source and target languages. This ensures clear and precise legal translations that are directly applicable in practice, without the risk of misunderstandings (although there are instances where the source text is intentionally vague, and in such cases, the same degree of vagueness should be reflected in the translation).

This level of care, knowledge and experience is what you’ll find at Din Translatør. 

The importance of quality legal translation

It is vital that legal translations are of the highest quality. A good legal translation is one where the recipient understands the content in the same way as if they had read (and comprehended) the source text. This requires a high degree of precision and deep knowledge of both the source and target languages as well as the legal systems of both countries. Whether the task involves translating contracts, legislation or court rulings, this is of utmost importance, as errors can have serious consequences.

As a translator, it is essential to convey the intended understanding of context and legal terms to the recipient. A small mistake can lead to significant misunderstandings and serious legal issues. Therefore, it is necessary to use highly qualified and professional translators who are not only linguistically skilled but also have experience and an in-depth understanding of legal systems.

This linguistic expertise and deep knowledge are what you’ll find at Din Translatør. 

Why choose a professional translator specialising in legal translation?

Professional legal translation ensures that the content of your documents is both reliable and linguistically accurate. As mentioned above, producing a good legal translation requires linguistic expertise and in-depth knowledge of the legal systems of the countries involved. This helps to avoid costly mistakes and potential legal problems.

Professional translators specialising in legal translation are trained to understand specific terminology, legislation, and the cultural nuances needed to handle each task. By choosing a translation agency that is an expert in legal translation, you can be confident that your documents will be translated with the highest degree of care, precision and confidentiality.

Din Translatør is such an agency. 

Documents that typically require expert assistance for translation

Contracts, agreements, rulings, decisions, reports, acts, wills and certificates are just some of the legal documents that require expert assistance when translated. These types of texts contain complex legal terms, where precision and accuracy are essential to avoid misunderstandings. For example, it is crucial that the translation does not leave room for doubt between the parties regarding their rights and obligations.

In addition to contracts and court rulings, it is also important that documents such as tax reports, articles of association and employment contracts are translated by a translator who specialises in legal translation. This ensures that there is no ambiguity in the content of these documents.

A professional legal translation can prevent costly mistakes. It clears up misunderstandings and ensures that the legal intent is maintained across languages and cultures.

When documents are complex, it places high demands on the translator’s knowledge and linguistic precision. Therefore, it is necessary to use an experienced legal translator for the translation of contracts and agreements. If the task involves court documents and legal briefs, it becomes even more important that the translation is accurate and precise. Mistakes can have serious consequences and affect the outcome of the case.

If you need a certified translation and possibly even legalisation, it’s clear that you need assistance from a translator. And Din Translatør would be happy to assist you. 

How to achieve the best legal translation

Thoroughness and knowledge

When a translator is tasked with translating a legal document, they must first and foremost have linguistic proficiency and possess a deep understanding of both the source and target languages. This avoids translations that merely translate the source text word for word, and instead produces a high-quality translation where it is clear that the translator understands the specific legal concepts and their implications. Professional translators have this dual expertise and can translate with the necessary precision and clarity.

Check, check and double check

As a translator, it is essential to work rigorously with quality assurance. This involves multiple read-throughs and several rounds of proofreading to ensure that everything in the source text has been included in the translation, that it is correctly translated, that it has the right tone, and that the translation conveys the same meaning as the source text. Quality assurance is key to minimising the risk of errors and inconsistent language.

Technical tools

As a professional translator, you naturally have access to the right tools. These might include CAT tools and, most importantly, standalone licenses for AI apps to safeguard the confidentiality and integrity of client data. And, of course, being accustomed to using these tools, we are aware of the pitfalls of AI.

Hire a professional

Just as you would use external lawyers, accountants or consultants when their expertise is needed, it is a good idea to reach out to a reputable and experienced translation agency with a solid reputation in the industry. Such a translation agency is Din Translatør. We are experts in both legal and financial translation and guarantee that we deliver translations with the highest level of precision, professionalism and expertise within the agreed deadline. 

Challenges in legal translation

One of the biggest challenges associated with legal translation is that the translator must be meticulous, conscientious and attentive to detail and, moreover, linguistically and terminologically precise and accurate. The translator must know when to translate a term using the dictionary term, when it’s acceptable to use a term that doesn’t exactly match the Danish meaning, and when to translate the Danish term by explaining it in English. There are many Danish legal terms that do not have an exact equivalent in English.

Therefore, in-depth knowledge of legal terminology and the cultural contexts in which the texts will be used is required.

Qualifications of a legal translator

A legal translator must have a deep understanding of both the source and target languages and legal terminology. This requires not only fluency in both languages but also an understanding of how the legal systems are structured and what the differences between them are. Additionally, attention to detail and thoroughness are essential.

Another crucial skill is understanding the “language” of lawyers and the specific legal context. This way, complex legal messages can be conveyed with the same clarity and accuracy as in the source text.

At Din Translatør, we specialise in English and Danish translations of legal and financial texts. We are both qualified with master’s degrees in specialised business language (cand.ling.merc.) and have worked for many years in the legal industry, both together and separately. Almost 15 years ago, we set up our own translation businesses — first separately, now together — and as members of the Danish Association of Certified Translators and Interpreters (DACTI), we are certified translators, which is the business translation industry’s own quality assurance system.

Language skills are more than just speaking and writing a language, and it’s not enough for a translator to simply be proficient in English. When you work with Din Translatør, you are engaging with two experienced, professional and highly specialised translators who combine linguistic expertise with insight into legal matters. We always strive to deliver translations that are not only error-free but also work for both the sender and the recipient, ensuring that your documents are both trustworthy and legally and linguistically accurate.

Advantages of using a professional translator

Expertise inspires trust

When you choose Din Translatør, you not only get high-quality translations from professionals who understand complex legal contexts. You also get a trusted partner. And we pride ourselves on providing excellent customer service and ensuring a smooth collaboration process.

Someone to take responsibility for the translation

When you choose Din Translatør, we take full responsibility for the translation. This contrasts with translations done using AI, where no one really knows if the translation is good or bad, who actually made it or who to contact if there are mistakes or issues.

Experience and specialisation

At Din Translatør, we have over 30 years of experience in translating legal and financial texts between Danish and English. In addition, we hold Danish master’s degrees in specialised business language and are certified by the Danish Association of Certified Translators and Interpreters (DACTI). We offer our clients extensive expertise, high reliability and a strong sense of integrity. 

Our clients

At Din Translatør, our clients are typically lawyers and law firms, as well as legal departments in companies. These are professionals who are accustomed to drafting legal texts and appreciate the value of having them translated by a skilled and experienced translator who takes as much care in translating the text as they themselves did in drafting it. 

Pricing for legal translation

The translation market in Denmark is divided into two. There is the grey market, where translations are offered at very low prices—usually through agencies that do not employ translators but outsource the work to more or less random language professionals. In parallel, there is the high-end market, which is where you will find Din Translatør. We work based on the principle that you get what you pay for.

That said, we understand the importance of offering fair, competitive and transparent pricing. Our prices are typically based on several factors, including the complexity, length, and deadline of the document. For larger projects, we can tailor a quote that matches your specific needs and budget.

Contact Din Translatør for a non-binding quote, and together we can find the best solution for your needs. Please email us at mail@dintranslator.dk or call us at +45 28 60 13 33 (Lone) or +45 61 20 52 13 (Annette).