The only program of its kind in North America, McGill’s online Graduate Diploma in Legal Translation is a 30-credit program designed to provide aspiring and working professionals in the legal, business and translation communities from coast to coast with specialized training to enrich their current portfolio and fast-track their career.
Created in close collaboration with the McGill Faculty of Law and the Paul-André Crépeau Centre for Private and Comparative Law, with funding from Justice Canada’s Access to Justice in Both Official Languages Support Fund, this leading-edge program aims to help you position yourself for rewarding private- and public-sector opportunities and meet the strong and growing demand for professionally trained legal translators and jurilinguists.
Register for an Entrance Exam
Official Partner:
Key Features
- Benefit from the knowledge and experience of highly respected practitioners and scholar-practitioners.
- Hone your skills in legal translation and communication, revising, writing and co-writing.
- Engage with leading-edge translation, terminological search and terminology management tools throughout the curriculum.
- Acquire transferable, work-integrated experience through two practica or applied research projects with hand-picked partners.
- Cultivate the diligence and professionalism to set yourself apart in this important field for social justice.
The online program can be completed in as quickly as 2 years (6 continuous academic semesters) or stretched out over a longer period (maximum 4 years). Fall and winter entrance options are offered.
Career Spotlight
At the crossroads of translation and law, legal translation in Canada can be an exciting and tremendously rewarding career path.
Like all translators, legal translators must have a thorough command of their chosen language pairs to be able to convert a legal document drafted in a source language into an accurate equivalent in a target language. But they must also have an in-depth knowledge of the respective legal concepts and conventions to ensure the final product meets the context-specific needs of its intended audience.
This is especially true in Canada, where there are not only two official languages, but also two justice systems (common law and civil law), which operate in both English and French. In this context, access to high-quality legal translation is essential to advancing social justice and serving the public interest.
Industry analysts (Prairie Research Associates, 2016) predict a growing demand for legal translators in certain key sectors and a major shortage of qualified professionals on the horizon as their baby boomer predecessors retire from the workplace. Add to this the fact that the number of legislative documents to be translated in Canada has increased over the past 30 years, especially at the provincial level, and it’s clear that opportunities in legal translation are growing fast. The massive impact of COVID-19 has only added to the need for expert legal translators as the world around us transforms and new laws, judgments and decisions come forth.
Quick Facts
- Projected job growth in Canada for translators, terminologists and interpreters in all fields between 2018 and 2028: 6.3%
- Percentage of language service providers that identify legal translation as an expanding area of expertise: 31.4%
Career Paths
This program can help prepare you for the following careers:
- Jurilinguist
- Lawyer-linguist
- Lawyer-reviser
- Legal language consultant
- Legal reviser
- Legal terminologist
- Legal translator
- Plain language specialist
- Specialized reviser
- Specialized translator
Potential employers:
- Accounting firms
- Banks
- Bar associations
- Courts and tribunals
- Government departments / agencies (federal, provincial / territorial)
- Law firms
- Legal research centres and institutes
- Legislative bodies
- Private companies
- Securities regulators
- Self-employed/consultant
Approach to Learning
The online delivery format of the Graduate Diploma in Legal Translation combines live classes, timed assignments and self-paced, instructor-led activities with a focus on student engagement and problem-based learning.
By bringing the classroom to the students, we aim to prepare the next generation of Canadian legal translators and jurilinguists, for whom higher education of McGill University’s calibre would otherwise be unattainable due to time, logistical or geographical limitations.
Learn from top-notch practitioners and scholar-practitioners, whose sought-after insight and expertise would be difficult to access in a non-online setting.
Interact with your instructor and receive individualized guidance.
Engage with your peers as part of a vibrant learning community: exchange perspectives and learn from one another’s diverse professional experiences and backgrounds.
