Legal translation involves more than just translation of words.

A legal document is not just translated into English, it is translated into English for readers familiar with a specific legal system—usually England or the United States. A translator uses the terminology and concepts present in the specific target legal system, when possible, to make the content of the Portuguese document comprehensible.

In some cases, readers of the document translated into English will be from two or more English-speaking countries, or even a country like the Netherlands where many businessmen speak English and Portuguese translators are difficult to find. In this case, terms that are not specific to just one target legal system should be sought and used whenever possible. Note that spelling, grammar and punctuation vary in each English-speaking country, so even country-neutral translations (in terms of the target legal system) must be written following the style conventions of a single country.

Legal translation requires an understanding of the underlying legal system of both the Portuguese-speaking and English-speaking countries involved. Each legal term represents a legal concept that may or may not exist fully or even partially in the legal system. Legal dictionaries are only helpful up to a point, and comparative law techniques must be used. For more information on how to get the best translation, and how to request a quote, see the general translation page.