Meet Byron, one of Clarion UK’s talented and dedicated legal Interpreters. Drawing on extensive experience and a deep commitment to the Deaf community, Byron expertly facilitates communication between spoken English and British Sign Language. In this feature, he shares a behind-the-scenes look at life as a legal interpreter and an insight into the unique challenges he’s faced in his career.

What motivated you to become a legal interpreter and how many years have you been practicing?

I started doing regular legal work about 25 years ago. For me, the three main motivations for wanting to work in this domain are the need for skilled interpreters in this area to provide access to the justice system, the skills challenge as an interpreter and the variety of work available.

How has the field of legal interpreting evolved since you started, and where do you see it heading?

When I started working in this domain it was as everywhere else; one interpreter, on their own, all day. The scope for fatigue, errors and miscarriages of justice was huge.

Thanks to some very talented and diligent interpreters, the courts were persuaded of a much safer way to work, the use of coworkers and teams. Sign Language interpreters and those using their services are lucky to benefit from this system. Spoken languages still strain under the ‘one interpreter’ system at the moment.

As for the future, I think VRS/VRI will have a large role in terms of efficient use of resources, number of available interpreters, travel time and costs, etc. Hopefully these changes will be made after full consultation with the relevant stakeholders.

What are some of the unique challenges of interpreting in legal contexts, and how do you prepare for them?

I think one of the challenges is in terms of legal processes, structures, terminology, slang, etc. Fortunately, you can prepare for this challenge by visiting courts, reading, online resources and so on.

One of the more difficult challenges and less easy to prepare for is the wide range of clients you will see, and the enormous spectrum of language people use to communicate. This goes for both deaf and non-deaf users of interpreting services.

Can you share a moment where you felt your interpreting made a real difference in someone’s access to justice?

Just having an interpreter THERE makes a huge difference in access to justice for many people. Think of the justice without an interpreter!

I once interpreted for a young deaf man who was suspected of a serious crime. He was scared, adamant he didn’t do it and just wanted to tell the police the truth. He didn’t use much BSL but was grateful to have someone there he knew he could understand. I feel that being there may have helped him to speak more confidently with the police and achieve his desired outcome.

Legal interpreting cases can be emotionally intense or complex. What strategies do you use to protect your mental health and maintain balance?

I believe that much of our health, both mental and physical, is related to our attitude and outlook on life. I think I have a positive outlook, and I am also able to be objective and separate what is happening (in a situation) from me and who I am. I also maintain balance by having other areas of interest; training, hobbies, family, etc.

If you could share one piece of advice to someone seeking a career in legal interpreting, what would it be?

Make sure you have very good language skills (BOTH languages) and have experience working with a wide range of deaf people. As a legal interpreter you never know what type of clients you will meet, their language preferences, or the type of cases you may be asked to interpret.

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