Learning Outcomes
Succeeding as a legal translator requires competencies that go well beyond subject matter expertise and language skills in both the source and target language. These include the following (adapted from Prieto Ramos, 2011):
- Knowledge of Canadian bijuralism, branches of law, history and hierarchy of sources of law, and equivalence between legal concepts and structures in Canada’s legal traditions
- Knowledge of legal linguistics and the features of legal discourse in the source and target languages
- Use of specialized sources and state-of-the-art translation technologies for research and terminology management
- Interaction with clients and other professionals and adherence to codes of ethics
- Methodological approach: Contextualization of the translation brief, translation problem identification, implementation of translation procedures and strategies, quality control, and overall translation process management.
Program Courses
Graduate Diploma (Gr. Dip.) Legal Translation (30 Credits)
Offered by:Global & Strategic Comm.
Degree:Gr Dip in Legal Translation
Program Requirement:
The Graduate Diploma in Legal Translation is a 30-credit graduate-level, online program designed to meet the need for professionally trained legal translators and jurilinguists in Canada in both the public and private sectors, not only in translation, but also in revision, co-writing of legal texts, and consultancy in legal aspects of language in multiple professional settings. Principles and practices encountered in jurilinguistics, as well as legal translation in key sectors in high demand. Computer-aided translation tools are an integral part of the curriculum, as is an internship or an applied research project.
The program can be completed in two years (six continuous semesters – fall/winter/summer). The maximum time for finishing the program is four years. Fall and winter entry options are offered.
Required Courses (18 credits)
-
CCTR 530
Principles of Jurilinguistics
3 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Translation: Introduction to the field of jurilinguistics. Examination of jurilinguistic practices, including: drafting, legal translation, legal terminology development, revision, interpretation of law, and other aspects of legal language, such as readability and plain language.
Offered by: Global & Strategic Comm.
- This is a bilingual course
- Restriction: Open to students enrolled in the Graduate Diploma in Legal Translation or with departmental approval.
-
CCTR 535
Intro to Language Technologies
3 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Translation: Identification and classification of different types of language technologies and their components. Introduction to computer-assisted translation (CAT) tools, translation management systems, machine translation and post-editing. Hands-on
experience with CAT tools usage including the creation of translation memories, file alignment, creation of terminology databases and records, as well as the translation of documents in a translation editing environment. Principles of
real life meta-learning (i.e., learning how to learn).
Offered by: Global & Strategic Comm.
- This is a bilingual course.
- Early opening registration date for CS courses only
- **Due to the intensive nature of this course, the standard add/drop and withdrawal deadlines do not apply. Add/drop is the second lecture day and withdrawal is the fifth lecture day.
- Terms
- This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year
- Instructors
- There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year
-
CCTR 541
Legal Translation: General
3 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Translation: Translation of legal texts. Overview of legal theory. Examination of legal translation methodology, legal terminology, phraseology, and legal citation guidelines through hands-on translation exercises of different subtypes of legal texts.
Offered by: Global & Strategic Comm.
- This is a bidirectional translation course (English to French and French to English). The languages of instruction are English and French.
- Open to students enrolled in the Graduate Diploma in Legal Translation or with departmental approval.
- Terms
- Instructors
- Arnaud Tellier-Marcil, Jean-Frédéric Yukio Wolfgang Hübsch
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CCTR 643
Lang. Mgmt in the Justice Sect
3 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Translation: Critical examination of the concept of multilingualism, its management and its social and economic consequences for the justice sector. Analysis of different models of institutional and corporate language management, as well as their effects on the language industries. Implications of language technology developments on language management in the justice sector, including in crisis communication management.
Offered by: Global & Strategic Comm.
- Restrictions: Open to students enrolled in the Graduate Diploma in Legal Translation and by departmental approval. Not open to students who have taken CCTR 543.
- Supplementary Calendar Info: This is a bilingual course.
Practicum
-
CCTR 500
Translation Practicum 1
3 Credits*
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Translation: Translation project supervised by faculty and/or external partner.
Offered by: Global & Strategic Comm.
- Prerequisite: Departmental approval required.
