The lawyers, necessary collaborators in legal translation. Reflections on their intervention in the translation process

Abstract

In this article we present the results of a collaborative project between jurists and students of translation at Universitat de València. According to the results, the specialist, who has been involved from the beginning of the translation process, plays a prominent role in the comprehension phase. Consultation with the expert is not only limited to terminological issues, but also to the textual genre, the readers and the purpose of the texts. The intervention in the translation phase is more anecdotal, gaining special prominence in the revision phase of the final translations. The project contributed to forge students’ self-efficacy, understood as “the confidence they have in their own ability to translate” (Haro Soler 2017) as linguistic experts. However, the need to train in the development of interpersonal skills also became apparent: teamwork and the implementation of alternative strategies are some of the shortcomings observed, so it is important to insist on them so that students can integrate effectively in the labor market.