Sue
Job Title
Legal interpreter
Industry sector
Language Services
Background:
Worked as a solicitor for many years in both private practice as well as for the Local Authority.
Why did you change career to become an interpreter?
I fell into interpreting "by accident" - at the time I was employed as a solicitor in a large Town Hall which also happened to have an Interpreting Department. Somebody found out that I spoke fluent French and interpreting jobs started to pour in. Initially I worked the Town Hall interpreting jobs around my flexitime off. I also studied for my D.P.S.I. (Diploma in Public Service Interpreting) exam in the evenings.
After six months I went part-time as a solicitor because by then I was thinking "Hey, I really enjoy interpreting - it's great going out to different venues and meeting people from all over the world instead of being chained to a desk and a phone in an office". Six months later I set up as a self-employed legal French interpreter with the proviso that if it all went pear-shaped, I could easily get work if necessary as a locum solicitor from a Legal Agency. Thankfully I've never had to do that!
How has your earlier career contributed to your success as an interpreter?
It has been invaluable in terms of obtaining work - I get a lot of work because I have many solicitor colleagues and also my clients know that they are getting a unique service - an interpreter who is also a qualified solicitor. As far as I am aware, I am the only interpreter in my area (the North West of England) who has these dual skills - it's a strong marketing weapon!
Where/how did you learn French?
I initially learnt French at school and have always had a love affair with all things French. I lived in France during part of my "gap year" between school and university and before that had many family holidays there. I "continuously educated " myself throughout my legal career by attending night school and summer school French courses and also invested in native language personal tutors. I now regret that I took a "blinkered" approach to Law at university - I should have enrolled on the Joint Honours Law and French course there instead of Single Honours Law, but at that stage in my life I wasn't really au fait with the fact that having a language meant that you could do something other than teach it.
Is there a good market for legal interpreters?
In the North West of England yes - most of the French interpreters are almost always busy. I often turn work down. In my area we have thousands of French speaking asylum seekers and there are also many French nationals either living here or on holiday here who need the services of French interpreters in the Courts and Police Stations etc.
What do you like most about your work?
Without a doubt, the fact that I am my own boss - I could never work for anyone else again! I love the freedom and the flexibility that working as a freelancer entails. Every day is different - some days are preplanned i.e. Court Hearings - but on other days the Police will phone out of the blue and I could find myself travelling to Leeds or to the Lake District. You have to be prepared to just get up and go - I don't think that this lifestyle would suit everybody.
It's really important to be part of a national professional organisation like ITI (Institute of Translation and Interpreting) so that you can participate in all the issues currently effecting interpreters i.e. ethics, rates of pay, use of qualified interpreters at police stations etc. To date, ITI have invited me to give talks to students considering interpreting as a career and also to participate in electronic discussion regarding the new Companies Act. I have also recently joined the ITI LIFT Group which is an electronic discussion group whose members assist each other in trying to work out neat translations of legalese; sometimes I think the latter would stun most people in English, let alone in French!
What do you like least about your work?
Chasing unpaid invoices and all the paperwork involved in being self-employed.
What kind of skills do you need?
Obviously strong linguistic skills but also good people skills - you are the best advert for your business - you have to be very good at what you do but also it's very important that you get on with your clients - if they don't like you for any reason you won't be asked back! You definitely need good business sense - your business has got to pay - if it doesn't, you will be forced to change career!