- Terms
- Instructors
- Marie-Hélène Girard
- Marie-Hélène Girard
-
CCTR 600
Translation Practicum 2
3 Credits*
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Translation: Translation project supervised by faculty and/or external partner.
Offered by: Global & Strategic Comm.
- Terms
- Instructors
- Marie-Hélène Girard
- Marie-Hélène Girard
Applied Research
-
CCTR 605
Applied Research Project 1
3 Credits*
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Translation: Preparation of an applied research proposal and initiation of research under the supervision of a faculty member.
Offered by: Global & Strategic Comm.
- Prerequisite: Departmental approval required.
- Terms
- Instructors
- Marie-Hélène Girard
- Marie-Hélène Girard
-
CCTR 606
Applied Research Project 2
3 Credits*
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Translation: Completion of research and submission of completed research project under the supervision of a faculty member.
Offered by: Global & Strategic Comm.
- Terms
- Instructors
- Marie-Hélène Girard
- Marie-Hélène Girard
*Choose either CCTR 500 and CCTR 600 or CCTR 605 and CCTR 606.
Complementary Courses (12 credits)
6 credits from either Stream 1 or Stream 2:
French Stream (6 credits from the following):
-
CCTR 553
Legal Transl:Judgments(EntoFr)
2 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Translation: Translation of judgments from English to French. Review of judicial systems and subject-matter jurisdiction. Examination of legal translation principles and techniques applied to judgments. Study of macro-level translation strategies specific to judgments, including structure, genre, function (of the judgment and its translation) and context, and micro-level textual specificities of judgments and their translation. Strategies used to solve specific terminological and phraseological translation problems. Research techniques and use of appropriate references and tools when translating judgments.
Offered by: Global & Strategic Comm.
- Prerequisite: CCTR 541
- Restriction: Open only to students enrolled in the Graduate Diploma in Legal Translation.
- **Due to the intensive nature of this course, the standard add/drop and withdrawal deadlines do not apply. Add/drop is the second lecture day and withdrawal is the fifth lecture day.
- Early opening registration date for CS courses only
- Terms
- This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year
- Instructors
- There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year
-
CCTR 555
Legal Transl:Contracts(EntoFr)
2 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Translation: Translation of contracts from English to French. Overview of the legal framework for contracts translated in Canada, including differences between the civil law principles
applied in Quebec and the common law principles applied in the rest of Canada, and other translation problems typical of international contracts. Examination of the
structure of contracts. Application of context-specific translation strategies. Translation of standard and general clauses, as well as specific types of contracts.
Examination of English and French terminology and phraseology in the subfield of contracts.
Offered by: Global & Strategic Comm.
- Prerequisites: CCTR 530 and CCTR 541.
- Restriction: Open only to students enrolled in the Graduate Diploma in Legal Translation.
- **Due to the intensive nature of this course, the standard add/drop and withdrawal deadlines do not apply. Add/drop is the second lecture day and withdrawal is the fifth lecture day.
- Terms
- This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year
- Instructors
- There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year
-
CCTR 557
Legal Transl:Stat&Reg (EntoFr)
2 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Translation: Translation of legislation from English to French. Review of legislative systems in Canada. Analysis of methods of legislative translation in Canada. Legal translation
principles and techniques applied to the translation of legislation. Study of macro-level translation strategies specific to statutes and regulations, including jurisdiction,
sources of law, law structure, genre, function (of statutes and regulations and their translation) and context, and micro-level textual specificities of statutes and regulations and their translation. Strategies used to solve specific terminological and phraseological translation problems. Research techniques and use of appropriate references and tools when translating legislation.
Offered by: Global & Strategic Comm.
- Prerequisites: CCTR 530 and CCTR 541.
- Restriction: Open only to students enrolled in the Graduate Diploma in Legal Translation.
- **Due to the intensive nature of this course, the standard add/drop and withdrawal deadlines do not apply. Add/drop is the second lecture day and withdrawal is the fifth lecture day.
