Session Description: As some court systems have reduced the rates for judiciary interpreters, many court interpreters actively look for assignments outside the court system. There are plenty of opportunities available, and depositions, which are typically held at law offices, are one of those proceedings that often require interpreters. Little has been written about the role of interpreters in depositions, and this workshop will provide an overview of the structure of depositions, the parties, the objectives, the terminology, etc. Attendees will receive plenty of real-life advice on how to manage the flow of information, how to deal with difficult situations, and exactly what to expect during the course of the deposition. In addition, there will be an interactive session on ethics during depositions and a review of pesky situations and how to deal with them. The presenter is a federally certified court interpreter who has interpreted more than 2,000 depositions. She is not a lawyer, but is married to one. This workshop will be held in English and is thus suitable for interpreters of all languages, but some Spanish-language examples will be provided.

Objectives: Attendees will learn at which point in the judiciary process depositions are held, how they are structured, who the players are, what the interpreter should know to prepare, what to expect during the proceedings, how to handle the flow of information, how to deal with difficult situations, etc. In addition, they will gain a good understanding of specific depositions involving common cases, such as car accidents and personal injury claims.

Judy Jenner is a Spanish and German business and legal translator and a federally certified Spanish court interpreter and conference interpreter. She has an MBA in marketing from the University of Nevada-Las Vegas, a master’s degree in conference interpreting from York University in Canada, and runs her boutique translation and interpreting business, Twin Translations, with her twin sister Dagmar. She was born in Austria and grew up in Mexico City. She is a former in-house translation department manager. She writes the blog Translation Times and the “Entrepreneurial Linguist” column for The ATA Chronicle, serves as one of the ATA spokespersons, and teaches interpretation at the University of California-San Diego and at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. She is the co-author of The Entrepreneurial Linguist: The Business-School Approach to Freelance Translation. She’s a frequent speaker at T&I conferences around the world, mostly online these days. Pre-pandemic, she flew a lot for her interpreting assignments and one of her special talents is memorizing airport codes.

Session Description: To accomplish the goal, interpreters will understand the reason for fast speech in court settings, understand fast speech in English at rates of up to 180 words per minute, develop analytical skills with guided exercises, manage pauses, work with omissions, use more concise target language, and build up speed by interpreting short passages at rates of up to 180 words per minute. Students will record their renditions, review them, make corrections, and plan new strategies to improve their accuracy and completeness at higher rates of speed.

Attendees must bring their own recording devices along with headsets or earphones, pens, and highlighters.

Objectives: To prepare interpreters to interpret fast speech accurately and completely while using the simultaneous mode.

James Plunkett III is a nationally-known interpreter instructor and trainer of trainers. He also trains new judges and court staff on how to work with court interpreters. He is certified by the AOUSC as a Spanish and English court interpreter. He is a rater for a national credentialing program for interpreters. He has worked as a court interpreter for the 13th Judicial Circuit in Florida and as the Coordinator of Interpreting Services and Language Access Program for the District of Columbia Courts. He is staff interpreter of the U.S. District Court, based in Tampa, FL. He holds a BA degree in General Social Studies from Providence College. He was raised in Lima, Peru. He also communicates in Portuguese, some French and basic Mandarin.

Session Description: Exams are a reality of life as an interpreter, and passing an interpreting exam can open new markets and greater income potential. In this session, we’ll examine how to create a “training plan” for any type of interpreting exam, how to make the best use of available resources to prepare for the exam, and how to set the stage for a successful exam day. The speaker will share practical tips based on her experience preparing for and passing (on the first try!) three sets of interpreting exams.

Objectives: Attendees will learn how to create a robust training plan for an interpreting exam (with a focus on, but not limited to, court interpreting exams), how to make the best use of available preparation resources, and how to set the stage for a successful exam day.

Corinne McKay is an ATA-certified French to English translator, a state-certified French court interpreter, and holds a Master of Conference Interpreting from Glendon College. A frequent speaker and trainer on T&I topics, her book, How to Succeed as a Freelance Translator, has become a go-to reference for the language professions, with over 15,000 copies sold. She served as president of the American Translators Association from 2017-2019.

Session Description: Welcome to this dynamic sight translation workshop, tailored for court interpreters of all proficiency levels. This interactive session is meticulously designed to enhance your linguistic agility. Engage in real-life scenarios where legal documents and proceedings are swiftly translated on sight. Sharpen your skills through hands-on exercises that span diverse legal contexts, ensuring relevance to every interpreter, from beginners to seasoned professionals. Participants will receive constructive feedback, fostering a supportive learning environment. Dive into group activities, stimulating discussions, and simulated courtroom settings to fortify your command over idiomatic expressions and legal terminology. This workshop transcends traditional language instruction, offering a comprehensive experience that addresses the nuanced demands of court interpretation. Elevate your expertise and confidence, providing you with invaluable tools to navigate the intricacies of sight translation in the courtroom.

Objectives: In this workshop, participants will hone their sight translation skills in legal contexts. The focus is on achieving precision in translating legal documents and proceedings on sight. Participants will receive direct and personalized feedback, identifying strengths and areas for improvement to fuel ongoing professional growth. Through hands-on exercises and simulated courtroom settings, students will bridge theory and practice, gaining confidence in real-world applications. This seminar aims to equip interpreters of all levels with invaluable tools, fostering cultural understanding and ensuring they leave with enhanced expertise, ready to navigate the intricacies of court interpretation with precision and confidence.

