Interview with Grace Shalhoub - French legal translator

 

Intro - short biography

Grace Shalhoub is a court-certified legal translator based in France, specializing in legal and technical translation since 2014. She is also a certified translator in Quebec. Her main areas of expertise include criminal law, namely money-laundering and swindling cases, family law, and business law. Her working languages are French, English, Hebrew, and Arabic. She also has over 10 years of experience teaching legal English and English-to-French translation courses in France at both undergraduate and graduate levels.

 

1.      What does “traductrice assermentée” mean in the French context?

In France, a traducteur assermenté is a legal translator appointed by a Court of Appeal and authorized to produce certified translations. After taking an oath, the translator can certify translations with the required signature, stamps, and certification statement.

Certified translations signed by certified translators are often required by French authorities, including government agencies, police, courts, and other public institutions, whenever official documents issued in another language must be submitted for administrative or legal purposes.

Certified translations may be required in a variety of situations, including:

• Administrative matters: marriage, birth, and death registrations, as well as property transactions.
• Legal proceedings: foreign court judgments and rulings, adoption proceedings, and guardianship matters.
• Education: diplomas, degrees, transcripts, and other academic records issued abroad.
• Immigration and citizenship: residency applications, work permits, and applications for French citizenship.
• Business and corporate matters: company registration, subsidiaries, HR, and corporate documents.
• Tax and inheritance matters: estate administration, inheritance proceedings, and tax audits involving foreign-language assets.

  2.     What is the difference between the French and American translation market?

Having worked with both the French and American markets, I appreciate the distinctive characteristics of each. Each offers its own professional challenges, expectations, and opportunities, and this cross-market experience allows me to approach translation projects with an understanding of its linguistic, cultural, and institutional contexts.

 European translation market

European citizens frequently move to other European countries to live, study, or pursue professional opportunities. This mobility creates a wide range of translation needs, from personal and family matters—such as marriage, dual citizenship—to academic requirements, including university applications, enrollment, and exchange programs. Employment-related certificates, professional qualifications, and other administrative paperwork can also require translation when individuals relocate across borders.

French vs. US certification system

The French system for certified translation differs from the approach generally used in the United States. In France, sworn translators are appointed by judicial authorities, whereas the US does not have a single, nationwide system of court-appointed sworn translators equivalent to the French model. The French Translators Association (SFT) does not have its own certification program like the ATA.

 

3.     Name some linguistic challenges of translating into French legal language.

French is an official language in several European countries, including France, Belgium, Luxembourg, and Switzerland. However, the use of French does not imply a single, uniform legal terminology across these jurisdictions. Each country has its own legal system and legislative framework. French legalese must therefore be understood within its specific national context. There is no single, Europe-wide system of French legalese.

Another major challenge lies in the differences between civil law and common law. These legal traditions and philosophies rest on different legal concepts and sources of law. Translating legal documents between these systems requires more than linguistic proficiency. It calls for a solid understanding of both legal frameworks and the ability to recognize where concepts do not have direct equivalents.

4.     How does one enter the French translation market?

In France, undergraduate and graduate students pursuing degrees in translation are generally required to complete an internship as part of their academic training. For many, this is their first opportunity to discover the professional translation market, whether within a translation agency, a government agency, or an in-house translation department.

After graduation, career paths vary. Some graduates choose to work as freelance translators, while others pursue positions in translation project management or other language-related roles including teaching languages. However, full-time in-house translation positions have become increasingly scarce in recent years, making it more challenging for graduates to find permanent employment as translators.

My own career followed a corporate path. After completing a six-month internship at an engineering company, I joined the company as a full-time employee and spent the next six years working there, before eventually deciding to pursue a career as a freelance translator.

 5.     Name three lessons you have learned on how to survive as a freelance translator.

Find your niche. Choose a field you genuinely enjoy translating. Be curious about your chosen specialization, keep learning, and develop a thorough understanding of your subject matter.

Strive for excellence. Make quality your trademark. Impress clients with your writing style, subject-matter expertise, attention to detail, and translation skills. Become a trusted partner rather than simply another service provider. You’ll also put yourself in a stronger position to choose the clients and assignments that best fit your expertise and professional goals (and rates!).

Do not multitask. Running a freelance translation business involves much more than translating. Hire an accountant, seek professional advice on tax and social security matters, set up a professional email address, and build a website. Whenever possible, avoid spending valuable time trying to master every aspect of running a business on your own. This frees up more time for the activities that directly contribute to your success (and turnover): translating, developing your expertise, building relationships, and attracting new clients. Treat your translation practice as a business, not as a hobby or an amateur project. This shows clients that you take both your work and their needs seriously.