Demystifying Legalese: Your Comprehensive Guide to Legalese Translators

Understanding Legalese

Legalese is often referred to as the cumbersome, complex terminology used by legal texts. It often consists of intricate Latin terms, archaic phrases, and convoluted sentence structures that defy all logic that normal human communication tries to embody. While legalese was born of the need for precision , unequivocal clarity and avoid any ambiguity, it is not uncommon for a legalese document to morph into an incomprehensible mess of verbiage, making it virtually inaccessible to the public at large.

The Need for a Legalese Translator

For individuals or small businesses who do not have ready access to an attorney to translate legalese, a legalese translator may be a good alternative. We all know how important it is to understand legal documents before signing them. However, sometimes people need to execute a document before they have time to fully understand it—even for a good reason. Thus, the need for a legalese translator is useful in such situations. It does not satisfy the need for legal advice on a particular transaction, but it can be a good first step in deciphering a confusing document.
A legalese translator may assist in understanding the legal implications of a document (i.e., the risks and benefits), without assuming the duties of an attorney. This may be especially useful for small business owners, where it may not be practical to obtain legal advice prior to acting on a binding obligation. Consider the following example:
"I’m selling some products on my website and the customers keep requesting that I take back merchandise. I know that there are companies that specialize in planning for product returns, but I don’t have margins to spare for return shipping costs. Is there a way to protect my business without hiring a return company?"
A legalese translator should be able to generally explain the meaning behind a return policy and may provide enough information so that a business owner can determine whether he or she may benefit from the services of a return specialist. For example, an attorney may be able to tell a business owner that the business will be responsible for the return shipping costs unless he says otherwise.

How a Legalese Translator Works

The latest and greatest legalese translators leverage machine learning. Using artificial intelligence, these tools parse the dense language of legal jargon and convert it into plain English almost instantly. The programs reach their conclusions through algorithms that ‘learn’ the differences between the semantics of various word pairs. By feeding a translator with enough examples, developers create an increasingly accurate tool for discerning the meaning of whatever type of legal text the user needs.
After analyzing millions upon millions of publicly available legal briefs, these translators become so comprehensive, they’re just a fingertip away. Yet while much of the software is free to the public, there are also commercially available platforms that help clients decipher the more complex and challenging legalese.
One of the most grassroots options is the Amicus Translator. It’s free, and despite its limitations, many find it to be both effective and easy to use. You copy and paste different snippets of text, and the translator converts it from one section of legalese to another. It handles all the complexity of formatting references, citations, and more. The creator of the translator, David Albritton, works as an attorney in California. While Albritton designed Amicus to be fully functional and reliable, he’s also clear about the tool’s limitations. For starters, it only works with documents written in common law. This includes the laws of the U.S., Canada, the U.K., and Australia. It doesn’t yet cover the civil law of other countries, and it doesn’t yet handle foreign cases that involve common law.
Another solid option is a commercial product called Legalese Decoder. It too works with just about any legal document, translating it from one type of legalese to another. Currently, the platform focuses on translations between U.S. and Australian law. Its developers hope to expand this feature set as they refine the program’s accuracy. They’re also working on Bolster, which will translate between Californian and New York laws.
You could say that legal services firms have the biggest vested interest in bridging this gap. Longevity, dedication, and practice lead to success, but only if the client knows what to expect. With legalese translators, clients will always welcome clarification. They’ll take notice every time they come across a legalese glossary that makes things easier to understand.
As more and more programs enter the public domain, legalese translators will continue to help us better interpret even the most complex legal documents.

Prominent Features of a Legalese Translator

The most effective legalese translators incorporate several key features that set them apart from their counterparts. From the perspective of the users, these features make the process of interpretation significantly easier. First, a good legalese translator should be highly accurate. While semantics may appear to be a lawyers’ field of research, it is vital that no mistakes are made during the translation. It only takes one wrongly interpreted word for a person’s contract or will to be completely voided. Inaccuracies can have long-lasting, severe ramifications.
Ease of use is another key feature of an effective legalese translator. Unfortunately, the legal language is already complex, and deciphering the meaning behind it can become confusing. An effective tool or writer can simplify this process, allowing for a simple "word-to-word" conversion that provides a more appropriate and accurate meaning. This enables the reader to fully understand the document more quickly and accurately.
A strong legalese translator must also support all types of legal documents. While some tools are primarily focused on contracts, stipulations or other binding contracts, looking for a legalese translator that can engage with multiple forms of legal documentation ensures that regardless of what legal text you are dealing with, you can always find the correct meaning without having to jump from program to program.
Finally, with the law continuously evolving, an effective legalese translator must be up-to-date with the latest changes. The laws around the country — and around the world — are changing all the time, and so are the words and phrases that make up the legalese. Ensure that your translator is updated with the latest legal terminology to ensure a more accurate translation.

The Legalese Translator Selection Process

There are several criteria you should consider when selecting a legalese translator. First, of course, is cost-are you willing to pay big bucks for a program with features you may never use? Or do you need a basic tool to "get you by" on the entire size and type of document that’s out of your league? A basic tool can usually be had for a very modest fee.
Second, check online or with other contacts for user reviews. Some types of translations are more difficult than others. If your need involves international transactions with germane treaties and regulations, you may want to pay for one of the top engineering and natural resource translators, for example , while if you are translating agricultural regulations, a less expensive translator might suffice.
Finally, consider whether or not you special needs: Do you want a program that translates a wide range of documents? Or do you just need something accurate for forms and applications? USA Today reports that the recent trend is towards more and more competent translators, with programs offering more up-to-date translations, along with optimizations and new tools. Some of these website tools can even keep track of new words-a tremendous benefit when translating documentation with the most accurate results.
But as with anything else, not all legalese translators are created equal.