-
CCTR 645
Legal Transl:Secur.Law(EntoFr)
2 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Translation: Translation of securities documents from English to French. Overview of the legal framework governing the securities market in Canada. Examination of the common securities documents translated in Canada, including prospectuses, material change reports, business acquisition reports, annual information forms, information circulars, take-over bid circulars and directors’ circulars. Application of research techniques to find mandatory language in the English and French versions of securities regulations. Examination of English and French terminology and phraseology in the subfield of
securities.
Offered by: Global & Strategic Comm.
- Prerequisites: CCTR 530 and CCTR 541.
- Open only to students enrolled in the Graduate Diploma in Legal Translation. Not open to students who have taken CCTR 545.
- **Due to the intensive nature of this course, the standard add/drop and withdrawal deadlines do not apply. Add/drop is the second lecture day and withdrawal is the fifth lecture day.
-
CCTR 660
Current Trends in Legal Transl
2 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Translation: Selected current trends related to legal translation.
Offered by: Global & Strategic Comm.
- Restrictions: Open only to students enrolled in the Graduate Diploma in Legal Translation.
- Supplementary Calendar Info: 1. This course is bilingual. Topics for discussion may vary. 2. **Due to the intensive nature of this course, the standard add/drop and withdrawal deadlines do. not apply. Add/drop is the second lecture day and withdrawal is the fifth lecture day.
- **Due to the intensive nature of this course, the standard add/drop and withdrawal deadlines do not apply. Add/drop is the second lecture day and withdrawal is the fifth lecture day.
- Terms
- This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year
- Instructors
- There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year
OR
English Stream (6 credits from the following):
-
CCTR 554
Legal Transl:Judgments(FrtoEn)
2 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Translation: Translation of judgments from French to English. Review of judicial systems and subject-matter jurisdiction. Examination of legal translation principles and techniques
applied to judgments. Study of macro-level translation strategies specific to judgments, including structure, genre, function (of the judgment and its translation) and context, and micro-level textual specificities of judgments and their translation. Strategies used to solve specific terminological and phraseological translation problems. Research techniques and use of appropriate references and tools when translating judgments.
Offered by: Global & Strategic Comm.
- Prerequisite: CCTR 541
- Restriction: Open only to students enrolled in the Graduate Diploma in Legal Translation.
- **Due to the intensive nature of this course, the standard add/drop and withdrawal deadlines do not apply. Add/drop is the second lecture day and withdrawal is the fifth lecture day.
- Early opening registration date for CS courses only.
-
CCTR 556
Legal Transl:Contracts(FrtoEn)
2 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Translation: Translation of contracts from French to English. Overview of the legal framework for contracts translated in Canada, including differences between the civil law principles
applied in Quebec and the common law principles applied in the rest of Canada, and other translation problems typical of international contracts. Examination of the
structure of contracts. Application of context-specific translation strategies. Translation of standard and general clauses, as well as specific types of contracts.
Examination of English and French terminology and phraseology in the subfield of contracts.
Offered by: Global & Strategic Comm.
- Prerequisites: CCTR 530 and CCTR 541.
- Restriction: Open only to students enrolled in the Graduate Diploma in Legal Translation.
- **Due to the intensive nature of this course, the standard add/drop and withdrawal deadlines do not apply. Add/drop is the second lecture day and withdrawal is the fifth lecture day.
- Terms
- This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year
- Instructors
- There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year
-
CCTR 558
Legal Transl:Stat&Reg (FrtoEn)
2 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Translation: Translation of legislation from French to English. Review of legislative systems in Canada, with a focus on Quebec. Analysis of methods of legislative translation in Canada. Legal translation principles and techniques applied to the translation of legislation. Study of macro-level translation strategies specific to statutes and regulations, including jurisdiction, sources of law, law structure, genre, function
(of statutes and regulations and their translation) and context, and micro-level textual specificities of statutes and regulations and their translation. Strategies used to solve specific terminological and phraseological translation problems. Research techniques and use o appropriate references and tools when translating legislation.
