When solicitors take on Legal Aid cases, one of the biggest challenges is the translation of entire court bundles — often thousands of words, from witness statements to psychiatric reports.
A recent request involved 26,000 words of prosecution papers into Mandarin, with a two-week deadline.
What you need to provide:
All documents in editable format where possible (Word, Excel). If scans or images are unavoidable, factor in extra time for formatting. However, PDFs are also fine, subject to additional charges.
Clarify whether only the text portions of exhibits need translating, as this can reduce the workload.
How pricing is structured:
Legal Aid work is usually quoted at £0.10 per word, in line with LAA expectations. – AI-assisted + Human QA: not permitted for Legal Aid.
– Full ISO 17100 human translation: the only acceptable route, ensuring “right-first-time” quality.
Turnaround times: On average, 2,000 words/day per linguist. A 26,000-word bundle takes ~2 weeks with one translator, but can be accelerated if multiple linguists collaborate (with additional review steps).
Collaboration tips:
– Confirm if you need certified translations.
– Provide any prior authority details upfront.
– Highlight deadlines linked to hearings so we can prioritise accordingly. LingvoHouse has long experience supporting Legal Aid firms like Clyde & Co, Watkins Solicitor, and BLJ Law, with sensitive, time-critical bundles.
