A lawyer–client meeting interpreter lets counsel and client talk through the facts, the risks and the strategy without a language gap. We provide legal interpreters for consultations, case preparation, witness preparation and negotiations at law firms, in person or by video, under strict confidentiality.
Trusted Credentials
Why a Legal Interpreter
A lawyer builds a case on what the client says. When that account passes through an untrained relative or friend, details go missing and the advice suffers.
Clients hear words like “precautionary attachment”, “expert report” or “statement of claim” for the first time in these meetings. Our interpreters know the Arabic and English terms used in UAE practice and render them consistently, so the client understands the same concept the lawyer means.
Clients speak frankly to their lawyer only when they trust the room. Our interpreter attends only to interpret and does not discuss the matter with anyone else, including family members waiting outside. Before the assignment we discuss the firm’s confidentiality requirements, including any NDA it needs. Ask your lawyer how the privilege rules that apply to your case treat an interpreter.
SWLT holds exclusive interpretation contracts with the UAE Federal Courts and the Federal Public Prosecution. That experience of legal settings shapes how our interpreters handle private meetings too. Those contracts are a separate engagement: private law-firm bookings are arranged directly between SWLT and the firm or client.
Legal Meetings We Cover
This page covers private meetings at or with a law firm. Hearings before courts and prosecution, notary appointments and arbitration hearings have their own pages, linked below.
The first meeting where the client explains what happened and the lawyer outlines options, timelines and costs.
Going through documents, timelines and evidence with the client, including sight translation of Arabic papers the client cannot read.
Meetings where counsel explains the hearing process to a witness and takes their account, so the witness knows what to expect.
Negotiations between parties and their lawyers, where every condition and figure must be understood the same way on both sides.
Meetings after a ruling or a prosecution decision, where the lawyer explains the outcome, appeal options and deadlines.
Video or phone meetings with clients or witnesses outside the UAE, with the interpreter joining from our side.
How It Works
The firm or the client sends the date, location or platform, languages, expected length and type of matter (civil, criminal, family, commercial, employment). No case details are needed yet.
Before the briefing, we discuss the firm’s confidentiality requirements, including any NDA it needs. No case details need to be shared until that is settled.
The lawyer shares key documents, names, dates and terms. For witness preparation, tell the interpreter how you will run the session and what must be interpreted word for word.
The interpreter works consecutively in the first person, sight-translates documents on request and flags any ambiguity. Certified translation of documents can follow separately.
Where Our Interpreters Work
Transparent Pricing
Interpreting prices are confidential and quoted for each booking. Travel, overtime and late cancellations are agreed in the quote.
FAQ
Relatives often summarise, soften bad news or add their own opinion, and the client may hold back details they do not want the family to hear. A professional interpreter renders everything in full and keeps it confidential, which gives the lawyer a complete account.
No. Interpreting in court and at the prosecution follows that authority’s own procedure; see our court interpreter page. A lawyer–client meeting interpreter is booked privately by the firm or client for meetings outside the hearing.
Either. Some firms book directly and add the cost to the client’s disbursements; some clients book themselves and bring the interpreter to the meeting. Agree it with your lawyer first so the interpreter receives the briefing from the right person.
Yes. The interpreter does not share anything from the meeting, and before the briefing we discuss the firm’s confidentiality requirements, including any NDA it needs. Whether legal privilege extends to the interpreter is a question for your lawyer, who can set the terms of engagement accordingly.
The interpreter renders the lawyer’s explanation accurately, but does not give legal explanations of their own. If a term is unclear, ask the lawyer, and the interpreter will interpret the answer. That keeps the advice coming from the person responsible for it.
Yes, but those are different settings with their own rules. We have separate guides for interpreting at a notary appointment and at an arbitration hearing. This page is about private meetings with your lawyer before or between those events.
Yes. Video or phone works well when the client is abroad or in another emirate. Use a platform the firm approves, make sure each participant is in a private space, and send documents to the interpreter in advance if they will be discussed.
Yes. During the meeting the interpreter can sight-translate a document so the client follows it. For filing or official use, SWLT, as an MOJ-licensed legal translation office, provides certified legal translation as a separate service.
Interpreting is quoted on request. The price depends on the language pair, length of the meeting or series, location or platform and any document work. Send the details on WhatsApp for a quote.
You May Also Need
Interpreting for court hearings and judicial proceedings.
What to expect when statements are taken through an interpreter.
Signing powers of attorney and declarations when you don’t read Arabic.
Interpreting for witnesses and experts in arbitration.
Send the date, place or platform, languages and type of matter on WhatsApp. We confirm a legal interpreter, discuss your confidentiality requirements and send a quote.