Agustín Servín de la Mora is the President of DE LA MORA Interpreter Training. He was born and raised in Mexico City, Mexico, and has been a professional interpreter for 30 years, both as a freelance and a staff interpreter. He is one of the supervisor raters for the National Center for State Courts and has been a lead rater for the federal and consortium oral exams for court interpreters. He was the lead interpreter for the Ninth Judicial Circuit for over a decade, and served as a member of the Project Advisory Committee responsible for the creation of the National Standards for Healthcare Interpreter Training Programs for the NCIHC. He was a member of the Florida Court Interpreter Certification Board and a voting member of the Technical Committee of the National Consortium for Interpreter Certification. He is a state and federally certified court interpreter, as well as a certified medical interpreter. He has been a consultant for the National Center for State Courts for 20 years.

Session Description: In this workshop, participants will learn key techniques to improve their memory and recall. The strategies learned will aid both their short and long-term memory. Being able to interpret long passages from the witness stand as well as all the items on one’s grocery list will better all aspects of life.

Objectives: In this course, participants will learn tips and techniques to supercharge their memory and recall.  Short-term and long-term retention will improve.

Javier Castillo is president of Castillo Language Services, Inc. in Greenville, NC. He is an interpreter, translator, consultant and internationally recognized speaker.   He is a Federally Certified Court Interpreter, NC AOC certified court interpreter, a Certified Medical Interpreter, (CCHI) and contract interpreter for the U.S. Department of State. Since 2007, Javier has offered training workshops for court, medical, conference and community interpreters across the United States. He has provided in-house training for interpreters at hospitals, Administrative Offices of the Court, and Departments of Social Services. He recently developed and taught training courses for the staff and contract interpreters of the U.S. Department of State Office of Language Services.

Session Description: “Empowering Legal Interpreters with AI Tools” is a forward-looking session that addresses the critical role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the evolution of legal interpreting. The session begins by exploring the ‘why’—emphasizing the inevitability and benefits of AI in today’s technological landscape. It highlights the importance of embracing AI rather than fearing it, acknowledging AI’s potential to help us improve accuracy and efficiency and handle complex legal interpretation work with ease. This part of the discussion aims to demystify AI technologies, encouraging interpreters to view these advancements as allies in their professional development. Following this, the session delves into the ‘what’—introducing a range of AI tools that are currently reshaping (or could potentially reshape) legal interpretation. Attendees will be introduced to a range of innovations, from preparation aids to speech recognition software, and how these tools can be integrated into their daily practice. Finally, the session will provide practical guidance on the ‘how’—implementing these tools in real-world scenarios. This includes interactive demonstrations of AI in action, best and ethical practices for integrating AI tools into the workflow of legal interpreters, and strategies to balance the human expertise with AI capabilities. This session is a must-attend for legal interpreters keen on staying ahead in a technology-driven world, offering valuable insights into the future of their profession.

Objectives: This session aims to equip legal interpreters with a comprehensive understanding of the significance and applications of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in our field. Attendees will gain a foundational grasp of the reasons behind the integration of AI into legal interpreting workflow, recognizing its potential to enhance accuracy, efficiency, and handle complex legal interpretation scenarios. The session also seeks to transform any apprehension regarding AI into a positive outlook, framing these technologies as valuable assets in our profession.

Tianlu Jia Redmon is experienced in interpreting high-stakes cases at court and in depositions in Texas and beyond. She is a Texas Master Licensed Court Interpreter for Mandarin and approved to interpret in U.S. federal courts. She is an ATA-certified English to/from Chinese translator. She is a regular speaker at ATA and other conferences on legal interpreting and translation topics.

Session Description: Unlock the secrets of immigration court proceedings with our dynamic and enlightening presentation. Dive into the essentials of court ethics, delve into the workings of the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR), and the crucial role of interpreters in a range of legal scenarios. Whether it’s navigating asylum requests, mastering the nuances of deportation laws, or understanding protective legislation like the UN Convention Against Torture, this session is your roadmap to competence. Experience an in-depth exploration of the interpreter’s role across civil, federal, and state criminal proceedings, and sharpen your skills in distinguishing between standard legal language and specialized immigration terms. Enhance your interpretations with cultural insights that bring accuracy and sensitivity to every word. You will be exposed to pivotal dos and don’ts for document preparation and translation in immigration contexts. The session will also highlight the importance of preparation before arriving in court. Enhance your professional toolkit with access to comprehensive glossaries in both English and Spanish, along with a detailed breakdown of EOIR’s legal sections. This is more than a session; it’s an investment in your professional excellence in the field of legal interpretation. Don’t miss the opportunity to become better versed in the complex world of immigration law.

Francesca Samuel is a freelance interpreter/translator and founder and president of A la Carte Translations, a web-based translation business. She has been a member of NAJIT and ATA since 1999. Francesca is a graduate of the Pima College Translation and Interpreting Program and has 22+ yrs. experience as an immigration court contract interpreter and approximately 30 years of experience as a translator. Francesca is an avid volunteer and passionate about the profession. She has presented on immigration, business management scam prevention and social media at several annual conferences including FIT, NAJIT, CFI, ATA and ATI and continues to spread awareness about the working conditions of immigration court interpreters. She served as administrator of the Spanish Language Division of the American Translators Assoc. from 2012-2016 as well as president of Arizona Translators and Interpreters (ATI) during the same period.  A proud native of Mayagüez, Puerto Rico, Francesca lived in New York City before moving out West to Los Angeles and eventually settling down in Tucson, AZ with her husband and children.