Examples of Legalese Translators in Action

When it comes to legalese, words matter. And when translating those words, accuracy is key. One minor change in definition can turn a favorable settlement into an unenforceable agreement. This is why it’s crucial to work not only with a qualified translator, but also a legal counselor who can help decipher the meaning behind the words.
In this section, we’ll look at various case studies or examples where legalese translators "on their A game" either translated suspicious or ill-defined legal terminology, or captured the meaning behind the words when the terms were indisputable.
A Good Move to Legalize Their Move
For a group of investors, the move to legalize their purchase of a multi-tenant office building in Paris was anything but smooth. As their legalese translator worked with their attorney to review the lease agreement for one of the tenants, they found that their translation had brought attention to a clause that could have left the group with 100% of the liability for more than $3 million in repairs and renovations to the office building. As it turned out, the contract contained no clause at all. It appeared the original translator had mistakenly omitted the clause from the legal documents used to create their French version of the legalese in the English contract. Since the tenant had already vacated the premises, the group learned that they had experienced a significant loss because of the original translator’s mistake. Had it not been for their legal counselor’s ability to explain the concept behind this clause; the term "tenancy at will;" the investors would have been on the hook to cover the cost of repairs to a building they didn’t own.
An Expedited Real Estate Closing
TranslateBeat’s legalese translator had only minutes to share in-language commentary with the client’s real estate counsel before a contract extension was addressed. The contract was a one-year commercial lease with an option for another year for a group of property owners at a hotel in Florida. The translation expert was called in to help the attorney and investors recognize the strategic advantage they had, while still accommodating the tenants’ request to negotiate down from a five-year lease to five one-year extensions. The translation expert extended the conversation with the attorney to include a discussion of what makes a hotel attractive to investors; in this case, the re-opening of a national chain hotel nearby, which was designed to attract locals to the one location. The attorney opened a second conversation to discuss the limitations he discovered regarding the expiration of the initial contract. It was during this conversation that TranslateBeat’s legalese translator helped his legal counsel realize the flexibility and maturity of the investor group. These insights into the aspects of the commercial lease language, the deal and the stakeholders were the catalyst for a deal agreed upon by all parties. The contract was signed, and in less time than it would have taken to simply finalize a one-year extension for the Florida hotel. The TranslateBeat legalese translator helped the client find a way forward. It also opened the door for TranslateBeat’s expert translator to discuss a strategy for maintaining strong relations with national hotel chains, as well as managing the property group’s future relationships with the hotel’s investors.
A Big Bite Out of a Window Attrition Agreement
As a Santa Clara Valley restaurant sought to curtail losses from their window billboards, TranslateBeat’s legalese translator tapped into her familiarity with the California Restaurant Association. With insight into both the restaurant and advertising industries, she drew upon her understanding of the history of their legalese terminology and how it factored into the state and city’s economy. She also worked closely with the legal counsel to identify other issues with the original lease agreement. Despite having been to court previously over the matter, TranslateBeat’s legalese translator was able to help the restaurant group reduce their liability and protect the future of their restaurants. In addition to helping the client reach a win-win scenario with the billboard company, TranslateBeat’s counselor provided the pitch and budget for a successful campaign to change the restaurant’s lease language, expanding the group’s purchasing power to support more prominent locations in San Jose and Cupertino, California.
A Fundamental Agreement to Find Common Language
When somebody signs a contract, it’s assumed that both parties are entering into an agreement regarding the level of quality they’ve come to expect from the product or service being offered. For example, if you’re buying a car, you expect that the car you’re buying is up to the quality standards set by the manufacturer. But what happens when the manufacturer decides that certain losses are acceptable? Or decides that they want to require that buyers shoulder the cost of acceptable losses? In these scenarios, a high-end chauffeur’s school asked TranslateBeat for the expertise of their legalese translator when they realized that the original language contained no way to hold the manufacturer responsible when the quality of their vehicle didn’t hold up. They were getting a car that was costing $400,000 (and required the school to pay for any damages at the end of the lease period), without a guarantee that the vehicle would hold up. As things got worse, the school sought help to prevent them from losing money to a bad deal. TranslateBeat’s legalese translator helped to define the meaning behind the words, and the legalese translator looked to answer the question of who should bear the cost of losses versus mediums that fell within the acceptable range. Together, the legalese translator and legal counsel defined the legalese terminology in the contract and wrote out the meaning, establishing both a fair price and a high quality car for the Level 5 school.

The Coming of the Future for Legalese Translators

As the demand for legalese translation services continues to grow, so too does the technology behind these tools. We’re already seeing the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning take on an increasing role in web-based legalese translation systems. As these advancements continue, we can expect even more improvements in terms of translation accuracy and reliability.
New artificial intelligence technologies will examine legal documents much like a human would, allowing translators of all levels to provide accurate translations no matter the amount of experience or fluency in the document’s original language . These tools will likely also allow translators to catch subtle nuances or variations in the language that may go unnoticed by a translator of lesser experience, resulting in translations that are as true to the source material as possible.
This evolution of technology will have many benefits beyond the realm of legalese translations. For example, the legal and medical communities often measure important metrics in fractions of degrees, and numerical errors on those scales can have unjust consequences. A legalese translator using this new technology could catch these mistakes due to its ability to closely examine the variables that affect these measurements. As more traditional translators take on the help of these legalese translators with emerging technology, overall industry quality will further improve.