Factors that determine the price
At Legal English we are committed to providing absolute top quality translations.

An accurate quote simply cannot be provided without seeing the document to be translated. At times, however, we are asked to provide a quote without that document being available to us. Whilst this is often on the perfectly reasonable grounds of confidentiality, it affects the extent to which we are able to provide an accurate quote in terms of timescale for delivery and rates.
Our fees are governed by various factors:
• length of source text

• complexity of subject matter
involved
• language pair
• format in which the document is delivered to us.

Our calculation is based on the number of ‘words” to be translated.

Where legal translations are concerned, we work alongside translators with an established background in the legal field who have studied law and have practical experience behind them in this particular sector. But when it comes to contracts and patents relating, say, to pharmaceutical or chemical companies, how should these be handled? Are they legal documents or documents that should be classified as scientific? Well, they’re both, which means that two translators need to be involved, with one specializing in the legal field teamed up with another specializing in the particular scientific area involved.
Our translators always translate into their mother tongue, but are also required to have an excellent understanding and command of the source language. With some languages not being the first choice of study and some language pairs being less frequently found, the task of locating a suitable translator is not one to be taken lightly.
The format of the document is also an important factor. Matters can change substantially if the document is provided to us in hard copy or in electronic form. Where we only have access to a hard copy, a copy in pdf format or a PowerPoint presentation, attention is required in order to properly reflect, in electronic form, the format and layout of the original. This can involve additional work and further time being required.

The cost
Rates are agreed at the outset of each individual project. Depending on the client’s specific needs, the same rates can be applied to a number of different jobs or a framework agreement can be drawn up. If you ask for a free, no-obligation quote, we will ensure that it is set out in detail and includes all the information required.

Prices based on the source text
The main factor when establishing price on the basis of the source text is the number of pages. This means that the quote will be a precise figure and will not be subject to variation depending on the eventual length of the translation itself.

Prices for urgent work
Where a translation is required as a matter of urgency, a surcharge of up to 40% of the standard price may be applied. In exchange, at Legal English we dedicate our entire team and resources to making sure that your job is completed within an exceptionally tight timeframe. The timescale is, of course, discussed before the quote is provided, so that we can properly plan and schedule the work involved and deliver on time without compromising on quality and keeping additional costs to a minimum. Where necessary, priority can be given to documents that are more pressing, thereby easing the pressure to a certain degree on both sides.

Prices for Editing and Revision
Editing and revision are services ancillary to translation and are calculated on a case-by-case basis. In particular, where a translation has been provided by another agency or translator, we can, depending on the quality of the translation, revise it or edit it at rates that are, as a rule, lower than those charged for a normal translation. In contrast to the cost of a translation, revision is charged either at an hourly rate or at a rate per word, depending on the quality of the translation in question.

Our ‘competitive prices’
At Legal English, a ‘competitive price’ does not mean the lowest price outright, but the best ratio between the quality of our translators and the service offered and the prices that we charge our clients, even though this might result in a standard mark-up being waived in order to be able to work with the best translators on the market. This is, in our view, a pricing policy that is fair to both our clients and our translators. Client satisfaction is, without doubt, a fundamental element of our business, with the result that many of our clients choose us over other agencies that might, on the face of it, seem cheaper by comparison.

Legal English: a one-stop shop that caters for all of your requirements
Yes, we are specialist providers of Italian-English translation services for the legal sector. But we are also well positioned to offer services in other language combinations including Spanish, French, Portuguese, Dutch, Russian and German and to handle translations of documents other than of a legal nature. At Legal English you’ll find a huge range of possible solutions for all your translation needs.