Session Description: Interpreting in legal settings is growing as a highly respected and specialized profession. Judiciary interpreters must be constantly rising to the challenge of fast-paced, complex discourse, with very little control over the source language speakers or the contents of their courtroom utterances. This scenario requires a top-level expertise in both the source and the target language to be able to keep a comfortable pace for the interpreter as well as the listener, while also ensuring the full transfer of information to which an LEP individual is entitled under the Fifth, Sixth, and Fourteenth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution. This workshop is designed to provide interpreters with the resources and strategies to acquire an expert’s command of the most basic instrument at our disposal, language, through concrete examples and practical exercises.

NOTE: While the workshop examples and exercises will be in English, attendees will be working into their target language.

Objectives: At the end of this workshop, attendees will be able to identify the verbal and nonverbal elements of discourse that contribute to the construction of meaning in spoken language, recognize when and how source language discourse can be reconstructed in the target language within idiomatic parameters that enhance a rendition’s effectiveness, and assess situational, relational and cultural contexts that can impact the faithful transfer of meaning and develop strategies to minimize loss of meaning while maximizing efficiency.

Janis Palma is an English-Spanish interpreter and translator with more than 40 years of experience. She became federally certified as a judiciary interpreter in 1981 and certified by NAJIT as an interpreter and translator in 2004. She currently holds the State of Texas Master Court Interpreter designation. Ms. Palma has worked as an independent contractor for private attorneys, government agencies, state and federal courts, and worked as a staff and supervisory interpreter for the U.S. District Court in Puerto Rico. She is a former Chair of the NAJIT Board of Directors and former President of SSTI—the Society for the Study of Translation and Interpretation. She is now semi-retired and living in San Antonio, Texas. Ms. Palma recently obtained a second master’s degree in legal studies (MLS) and is currently working towards her PhD in Language Studies. She has also created a nonprofit, IKIGAI, to further the education and credentialing of interpreters in the legal domain.

Session Description: For many, note-taking is the great mystery of consecutive interpretation. It doesn’t have to be! Note-taking is a skill that is learned and developed with practice that can ultimately support the interpreter’s memory, improve accuracy and performance, and increase the length of interpreted statements. This course is designed to break note-taking down into its basic building blocks so that participants can build their own systems designed to serve their needs. Rather than limiting participants to any particular method, this course introduces elements from many different note-taking techniques, allowing them to knit together a system that works best for them. They will learn how to adapt their system to any length of speech. The session will focus on the use of symbols, abbreviations, the space on the page, and much more! Attendees should come prepared for lots of practical exercises to help in crafting their systems, and they will learn how to practice their new systems until they become second nature. This is a language-neutral workshop designed both for beginners who are starting from scratch, as well as experienced interpreters who wish to improve their skills.

Objectives: In this session, attendees will learn how to build their own flexible note-taking system for consecutive interpretation that will support their memory and improve their performance. They will learn about the different elements and techniques that form any note-taking system: what to write, what not to write, abbreviations, symbols, and the structure on the page. The class will discuss what works and how interpreters can take advantage of the way the brain processes information. They will learn to analyze their own work and how to practice note-taking for success.

Ellen Wingo is a state and federally certified court interpreter and worked as a contract seminar interpreter with the Department of State for many years. Based in Washington, DC, she has over fifteen years’ experience working in courts, as well as in conference settings. She has taught classes on note-taking and consecutive interpretation in the DC area, to both new and veteran interpreters. She holds a master’s degree in Translation and Interpretation from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey.

Session Description: Attendees will enjoy a 2-hour tour of the Providence County Courthouse located 1/2 mile away from the conference hotel. Attendees will be treated to a conversation with a local judge. This tour is limited to 15 attendees. A guide will walk attendees to the courthouse and back to the conference hotel. Meeting instructions will be emailed to attendees before the conference. Allow a minimum of 3-hours for the tour and travel time.

Session Description: This 3-hour, language-neutral, skills-building workshop will help the professional interpreter and trainee improve his/her consecutive interpreting skills through hands-on, guided consecutive interpreting practice with: memory – visualization, notetaking, Proper register (formal and informal, as well as intonation and expression). Learning to combine these elements is challenging, but the end result is ACCURACY. Participants will polish these skills through intense practice with CI materials created from authentic legal proceedings in both the civil and criminal arenas. During the clinic, the instructor will employ the communicative teaching method, acting as a coach by challenging and guiding participants through a series of original practice materials aimed to reinforce CORRECT consecutive interpreting technique through a variety of lively exercises. Content: Approximately 30% lecture and 70% guided exercises. Exercises: Participants will “perform” a series of consecutive interpreting scripts designed to polish skills in both criminal and civil settings.

Objectives: Participants will learn tricks to improve memorization, visualization and notetaking through targeted exercises. Participants will improve accuracy through intense practice with original materials created from authentic court documents. Participants will polish CORRECT consecutive interpreting technique through a variety of lively exercises. Participants will leave this session feeling better equipped to sit for upcoming interpreting exams or their next interpreting gig..

