Legal document translation: contracts, powers of attorney, articles of association
In a legal text, a word is an obligation. "Is obliged" and "is entitled", "void" and "voidable", "power of attorney" and "authorisation" lead to different legal consequences, and those consequences carry over into the translation. We translate contracts, powers of attorney, articles of association and extracts into the language of the legal system where the document will be used, and every text is checked by an Advocat.Ge lawyer before signing.
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Lawyer's check includedAn Advocat.Ge lawyer confirms the terminology
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Bilingual formatParallel columns, clause against clause
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Notary and apostilleFor a power of attorney in one cycle, with no extra visit
In short: legal translation in five points
- We translate a legal document using the legal terminology of the country where it will be used, not the first equivalent in the dictionary.
- A Georgian concept with no exact counterpart in the target system is rendered by a functional equivalent, and the original term is kept in brackets in Latin transliteration.
- A contract to be signed in two languages is prepared in a two-column layout, with the same numbering in both columns.
- Every translation is checked by an Advocat.Ge lawyer before submission, and this step is already included in the price.
- A power of attorney to be sent abroad usually needs notarisation, an apostille and a certified translation at the same time.
Why a general translator cannot translate a legal text
Legal translation is a bridge between two legal systems, and Georgian civil-law concepts often have no direct equivalent in English-speaking common-law countries.
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A concept with no equivalent
"Notarially certified copy", "Public Registry", "entrepreneurial entity", "conditional invalidity": terms that have either several renderings in the target system or none. The translator chooses the one a lawyer in that country knows and adds an explanation where needed.
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Consistency of defined terms
If "Services" is defined in the first clause, it must be translated with the same word in every clause that follows. One synonym, and the reader thinks something else is meant. We begin every document with a term list and stick to it.
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Degree of obligation
"Is obliged", "has the right", "may", "must": verbs that in English are spread across shall, must, may and should, each carrying a different legal force. Here the difference is the difference between an obligation and a choice.
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Numbering and cross-references
"Subparagraph (b) of paragraph 2 of Article 5" must point to the same place in the translation. We keep the structure, numbering and cross-references as in the original, so that the document reads as one and the same in both languages.
Which documents we translate and what each one needs
| Document | Typical recipient | Certification |
|---|---|---|
| Contract, agreement | Foreign counterparty, clinic under a treatment contract, bank, employer | Bureau stamp; notary if submitted to an authority |
| Power of attorney | Notary or authority abroad, bank, clinic, real estate transaction | Notary and apostille almost always |
| Articles of association and founding documents | Foreign bank for opening an account, partner, branch registration, tender | Notary, often an apostille |
| Public Registry extract | Bank, notary, authority, counterparty | Apostille on the original, translation, notary |
| Resolution, minutes, consent | Partners' meeting or parental consent, bank, embassy | Notary, apostille where needed |
Legal texts are charged at a higher rate than medical ones because the price includes the lawyer's check; the indicative price per page and timings are on the main translation services page. If you do not yet have the text of a power of attorney, we draft it as a separate service.
When a Georgian concept has no counterpart in foreign law
We neither translate such a term word for word nor replace it with a word of similar meaning. We use a three-step method that shows a foreign lawyer exactly which Georgian institution is meant.
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Functional equivalent
We look for the institution in the target system that plays the same legal role. The Georgian შეზღუდული პასუხისმგებლობის საზოგადოება becomes a limited liability company in an English text and a GmbH in German, because the reader knows these forms and grasps their main features at once.
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The original in brackets
On first mention, the equivalent is followed by the Latin transliteration of the Georgian term in brackets, for example: void transaction (batili garigeba). The reader can see that this is a concept of Georgian law and not a rule of their own country, and if needed a lawyer can find the corresponding place in the original directly.
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Translator's note
If the equivalent matches only partly, we add a short note at the foot of the page (Translator's note) explaining the difference in a sentence or two. We do not add explanations to the main text of the document, so that the translation does not become longer than the original or ambiguous.
| Georgian term | English | German | What we watch for |
|---|---|---|---|
| ბათილი და საცილო გარიგება | void / voidable transaction | nichtiges / anfechtbares Rechtsgeschäft | These are two different legal consequences, and merging them into one word is not acceptable. |
| ინდივიდუალური მეწარმე | individual entrepreneur | Einzelunternehmer | Under Georgian law this is not a separate legal entity, and the translation must not change that status. |
| მინდობილობა გადანდობის უფლებით | power of attorney with the right of substitution | Vollmacht mit Befugnis zur Erteilung von Untervollmachten | The right of substitution is carried over as a separate phrase; leaving it out takes that right away from the attorney in the translation. |
| საჯარო რეესტრის ეროვნული სააგენტო | National Agency of Public Registry | Descriptive translation, English name in brackets | We write the agency's name in its official English form and do not create versions of our own. |
| ინფორმირებული თანხმობა | informed consent | Einwilligung nach ärztlicher Aufklärung | The risks listed in the clinic's form are carried over word for word, without shortening. |
| პირადი ნომერი | personal identification number | persönliche Identifikationsnummer | The 11-digit number is copied digit for digit and must not be confused with the ID card or passport number. |
We draw up a term list for each order separately and use it in later documents of the same matter, so that one concept reads the same everywhere. You can get an indicative amount by volume with the translation price calculator, and we will give you the exact price after seeing the document.
