Meetings with solicitors and legal advisers often deal with personal histories, dates and details that will later be checked closely. A good interpreter lets the client speak in their own words, and lets the adviser hear exactly what was said.
Before the meeting
- Confirm the client’s language and variety: Kurdish (Sorani), Farsi or Dari.
- Share the names of everyone involved, so the interpreter can check for any conflict of interest.
- Send key documents and terms in advance, especially names, places and dates.
- Allow extra time: an interpreted meeting takes roughly twice as long.
During the meeting
Speak directly to your client in short passages, and let the interpreter finish before you continue. The interpreter interprets everything in the first person, and does not add, explain or advise. If a term has no exact equivalent, the interpreter will say so openly, so that you can clarify it together.
Statements and documents
When a statement has been written in English, the interpreter can read it to the client in their own language, known as sight translation, so they can check every detail before signing. Documents that will be relied on later, such as certificates or letters in Kurdish or Persian, are better translated in writing.