Prof. Karen Borgenheimer, MFA, is a classically trained, certified interpreter and translator who is regarded as a skilled, insightful, and versatile professional who is equally comfortable in the classroom, courtroom, and international conferences where she has interpreted for heads of state, diplomats, the Department of Defense and Homeland Security and Fortune 500 companies. Her interpreter training workshops have been a huge success in the US and Spain. Over the past 20 years she has trained hundreds of certified interpreters and interpreters in training. Karen is the owner of the Florida based company, InterpreterTranslation.com, LLC. Karen obtained a Master of Fine Arts degree in Translation Studies from the University of Arkansas—Fayetteville. She also completed doctoral coursework in Spanish Language and Linguistics at the University of Wisconsin—Madison. Karen has been a university professor for 30 years and a T&I professor at Florida International University (Miami) for 20 years.

Session Description: Agustín de la Mora and James Plunkett present a highly interactive skill-building workshop for the simultaneous mode. Designed for basic to intermediate skill levels, participants in this workshop will learn to detect discourse patterns used in court proceedings. Narrative, descriptive, expository and argumentative discourse types are used in court all the time. By interpreting, recording and self-evaluating court proceedings using real court material, participants will gain a new way to approach their preparation for both simple and complex assignments. Participants must bring a recording device and headsets. This is a great chance to apply the interpreting theories that continue to make DE LA MORA Institute a nationally recognized name in interpreter education.

Participants must bring a recording device and headset.

Objectives: At the end of this training, participants will attain an enhanced level of understanding and processing of legal and lay speech in court settings, with which they will produce more accurate, complete, and faithful renditions in the simultaneous mode. To achieve the goal, participants will improve understanding of the speaker’s speech/discourse/message and purpose in a legal setting, analyze the quality of the message and the speaker’s intentions and learn three/four steps to analyze real, legal speech and prepare the translated rendition.

Agustín Servin de la Mora is the President of DE LA MORA Interpreter Training. He was born and raised in Mexico City, Mexico, and has been a professional interpreter for 30 years, both as a freelance and a staff interpreter. He is one of the supervisor raters for the National Center for State Courts and has been a lead rater for the federal and consortium oral exams for court interpreters. He was the lead interpreter for the Ninth Judicial Circuit for over a decade, and served as a member of the Project Advisory Committee responsible for the creation of the National Standards for Healthcare Interpreter Training Programs for the NCIHC. He was a member of the Florida Court Interpreter Certification Board and a voting member of the Technical Committee of the National Consortium for Interpreter Certification. He is a state and federally certified court interpreter, as well as a certified medical interpreter. He has been a consultant for the National Center for State Courts for 20 years.

James Plunkett III is a nationally-known interpreter instructor and trainer of trainers. He also trains new judges and court staff on how to work with court interpreters. He is certified by the AOUSC as a Spanish and English court interpreter. He is a rater for a national credentialing program for interpreters. He has worked as a court interpreter for the 13th Judicial Circuit in Florida and as the Coordinator of Interpreting Services and Language Access Program for the District of Columbia Courts. He is staff interpreter of the U.S. District Court, based in Tampa, FL. He holds a BA degree in General Social Studies from Providence College. He was raised in Lima, Peru. He also communicates in Portuguese, some French and basic Mandarin.

Session Description: This “booth camp style” workshop will cover all aspects of a complex deposition heard in the United States or abroad through practical exercises in small groups. We will look at general principles such as preparation, credentials, and competitive advantages over other interpreters, to the analysis of all stages of a deposition, its best practices and work conditions. There will be advanced exercises based on a case study provided by the presenter, including complex legal and technical situations, communication with foreign attorneys and high-profile deponents. We will learn the differences between in-person, distance, and hybrid depositions, team interpreting, check interpreters, legal objections, and many other concepts and situations. By the end of the workshop all participants will be full of knowledge, armed with strategies to enter the world of Fortune 500 companies, and escape from the world of car and labor injury small claims depositions. This workshop will be in Spanish for advanced interpreters and those ready for a good challenge.

Objectives: Those interpreters attending this advanced workshop will learn how to properly prepare for a high-profile, complex deposition, that could involve International Law, by understanding the purpose, importance, and mechanics of a deposition, how to communicate with the client and other participants, how and what to interpret, researching and learning the facts, the parties, and the litigants and expert witnesses’ backgrounds. The presenter will discuss this process step by step, and then all participants will work in small groups, interpreting and reviewing an exercise based on a case study provided by the instructor. After the workshop, participants will assess on their own their current skills and identify what they need to do to improve, in order to provide the service top lawyers expect from a successful interpreter. Every interpreter attending the workshop will leave a better professional.

Tony Rosado is a conference and court/legal interpreter with over 35 years of experience in interpreting all over the world. An attorney from Escuela Libre de Derecho in Mexico City, he has worked internationally as a conference interpreter, and has interpreted for high profile conferences, court proceedings, sports events, and TV broadcasts, including presidential debates and political conventions. He has worked with many top-level politicians, celebrities, athletes, and entrepreneurs. The author of two books on court interpreting, he is a visiting professor at various universities in the U.S. and overseas. He is also a well-known conference presenter, a United States Department of State independent contractor at the conference-level, a court interpreter certified by the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts and several States, as well as the current chair of AIIC-USA Regional Bureau, chair of the Ethics Committee of IAPTI, and the author of the popular blog, The Professional Interpreter.

