Translations of contracts

When contracts are concluded between organisations that do not speak the same language, a clause is usually included to specify which language is the language of the contract and that only the original (i.e. not the translation) is authoritative in case of litigation. This means that even if one party has the contract (or extracts thereof) additionally translated into another language, the original version still applies in the event of ambiguities or legal disputes.

In other words, one language version is declared to be the authentic version and the other is only for information and clarity. Ultimately, there is a close link between the legal system and language.

Accordingly, translating German law into English, for example, requires a great deal of legal expertise on the part of the translator. A country’s legal system often develops in parallel with its language, which is why terms linked to a particular legal system often do not have direct translations in other languages.

Yes! In the business world, it is vital that all of the contracting parties understand the content of the document with the same meaning. Different interpretations can lead to misunderstandings with serious consequences.

Although, as a general rule, the original is legally binding, translations are indispensable as an aid to understanding and thus to decision-making.

Major projects may comprise a large number of interrelated contracts which regulate the various aspects of the project. In order to be able to make economically sound decisions, a wide variety of employees and departments must be consulted in advance in order to, among other things, prepare a risk assessment, determine the sales potential, identify the opportunities and risks associated with the contractual partner and address potential problems such as possible supply bottlenecks. To ensure that all of this can happen (promptly and efficiently), correct and comprehensible translation into the local language is essential.

Data security is a top priority for tolingo as a translation agency. Strictly confidential handling of your data is a key part of our certified translation process (ISO 17100:2015), which also allows your order to be processed efficiently. SSL encryption ensures that data transfers through the web shop are optimally protected.

For added information security, there is our ISO 27001 certification – a certification which makes tolingo a pioneer in the translation service provider industry.

In addition, all the translators who work for our translation agency have, of course, contractually committed themselves to secrecy, and we would be happy to certify this security with a corresponding non-disclosure agreement.

As well as native-level language skills, specialist translators in the field of law must also demonstrate solid legal qualifications.

All certified translators who translate legal texts for tolingo have been carefully assessed in this respect and have proven qualifications in translation with a focus on law. They also have years of professional experience in the legal environment and are thus not only familiar with the specialist terminology, but also have access to subject-specific information sources for law and contact with experienced legal experts in the countries concerned. In addition, to ensure the long-term quality of legal translations, our specialist translators for contracts undergo continued assessment.

At tolingo, your specialist legal text is translated using cutting-edge software which assists the translator by checking spelling and consistency while the text is being produced.

Thanks to our extensive pool of qualified and certified translators, we can also offer you certified or notarised translations of your contracts.

As we all know, time is money – and especially for contractual negotiations, short processing times are of crucial importance. The fact that tolingo is aware of the special requirements of our clients can be seen from the order options – and as one of the leading translation service providers in Germany, tolingo offers the perfect service for urgent requests: express translations, available at any time of day or night and in the most important language combinations, that sacrifice nothing in terms of quality.

Via our secure web shop, you can upload your documents and immediately receive a non-binding quotation based on text length, language combination and specialist area, then order immediately with just a few clicks of the mouse.

Thanks to the combination of our innovative, web-based tools for optimal and fast project management and the experienced legal translators we work with worldwide, we are able to complete even challenging translations of contracts promptly.