Law in Scotland for translators and interpreters

Come and join the Scottish Society for their in-person event on Scottish Law. This event is for practising legal translators and interpreters as well as students in this field in Scotland.

Key take-aways:

• An overview of the sources of law in Scotland and introduction to the history, structure and terminology of Scots law;

• Strategies for legal interpreters and translators

• Outline of developments in training provision and qualification requirements for legal interpreters in Scotland;

• An update from CIOL's CEO John Worne.

Speakers:

Jo Durning "Sources of law in Scotland"

Topics covered:

* A United Kingdom with three legal systems: Scottish, English, Welsh, and Northern Irish. Plus UK law;

* Scots law: history, structures, procedures, terminology

* The impact of devolution

* UK and international law in Scotland

Jo Durning is a freelance French to English translator who has recently moved to Scotland. She specialises in legal, business and social science texts and has a Master’s degree in International Business Law. She was a Visiting Lecturer at the University of Westminster from 2015 to 2022, helping students prepare for the Diploma in Translation exam, which she passed in 2013. She draws on a long career as a policy maker in the UK civil service, working in Whitehall, France and at European level, and was a member of the UK Cabinet Secretariat when the first devolution settlements were in development.

Joao Madeira "Translating the untranslatable - legal translation and interpretation methodologies and practice"

Topics covered:

* Common issues faced by legal translators/interpreters;

* Dealing with the various types of non-equivalence typical of legal translation and interpretation;

* Practical methodologies for dealing with non-equivalence;

* Protecting ourselves from the impact of professional errors.

Joao Madeira is a Portuguese-born interpreter and translator based in Scotland. During a career spanning more than 25 years, he has translated millions of words and interpreted in a variety of settings requiring conference and simultaneous interpreting for a range of high-profile organisations. Joao has also been involved in DPSI training for over 15 years and has published several books, including a Glossary of Scottish Legal Terms for Public Service Interpreters. Joao worked as an external translator for the European Commission for several years and has also worked as a senior manager in the translation industry, where he was actively involved in the promotion of interpreting standards in Scotland and in providing advice to organisations such as the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service, Police Scotland, and the Scottish Government.

Ricky Mateus "Scottish Law for translators and interpreters: training and qualifications"

Topics covered:

* What is legal interpreting? This includes courts, police, tribunals and any interpreting that involves legal terminology.

* What is necessary to become a legal interpreter in Scotland?

* Are there any differences between Scottish and English Law when interpreting?

* How did the Scottish Government framework contract agreements change the landscape of legal interpreting?

* The future of legal interpreting: will we be moving from in person to video remote interpreting in the courts?

Ricky Mateus has a DPSI in Scottish Law from the Chartered Institute of Linguists. He has worked on and off as a Portuguese interpreter since the year 2000. Ricky worked between 2013-17 as the Recruitment & Training Manager for the Glasgow based agency Global Connections when they were awarded their first Scottish Courts contract. He is currently the Chair of the Interpreting Academy Ltd, which is based in Scotland and supports the professionalisation of public sector interpreting.

Panellists:

Dilawer Singh MBE, an ex-Inspector in Strathclyde Police as well as an experienced and qualified interpreter, Trainer and Examiner.

Dilawer Singh was part of the team that carried out the "Thematic Inspection" of the Scottish Police Forces in relation to The Race relation amendment Act 2000.

In addition, he was also part of the team that carried out the first ever Inspection of the Crown and Prosecution Service for Scotland. This team made recommendation on Interpretation and Translation to the Crown Office.

He also served several years in the Standing Committee of the Law Society of Scotland for the Paralegal.

Kamaljeet Minhas has been working as an interpreter for the police and health system for over 30 years. He has worked at every level in the legal system and has covered all types of cases. He is also actively involved with the community on a voluntary basis to make a difference. He is very well connected with the community professionally and voluntarily.

Programme timings:

10.30am Registration/coffee

11.00am Welcome from the Chair

11.10am Jo Durning: Sources of Law in Scotland

11.30am Joao Madeira: Translating the untranslatable - legal translation and interpretation methodologies and practice

12.30am Lunch and networking

1.30pm Developments and changes in CIOL training and examinations (DPSI, DipTrans, CertTrans) John Worne (by Zoom)

2.00pm Ricky Mateus: Scottish Law for translators and interpreters: training and qualifications

3.00pm  Short break

3.10pm  Panel discussion with Q&A - Panellists: Delawer Singh and Kamaljeet Minhas

3.55pm Networking

4.30pm - End of the event