Session Description: This lively presentation includes immigration court terminology as well as information regarding the different immigration court hearing settings, for example, cancellation of removal, adjustments, asylum, voluntary departure, removal vs. deportation, citizenship claims, etc., and an advocacy component to this is the company’s experience in advocating for equal justice and how the interpreter helps to make a legal right a reality by facilitating immigrants as they access and navigate our justice system, overcome barriers, and access justice. We will look at the different scenarios, the role of EOIR (Executive Office of Immigration Review), the interpreter’s role in this environment, and how it differs from other judicial circuits compared to Federal and State interpreter requirements, court protocol, etc. Additionally, we’ll explore language differences or similarities of standard legal terminology vs. immigration jargon and the importance of cultural awareness in translation. The session will also include information about some of the dos and don’ts associated with the preparation and translation of documents for purposes of immigration. Participants will receive information regarding monolingual (English) and bilingual (Spa<>Eng) glossaries of terms associated with immigration as well as a list of the definitions of the different sections of the law for EOIR (Executive Office of Immigration Review).

Francesca Samuel is a freelance interpreter/translator and founder and president of A la Carte Translations, a web-based translation business. She has been a member of NAJIT and ATA since 1999. Francesca is a Pima College Translation and Interpreting Program graduate with 22+ years of experience as an immigration court contract interpreter and approximately 30 years of experience as a translator. Francesca is an avid volunteer and passionate about the profession. She has presented on immigration, business management, scam prevention, and social media at annual FIT, NAJIT, CFI, ATA, and ATI conferences. She served as administrator of the Spanish Language Division of the American Translators Assoc. from 2012-2016 and president of Arizona Translators and Interpreters (ATI) during the same period. Currently, Francesca serves on several committees and boards, which include president of Arizona Translators and Interpreters, chair of the Hospitality/Public Relations committee and member of the Professional Development of the ATA Spanish Division, chair of the Training and Education committee of NAJIT, co-chair of the conference planning committee and member of its Social Media committee.

Marilyn Lovo is a national expert on language access. She is a Senior Language Access Manager at Ayuda, a nonprofit organization that provides legal, social, and language access services to low-income immigrants in the DC Metropolitan area. She supervises a team of Coordinators responsible for administering publicly funded interpreter banks, ensuring that nonprofits in the District and surrounding jurisdictions can serve all clients, regardless of the languages they use to communicate. She recruits and selects interpreters to work in community, legal, and victim services settings. She designs, coordinates, and delivers training for professionals on best practices regarding interpretating, language access, and using Ayuda’s interpreter banks. She arranges interpretation and translation for 100 nonprofit organizations throughout Washington, DC, Maryland, and Virginia. Marilyn has nearly nine years of experience in the language access field, advocating for limited-English and Deaf and Hard of Hearing clients, and has delivered presentations at numerous local and national conferences.

Session Description: This training will be devoted to setting up and using the general features of Wordfast Pro. A workflow approach from translation quoting to delivery will be used, and practical exercises will focus on creating and using glossaries and translation memories, including converting PDF files so they can be imported and translated with Wordfast. Time permitting, we’ll learn how to create a translation memory from past translations using the Wordfast alignment tools.

NOTE: Participants will be contacted prior to the workshop with workshop primer instructions. This will help you download the software, practice with it a bit, and be ready to go when you arrive at the workshop! Registered attendees will receive a 25% discount to purchase a license.

Objectives: By the end of this workshop, attendees will be able to use Wordfast Pro to create a translation project; create a translation memory (TM); create a glossary; import TMs and glossaries; analyze a file; translate, edit, and proofread PDF and Microsoft Word documents; integrate machine translation; perform an automated quality control assessment; and create a translation memory using an alignment tool.

John Di Rico began translating in 2005 and specializes in legal, financial, and marketing translation from French to English. He currently works as the Sales and Marketing Manager for Wordfast and runs a small translation business—ApexTra—in France. He is a sworn translator and interpreter for the French courts (traducteur-interprète assermenté), member of the French translation professional association (Société Française des Traducteurs). He has an MA in Translation and Localization Management from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey (MIIS). John is a certified trainer for adult education and has been offering professional training for translators since 2006. He has taught more than 600 translators how to use CAT tools, how to manage their time, and how to manage translation projects. John is currently teaching project management for the online Master in Technical Communication and Localization (TCLoc) and Master in Multilingual Web Communication programs at the University of Strasbourg.

Session Description: As court interpreters we often work in the simultaneous mode. But do our skills in that mode translate smoothly into other settings? In this hands-on session, we’ll discuss the practical and ethical considerations involved in working in the simultaneous mode in legal settings, seminars and conferences and practice the skills needed to succeed in those unique contexts. In addition, as a group we’ll address the question of quality and how listener perception may influence and inform our performance in settings beyond the legal realm. In break-out groups, we’ll look at real-life scenarios and discuss best practices. Through practical exercises, participants will hone their simultaneous skill set and ability to adjust and adapt to different circumstances and expectations.

