By Elizabeth Herron-Sweet
The Law Division is pleased to announce our co-sponsorship of a Continuing Legal Education (CLE) panel designed to educate attorneys and judges on how to work more effectively with court interpreters. This timely event will explore the ethical, legal, and practical dimensions of language access in legal settings, offering strategies for maximizing the effectiveness of interpreter services both in the courtroom and beyond.
This initiative has been more than a year in the making. It began in April 2024 when Law Division member Leonard Morin proposed the idea to the New York Circle of Translators (NYCT – an ATA chapter) and the Law Division. As a Staff Spanish Court Interpreter at Manhattan Criminal Court, Leonard has seen firsthand the challenges that arise when legal professionals lack a clear understanding of the interpreting profession. He eloquently addressed these concerns in his NAJIT blog post, If I Had the Ear of an Attorney or Judge for One Hour, which is a good preview of what will be discussed at the CLE event.
Recognizing the urgent need for this kind of education, NYCT and the ATA Law Division joined forces with Leonard and several of his colleagues to bring the idea to life. After navigating the necessary court system approvals, the team approached the NYC Bar Association’s Criminal Courts Committee, who enthusiastically agreed to co-sponsor and help organize the panel.
The NYC Bar Association ultimately approved the proposal, and the virtual event has been officially scheduled for July 15, 2025. We are excited to share our knowledge with the legal community and hope this CLE fosters a deeper appreciation for the interpreting profession. Ultimately, we believe that better collaboration between legal professionals and interpreters will lead to more equitable and effective outcomes for all parties involved.
This program is also part of the Law Division’s broader effort to promote the role of professional legal interpreters in the legal system and to advocate for legal language professionals as essential partners in the pursuit of justice. We aim to raise awareness of the specialized skills and ethical standards legal interpreters bring to the courtroom—and the critical impact they have on ensuring due process.
While the session is not designed specifically for legal interpreters, we encourage our members to attend. The session offers a valuable opportunity to connect with legal professionals, gain insight into how the legal field views language access, and demonstrate the importance of qualified, specialized legal interpreters in courtrooms and beyond.
➡️ More information and registration here.
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