Offered by: Global & Strategic Comm.
- Prerequisite: CCTR 530 and CCTR 541.
- Restrictions: Open only to students enrolled in the Graduate Diploma in Legal Translation.
- **Due to the intensive nature of this course, the standard add/drop and withdrawal deadlines do not apply. Add/drop is the second lecture day and withdrawal is the fifth lecture day.
- Terms
- This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year
- Instructors
- There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year
-
CCTR 642
Legal Transl:Secur.Law(FrtoEn)
2 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Translation: Translation of securities documents from French to English. Introduction to the statutes, regulations and rules governing the distribution of financial products
and services in Canada. Practical translation exercises include prospectus offerings, regulatory documents, judgments in securities cases, corporate securities compliance documents and shareholders agreements.
Offered by: Global & Strategic Comm.
- Restriction: Open only to students enrolled in the Graduate Diploma in Legal Translation. Not open to students who have taken CCTR 542.
- **Due to the intensive nature of this course, the standard add/drop and withdrawal deadlines do not apply. Add/drop is the second lecture day and withdrawal is the fifth lecture day.
- Terms
- This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year
- Instructors
- There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year
-
CCTR 660
Current Trends in Legal Transl
2 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Translation: Selected current trends related to legal translation.
Offered by: Global & Strategic Comm.
- Restrictions: Open only to students enrolled in the Graduate Diploma in Legal Translation.
- Supplementary Calendar Info: 1. This course is bilingual. Topics for discussion may vary. 2. **Due to the intensive nature of this course, the standard add/drop and withdrawal deadlines do. not apply. Add/drop is the second lecture day and withdrawal is the fifth lecture day.
- **Due to the intensive nature of this course, the standard add/drop and withdrawal deadlines do not apply. Add/drop is the second lecture day and withdrawal is the fifth lecture day.
- Terms
- This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year
- Instructors
- There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year
6 credits from the following:
-
CCTR 601
Independent Studies
3 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Translation: Independent study under the guidance of a course supervisor specializing in the field of interest.
Offered by: Global & Strategic Comm.
- Prerequisite: Departmental approval required
- Projects will have to be arranged individually with the instructors. A detailed study proposal must be submitted to the Director or Course Supervisor during the first week of class.
- To obtain approval, a detailed study proposal must be submitted to the course supervisor.
-
CCTR 602
Special Topics: Legal Transl 1
3 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Translation: Selected topics in legal translation.
Offered by: Global & Strategic Comm.
- Prerequisite: Departmental approval required.
- Early opening registration date for CS courses only
- **Due to the intensive nature of this course, the standard add/drop and withdrawal deadlines do not apply. Add/drop is the second lecture day and withdrawal is the fifth lecture day
-
CPAG 610
Current Issues:Pub Sector Mgmt
3 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Public Admin & Governance-SCS: Analysis of contemporary issues and challenges faced by public administration due to political, technological, social, and economic changes. Examination of current trends, successes, failures, and alternative solutions experienced by public administration in the past.
Offered by: Administration & Governance
- Not open to students who have taken CPAG 510.
- Course may be offered in person or online with synchronous and asynchronous components.
-
CPAG 615
Pub Regs&Ethics:the Pub Sector
3 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Public Admin & Governance-SCS: Interpretation of legal and ethical issues relevant to public services. Examination of legal principles and legal reasoning, the role of law in public sector management, such as constitutional law, administrative law, and human
rights law. Exploration of the principles that inform privacy and access to information legislation and their derivation form ethical theories.
Offered by: Administration & Governance
- Restriction: Not open to students who have taken CPAG 515.
- Course may be offered in person or online with synchronous and asynchronous components.