Participants will need to bring an internet-equipped device (cell phone or computer) to access audio, and compatible earbuds or headphones (preferably noise cancelling).

Objectives:  Participants will learn to differentiate between the different contexts in which simultaneous interpreting is used (court, seminar, conference, etc.), the unique skill set required for each, and the ethical and practical considerations involved in deciding which assignments to accept. Attendees will gain an understanding of the nuances involved in each setting and how those impact expectations for interpreter performance through practical, hands-on exercises and group discussion.

Katty Kauffman is a seasoned conference and court interpreter, a member of the International Association of Conference Interpreters (AIIC) and TAALS and an instructor at York University’s graduate school (Glendon MCI). Trained in Chile and the United States, her extensive conference experience includes presidential summits, general assemblies of international organizations, and countless events for the private sector. She regularly provides services in person and online to the U.S. Department of State, the OAS and ECLAC, among others. In the judicial field, in addition to her work as a freelancer in New York, Miami and the Washington, DC metro area, she has served on staff at the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida.

Session Description: Professional organizations play a key role in developing best practices and standards in language services provided in legal settings. White papers, standards of practice, and codes of ethics are shaped by members of these groups, and they are often cited as key references in courts when issues arise. In addition, international standards such as ASTM and ISO standards have been developed via consensus-building with a range of stakeholders in an effort to guide decision makers and address broad questions of working conditions, professional conduct, and best practices. These standards extend beyond the courtroom into other legal settings, enabling more interpreters to benefit from their use.

This presentation provides an overview of international standards on translation and interpreting, focusing specifically on ASTM standards and their applicability to interpreting in court and in legal contexts. The presentation describes the overarching process of developing international standards, articulates how these standards can be used by court interpreters and administrators to support the provision of language access, and identifies ways in which standards can bolster initiatives related to the quality of language services. Suggestions are provided on how interpreters can leverage international standards to enhance the profession.

Objectives: By the end of the session, participants will be able to identify key international standards related to best practices in language services and describe their scope and applicability to court interpreting. They will be able to outline the process of developing international standards, identify key stakeholders, describe their relationship to codes of ethics and white papers, and implement standards in their daily work as court interpreters. Finally, they will learn how to access key standards relevant to their professional activities in legal settings.

Aimee Benavides is a federally certified and California court certified Spanish interpreter with over 20 years of experience. She is a former chair of NAJIT, having served on the board from 2017–2022. In addition to having worked extensively in court, she specializes in technical agricultural conferences and training workshops, focus groups that require simultaneous interpreting into English and educational interpreting. She is currently the co-chair of the executive committee for ASTM F43 Language Products and Services and helped to draft the recent revision to the interpreting standard. She is currently leading the drafting committee on a standard guide for remote interpreting. She has presented various webinars and educational sessions independently, for NAJIT, ATA, as well as for TerpSummit in January 2023.

Christopher D. Mellinger is an associate professor of Spanish Interpreting and Translation Studies at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Dr. Mellinger received his Ph.D. in Translation Studies and M.A. in Translation (Spanish) from Kent State University. He also holds certificates in Spanish-English interpreting as well as translation and localization management from Wake Forest University. He is the co-editor of the journal, Translation and Interpreting Studies (John Benjamins), co-editor of Translating Texts: An Introductory Coursebook on Translation (Routledge, 2020), and co-author of Quantitative Research Methods in Translation and Interpreting Studies. He has been involved in ASTM to revise the language interpreting standard (F2089) and is collaborating on a proposal for a new standard on remote interpreting.

Session Description: The session will be in Spanish, but doubts and questions can be answered in English. The three (of the four) members of the group Palabras Mayores offer you three sessions. The first one, in charge of the philologist Alberto Gómez Font, will deal with what is considered “correct Spanish”, in order to know which manuals and resources can be used to solve doubts. The second, by the translator Xosé Castro, will discover digital resources to increase the productivity of the interpreter’s daily work. And the last one, by the communicator Antonio Martín, will present the methodology of clear language in legal and administrative texts, to offer a useful resource in daily work and a new job option.

Objectives: Above all, attendees will learn how to resolve Spanish language doubts more quickly, easily, safely and efficiently. Secondly, they will be able to acquire the digital skills to solve problems related to specialized terminology, as well as other resources that will help them to increase their productivity, and therefore, be more competitive. And finally, they will learn the techniques of clear language, both to use them in their daily work, as well as to value them as another job skill to offer to their customers.

Since 1989, Xosé Castro Roig has been working as a freelance English translator and proofreader. He has participated as coordinator, translator or proofreader in dozens of software translations. He has translated and adapted advertising material, multimedia and educational videos for the U.S. Hispanic population and for the Spanish-speaking market in general. He has also translated a large number of series and movies for film and television, both for dubbing and subtitling, especially for the European market. He is an advisor to the Centro Virtual Cervantes of the Instituto Cervantes and an active member of the ATA and Asetrad. He was co-editor of the glossary of computer terms in the style guide of the newspaper El País; he is the creator and moderator of TRAG, the largest discussion list for Spanish-speaking audiovisual translators, and is a member of the editorial board of Panacea, the medical language magazine.