A foreign clinic's contract, consent form and power of attorney: what we check when translating
When planning treatment, a patient meets several legal documents, often signed in a foreign language and under time pressure. Each of them has places where the accuracy of the translation directly affects your money and your rights.
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Treatment contract
We pay particular attention to the clauses separating services included in the price from additional ones, and to the cancellation and refund terms. We check separately which country's law applies and where disputes are heard, because these two clauses determine whether you can bring a claim later.
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Informed consent form
We translate the list of risks, alternative methods and anaesthesia conditions in full, without summarising. A patient should sign what they have read and understood, so a general retelling will not do as a translation of this form.
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Power of attorney for a family member
When a patient is being treated abroad, a family member often needs authority to act in Georgia with a bank, an employer or an authority. If you do not yet have the text, drafting and certifying a power of attorney is a separate service, and the translation is added to the same package.
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A text to be signed in two languages
We prepare a two-column document: Georgian on the left, the target language on the right, each clause on the same line. If the text does not state which version prevails in case of discrepancy, we tell your lawyer before signing.
Frequently asked questions about legal translation
In a bilingual contract, which text prevails in a dispute?
The one the parties agreed on in the contract itself: a standard clause states that in case of discrepancy, for example, the English text prevails. If there is no such clause, both texts have equal force and any discrepancy becomes a matter of dispute. That is why we translate a bilingual contract as a parallel table, clause against clause, and the reviewing lawyer checks precisely that the legal meaning does not differ between the two columns. If there is no prevailing-language clause, we recommend that your lawyer add one.
For use abroad, should I translate a power of attorney here or execute it there?
Both routes work, and the choice depends on timing and location. A notarial power of attorney executed in Georgia is valid abroad with an apostille and a certified translation; this is convenient when the attorney is already abroad and you are here. If you are both abroad, a power of attorney executed at a Georgian consulate does not need an apostille, but it requires an appointment and a visit to the consulate. We will tell you which suits your situation best in our first conversation.
Are there sworn translators in Georgia, and is their stamp needed?
No, Georgian law does not recognise sworn or court translators as an institution, as in Germany or France. The official form of a translation in Georgia is the notarised translation: the translator is registered with a notary, and the notary certifies the translator's signature. If a foreign authority specifically asks for a sworn translator, a notarised translation with an apostille is, as a rule, accepted as equivalent; in exceptional cases the translation is certified again in the destination country, and we will warn you of this in advance.
How long is a register extract valid abroad?
In Georgia an extract reflects the current state of the record and has no formal expiry, but foreign banks, notaries and authorities usually do not accept an extract older than 1-3 months, and some ask for 30 days. So we obtain the extract with the submission date in mind, apostille and translate it on the same day, so that the package arrives fresh. If a change to the register is planned, it is better to register the change first and then obtain the extract.
How do you translate a Georgian term that has no equivalent in foreign law?
With a functional equivalent, that is, the institution that plays the same role in the target country, and on first mention we give the Latin transliteration of the Georgian term in brackets. If the concepts of the two systems overlap only partly, we add a short translator's note at the foot of the page explaining the difference. We do not invent new terms of our own, nor do we drop the original without a trace, because in either case a foreign lawyer can no longer tell which rule is meant. The reviewing lawyer approves the chosen rendering, and it is repeated unchanged throughout the document.
Should I have a foreign clinic's contract translated before signing, or is the English text enough?
If you are fluent in English and experienced in reading legal texts, it may be enough. However, the most costly clauses in a treatment contract are exactly the ones that seem simple at first glance: refund of the advance payment, the price of additional services, the governing law and the place where disputes are heard. A Georgian translation before signing gives you time to ask the clinic for changes before you transfer the money. In an urgent case we translate these clauses first and the rest of the text afterwards.
Related to legal translation
- Court document translation Judgments and case materials, where procedural terminology is a discipline of its own.
- Legal consultation When a document still has to be drafted or an existing one needs a legal assessment.
- Will and power of attorney at the clinic Documents executed to protect the patient's wishes and then translated.
A contract before signing, a power of attorney before departure
Upload the document and name the country. We will tell you which terminology we will use, whether an apostille is needed and how many days it will take.