-
CPAG 620
Leadership & Gov in Pub Orgzns
3 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Public Admin & Governance-SCS: Analysis of leadership and governance issues, accountabilities, and responsibilities for public organization leaders; governance best practices; and administrative aspects of governance. Exploration of practical ways to improve service delivery and performance.
Offered by: Administration & Governance
- Restrictions: Not open to students who have taken CPAG 520.
- Course may be offered in person or online with synchronous and asynchronous components.
- Terms
- Instructors
- There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year
Or other 500- or 600-level courses approved by the program adviser.
Admission Requirements
-
Applicants must have an undergraduate or graduate degree, or its equivalent, in Translation, Law or a related discipline for which faculty approval rests with the School of Continuing Studies. A minimum cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of 3.0 over 4.0 is required, or, of 3.2 out of 4.0 in the last two years of full-time studies.*
* If your CGPA is lower than the above requirement, please submit the following for consideration with your application and official transcript.
a) Letter of Intent: A letter, one to two pages in length, single-spaced, written in English or French, which addresses the following:
- basis for interest in the program;
- your knowledge that would be pertinent to the program;
- your interest in the field of study and the reasons for applying to our program;
- plans for integrating the training into your current or future career;
- a description of your professional experience and its relevance, if applicable, to the program;
- awards received or other contributions;
- any additional information relevant to your application.
b) Curriculum Vitae
c) Two Letters of Reference: At least one should be from a current or former employer.
Supporting documents:
You will be able to upload copies of your documentation and supporting documents on your MINERVA checklist account. Once you have submitted your application, you will receive a detailed email with specific instructions regarding official documentation.
If you have studied outside of Canada, you are strongly advised to request an evaluation of your degree called Évaluation comparative des études effectuées hors du Québec, from the Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Diversité et de l'Inclusion. For further details, you may contact their office at 514-864-9191 or visit them on the web at www.immigration-quebec.gouv.qc.ca/en/working-quebec/comparative-evaluation/index.html. If you have completed an undergraduate degree from a recognized university outside of Canada and are applying to this program for which a minimum CGPA is required, please visit www.mcgill.ca/gradapplicants/international/apply/equivalency for information about international degree equivalencies.
Entrance Exam
As one of the steps for potential admission to the program, applicants must complete and successfully pass an entrance examination. The exam tests participants’ preparedness for their studies in both English or French.
Online Tuition
Students who have been admitted to online programs will be subject to deregulated fees if they are studying with a residence address outside the province, as the government does not fund the University for credit activities that are followed outside Quebec. All students will have to self-declare their location of study each term in Minerva. Consult the student accounts website – Online Programs page for more information.
International Students
This program is an Online (Distance Learning) program.
Since by definition distance learning does not require one to be in Canada, a study permit cannot be issued for this type of program, nor can one’s immigration status be changed (or renewed). For more information, please visit Immigration Quebec and Immigration Canada.
Financial Aid
- As a part-time program, the Graduate Diploma in Legal Translation is not eligible for AFE Loans and Bursaries for full-time studies. Students registered in a minimum of 6 credits in a term may be eligible for AFE Loans for part-time studies. More information.
- More information on SCS Awards and Bursaries
Who Should Apply
- Bilingual jurists with an interest in exploring a new career path
- Experienced translators looking to specialize in the legal field
Why Enrol?
- Enjoy the benefits of a dynamic, specially designed online program from the comfort of your home, workplace or community.
- Learn from world-class practitioners and scholar-practitioners, whose focus on transmitting their expertise bridges the gap between higher education and the workplace.
- Expand your professional network and apply acquired competencies through extensive practica or applied research projects.
- Discover or deepen your knowledge of the latest translation techniques and technologies.
- Take advantage of a flexible, part-time program that can be completed in as quickly as two years without interrupting your current job.
News and Articles
Academic Advising
Have questions about the program? Speak to Academic Program Coordinator Marie-Hélène Girard (marie-helene.girard2 [at] mcgill.ca).