Albert Gómez-Font is a former director of the Instituto Cervantes in Rabat (Morocco) and was General Coordinator of the Fundación del Español Urgente (Fundéu) until 2012. He was also a corresponding member of the North American Academy of the Spanish Language and a stylist in the Department of Urgent Spanish of the Agencia EFE (Madrid) from its foundation in 1980 until its transformation into Fundéu BBVA in 2005. He has been a professor, since 1990, for the courses of modernization of administrative language, organized by the Ministry of Public Administration (MAP) of Spain. He is a professor, since 2001, in the “Agency Journalism” master’s degree courses organized by the EFE Agency. He is also the author of more than 20 books related to the use of language, the creator of the Apuntes forum and an organizer and participant in many international congresses on language.

Antonio Martín graduated in Hispanic Philology at UCM. In 1997 he founded CÁLAMO&CRAN, the center for professional applications of language and publishing. He is a member of the quartet PALABRAS MAYORES, a member of the editorial committee of ARCHILETRAS, and one of the organizers of the ENCLARO meetings. He is co-author of El libro rojo de C&C (C&C, Madrid, 2013), 199 recetas infalibles para expresarse bien (Vox, Barcelona, 2015), Dilo bien y dilo claro (Larousse, Barcelona, 2017), and author of La mano invisible (CSIC, Madrid, 2019). He has directed the PUBLISHNEWS media since 2015, a daily reference in the Spanish publishing world. From 2005 to 2015 he chaired the professional association of proofreaders that he founded, UniCo. In 2018 he contributed to the creation of the first professional association of proofreaders in the United States, SEA. In 2007 he was recognized as an honorary member of La Casa del Corrector, of the Litterae Foundation. In June 2022 he was appointed PLAIN’s ambassador in Spain.

Session Description: We often think of legal language as frozen and unyielding, difficult to decipher and even more difficult to find proper equivalent concepts in other languages. During this workshop, participants will learn how to use a different lens to look at legal language: the lens of rhetorical devices. We will analyze how metaphors, alliterations, metonymy and other figures of speech form an integral part of legal discourse, and in so doing sharpen those analytical skills normally applied to extract meaning from everything heard inside and outside of a courtroom. Looking at the poetic side of legal language will help participants enhance their critical thinking skills and their overall performance.

Objectives: At the end of this workshop participants will be able to recognize the most common rhetorical devices found in legal discourse. They will learn how to analyze figurative language in legal contexts, how to differentiate and extrapolate layers of meaning and, within this pragmatic context, apply interpreting strategies that make it easier for them to understand legal discourse in U.S. courtrooms and easier to convey its meaning in a foreign language.

Janis Palma is an English-Spanish interpreter and translator, certified by the federal courts in 1981, certified by NAJIT as an interpreter and translator in 2004, and licensed by the State of Texas as a master court interpreter as of 2017. She holds a B.A. from the University of Texas at Austin and an M.A. from the Centro de Estudios Avanzados de Puerto y el Caribe in San Juan. She is a NAJIT Life Member since 2006, was a Board Member between 2020 and 2022, and chair of the board for the 2021-22 term. Ms. Palma has been teaching and training judiciary interpreters since 1986 and has written extensively on subjects related to judiciary interpreting. She is now working towards a master’s in Legal Studies (MLS) at Arizona State University.

Session Description: How can non-native English speakers improve their accent? Simple observation and imitation is not enough, but an understanding of basic English phonetics and phonology principles go a long way to enhance both listening comprehension and speaking performance. This hands-on workshop combines theory and practice to help achieve accent reduction goals efficiently and systematically.

Objectives: In this workshop, attendees will learn and practice the basics of phonetics and phonology for accent reduction. The topics to be covered include the English vowel and consonant system, word and sentence stress, and their practical application for improved listening comprehension and speaking performance.

Nora Díaz is an English-Spanish translator and conference interpreter who enjoys using technology and finding ways to increase productivity, which combines with her love of teaching and has led her to share what she has learned through a blog, articles, webinars and workshops. Nora is a certified RWS trainer, currently serves on the board of the Organización Mexicana de Traductores and is the chair of the American Translators Association Professional Development Committee. She is also one of the co-organizers of the Innovation in Translation Summit and the Innovation in Interpreting Summit. She has recently co-authored a book called The Translator’s Tool Box.

Session Description: Attendees will enjoy a 2-hour tour of the Lloyd D. George Federal Building located eight miles away from the conference hotel. Attendees will be treated to a conversation with a local judge. This tour is limited to 15 attendees. NAJIT will provide transportation to and from the conference hotel, provided attendees meet at the designated area. Instructions will be emailed to attendees before the conference. Please allow a minimum of 3-hours for the tour and travel time.

Session Description: In this 3-hour workshop, participants will explore the usage of profanity in American English and will review interpreter ethics and protocol regarding register. Participants will learn the functions and categories of profanity and learn to search for context and intent. Participants will learn strategies for finding equivalents in their working languages and will begin developing initial glossaries.

Objectives: Participants will leave this session with a better understanding of American English profanity and will have a foundation to find appropriate solutions when interpreting into and from English and their other working language(s).

