… and other less busy ones in Scotland.
Author: Kuba Hiterski Photo: Jane McPhelim
Continued from part 2 (You can also find the whole article on our blog here.)
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4) Money makes the world go round
So sang Liza Minelli and Joel Grey. Money is of course a very sensitive and dividing issue, so I will be brief and as objective as I can. To my knowledge all court interpreters in Scotland/UK are self-employed subcontractors so for some this work will bring an ‘extra income’, to others it will be a significant amount even if they work for several agencies. Those interpreters may have to work round the clock, especially when assignments are for the Police or local healthcare authorities.
It is, however, intrinsic to this profession that there is no job stability and each one of us is a master of her or his own destiny. The earnings vary based on many factors including the demand for a given language combination(s) as well as interpreter’s qualifications, experience, flexibility and time-management skills. It is worth nothing, however, that just as legal professionals can be more tempted to work in private sector, so do interpreters. Indeed, our remuneration per assignment can be in my experience even 30 times higher outwith the public domain. Nonetheless working as interpreter in courts is a public service type of work so those motivated primarily by financial reasons will be disappointed. As do Sicilians say, dove il denaro canta, la musica tace.
5) 1 Day 4 different cases – interpreters can’t have a comfort zone
Legal interpreting means assisting with a wide range of cases. It is not uncommon for me do be involved in several vastly different areas of law at a time. For instance, only last week I started my day by interpreting at a trial in solemn procedure where jury was to give a verdict in a serious assault case followed by property sale and purchase transactions and subsequently by a consultation at a child law expert’s office and finished with assisting claimants in a personal injury case. Our job requires us to constantly learn, adopt and take new challenges. Which is one of the best aspects of this profession.
6) CPD – Continuous Professional Development – is a must
Because of the fast-changing environment and nature of this job it is impossible to deliver it without constantly improving your skills. This means always expanding your vocabulary with legal and lay terms, even when watching your favourite show on Netflix. It means attending conferences and seminars, sharing and collaborating with other colleagues as we mostly work on our own assisting different court staff. Some of them are local and are free to attend so there really is no excuse! For instance, one of my last year’s favourite events was ‘The Guilt of Innocence’ seminar organised by The Centre for Law, Crime & Justice together with the Law Clinic at the Strathclyde Law School with some excellent talks including eye (or, better still, heart)-opening one by two survivors of death row, Sunny Jacobs and Peter Pringle – a story I urge everyone to learn about.
TBC