Legal Interpreting Services for Mediation
Legal interpreting services play an important role in mediation. The key to successfully mediating any cross-cultural dispute is to understand both the similarities and differences that exist between the represented cultures. To do this, one has to understand the ethnic and national makeup of the specific cultural group, their cultural prerogatives, and body language.
Take for instance the Latino cultural group. “Hispanic” or “Latino” is really nothing more than a generic heading given to a very diverse Spanish-speaking community comprised of numerous ethnicities and nationalities, each having their own unique culture. For example, the cultural background of a Mexican client will be much different from the cultural background of a Peruvian client.
In order to conduct successful mediation and negotiations within the general Latino community, the mediator needs to avoid making generalizations about Latinos. Instead, he or she must take specific steps to ensure an understanding of the actual ethnicities and nationalities represented at the table.
To do this, first the mediator should research and understand the specific history and cultural backgrounds of the client’s particular nationality. Second, the mediator should hire a foreign language interpreter that has specific familiarity with the cultural values and worldview of the Spanish-speaking client.
Up Next: Legal Translators for Attorneys in Cross-Cultural Mediation