Videos and Webinars
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"En tant qu’avocate de litige et légiste, je me suis d’abord inscrite au diplôme par curiosité avec le désir de développer mes compétences rédactionnelles juridiques en anglais. N’ayant aucun bagage officiel en traduction, j’y ai trouvé beaucoup plus que ce que j’étais allée chercher. J’ai développé un intérêt marqué pour la jurilinguistique et la traduction juridique, à un point tel que je souhaite poursuivre dans le domaine. Le programme est bien conçu. L’enseignement est dynamique et l’encadrement offert est excellent. Que l’on soit traducteur ou non, il s’agit d’une très bonne formation à ajouter à son arc. Elle me sert déjà d’ailleurs fréquemment dans mes fonctions actuelles."
Émilie Rochette, LL.M.,
avocate dans la fonction publique québécoise
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"Lorsque je me suis inscrite en traduction juridique à McGill, je réorientais ma carrière. J’avais en poche un diplôme en common law et plus de dix ans d’expérience comme éditrice et réviseure linguistique. Les langues et le droit me passionnaient toujours et je souhaitais trouver un emploi qui allait m’offrir la possibilité de travailler tout en voyageant.
Étant donné que les cours se donnent à temps partiel, de soir et à distance, j’ai pu compléter le programme rapidement sans avoir à quitter mon emploi.
Le programme m’a ouvert la porte à un réseau de professionnels tout aussi passionnés que moi et qui a ont à cœur la réussite de la relève dans le domaine. J’ai constaté très tôt que les options de carrière sont nombreuses. J’ai commencé à travailler à la pige comme traductrice dès la fin de ma première année. L’année suivante, j’ai eu la chance de traduire toutes sortes de documents : des jugements, des contrats, des politiques internes, des formations destinées aux juges, etc. J’ai même eu la chance de travailler sur un projet de recherche en collaboration avec l’Universitat Oberta de Catalunya, en Catalogne.
Je termine actuellement mon stage au Bureau de la traduction, où on m’a offert un emploi pour la suite. Je suis très fière et honorée à l’idée de travailler pour les plus hauts tribunaux canadiens et de contribuer à améliorer la qualité de la langue juridique au Canada."
Laure Payer,
traductrice juridique
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"Le diplôme d’études supérieures en traduction juridique offert à l’Université McGill est un volet important de mon perfectionnement professionnel. Au départ, les particularités et les rouages des deux systèmes juridiques du Canada m’intimidaient. J’avais peur de ne pas m’y retrouver et de ne pas saisir certaines nuances! Grâce à l’accompagnement d’instructeurs compétents et accessibles, j’ai approfondi mes connaissances du droit et aiguisé mes techniques de recherche et de rédaction pour appuyer ma clientèle. J’aime tous les aspects de ce programme : le soutien personnalisé de la direction, les cours de grande qualité, les instructeurs passionnés, la plateforme MyCourses et les nombreuses occasions de rencontrer des collègues. La composition des cohortes est intéressante aussi, puisque j’ai l’occasion d’étudier avec des traducteurs et des juristes. Le diplôme est conçu pour les professionnels qui travaillent à temps plein et les cours sont offerts le soir. Je recommande ce programme à tous mes collègues qui souhaitent se spécialiser en traduction juridique."
Maïté Bertaud, trad. a.,
traductrice juridique
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"As a lawyer whose practice involves a significant amount of work in the translation of legislation, I enrolled in the Graduate Diploma in Legal Translation to validate, build on and diversify my legal translation skills. The program has allowed me to learn from instructors who are passionate and knowledgeable about legal translation as well as highly accessible. It has also given me exposure to different types of legal translation, each with their own challenges, which has permitted me to diversify my skills. Having a background primarily in common law, I appreciated being able contrast and compare civil law principles and concepts through the lens of translation. The program has helped me to further develop the skills that I use every day in my work and left me with an increased confidence in my legal translation abilities."
Ajay Ramkumar,
legislative counsel (bilingual), government of Ontario
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