Javier Castillo is president of Castillo Language Services, Inc. in Greenville, NC. He is an interpreter, translator, consultant and internationally recognized speaker.   He is a Federally Certified Court Interpreter, NC AOC certified court interpreter, a Certified Medical Interpreter, (CCHI) and contract interpreter for the U.S. Department of State and routinely interprets for international delegations and high-level speakers across the United States and abroad. Javier is a frequent speaker and trainer at national and international conferences. He is the President of the Carolina Association of Translators and Interpreters (CATI), a director on the board of the National Association of Judiciary Interpreters and Translators (NAJIT) and Head of the U.S. Chapter of the International Association of Professional Interpreters and Translators (IAPTI), and an active member of the American Translator’s Association.

Session Description: Join Agustín de la Mora and James Plunkett for a highly interactive, skill-building workshop for the simultaneous mode! Designed for intermediate to advanced skill levels, this presentation takes a practical approach to preparation and improvement through the analysis of real court material and detailed self-evaluation exercises using discourse analysis as a frame of reference. Be sure to bring a recording device and headsets.  Don’t miss this chance to apply the interpreting theories that continue to make DE LA MORA Institute a nationally recognized name in interpreter education.

Objectives: At the end of this training, participants will attain an enhanced level of understanding and processing of legal and lay speech in court settings, with which they will produce more accurate, complete, and faithful renditions in the simultaneous mode. To achieve the goal, participants will improve understanding of the speaker’s speech/discourse/message and purpose in a legal setting, analyze the quality of the message and the speaker’s intentions and learn three/four steps to analyze real, legal speech and prepare the translated rendition.

Agustín Servin de la Mora is the President of DE LA MORA Interpreter Training. He was born and raised in Mexico City, Mexico, and has been a professional interpreter for 30 years, both as a freelance and a staff interpreter. He is one of the supervisor raters for the National Center for State Courts and has been a lead rater for the federal and consortium oral exams for court interpreters. He was the lead interpreter for the Ninth Judicial Circuit for over a decade, and served as a member of the Project Advisory Committee responsible for the creation of the National Standards for Healthcare Interpreter Training Programs for the NCIHC. He was a member of the Florida Court Interpreter Certification Board and a voting member of the Technical Committee of the National Consortium for Interpreter Certification. He is a state and federally certified court interpreter, as well as a certified medical interpreter. He has been a consultant for the National Center for State Courts for 20 years.

James Plunkett III is a nationally-known interpreter instructor and trainer of trainers. He also trains new judges and court staff on how to work with court interpreters. He is certified by the AOUSC as a Spanish and English court interpreter. He is a rater for a national credentialing program for interpreters. He has worked as a court interpreter for the 13th Judicial Circuit in Florida and as the Coordinator of Interpreting Services and Language Access Program for the District of Columbia Courts. He is staff interpreter of the U.S. District Court, based in Tampa, FL. He holds a BA degree in General Social Studies from Providence College. He was raised in Lima, Peru. He also communicates in Portuguese, some French and basic Mandarin.

Session Description: Webex has recently introduced a long-awaited new feature: simultaneous interpretation. In this workshop, the trainer will explain what is needed to get this feature up and running. There will be a practical part where participants will test-drive the simultaneous interpretation feature with a booth mate.

Objectives: In this training the participants will learn what is needed to add this feature, how to set it up and how it works. They will also have hands-on experience with this feature.

Maha El-Metwally is a conference interpreter in the Arabic booth. She works for a wide range of international organizations, including the European Institutions and the United Nations. She is a member of the International Association of Conference Interpreters (AIIC), the Chartered Institute of Linguists (CIoL) and the American Translators Association (ATA). She is also a Fellow of the Institute of Translation and Interpreting (ITI). She served on the ITI Board member and Membership Committee for 6 and 9 years respectively. Maha has an MA in interpreter training from the University of Geneva. She is associated with a number of universities both in the UK and abroad where she contributes to the curriculum. She is passionate about technology in the field of interpreting and offers courses on the subject internationally both in person and remotely.

Session Description: We’ve all been there. An attorney or a conference delegate walks in, comes over, hands us a document (a speech, a proffer) and says, “I tend to read very quickly so I brought you a copy.” We thank the speaker, skim through it, and make some notes. What happens next is key. Do you put it aside, close your eyes and just focus on the spoken words? Or do you read along, interpreting as you go and adjusting to additions and deletions on the fly? If you are in the former group, this session is for you! Attend and learn key techniques to translate your sight reading skills into the simultaneous mode. Come prepared to practice.

Objectives:  Participants will learn how to skim a document to identify key elements in advance.  They will also learn how to listen and read at the same time, then how to listen, read AND interpret at the same time, and how to adjust to changes in the text.  Finally, they will know how to help their partner when working from a prepared text.

Katty Kauffman is a seasoned conference and court interpreter, a member of the International Association of Conference Interpreters (AIIC) and TAALS and an instructor at York University’s graduate school (Glendon MCI). Trained in Chile and the United States, her extensive conference experience includes presidential summits, general assemblies of international organizations, and countless events for the private sector. She regularly provides services in person and, more recently, online, to the U.S. Department of State, the OAS and ECLAC, among others. In the judicial field, in addition to her work as a freelancer in Miami and the Washington, DC metro area, she has served on staff at the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida. Her language combination is ES/EN: A; PT: C.

Session Description: This pre-conference workshop is part two of last year’s workshop and builds on it. Deposition basics will only be reviewed briefly.

As some court systems have reduced the rates for judiciary interpreters, court interpreters look for assignments outside the court system. There are plenty of opportunities available at depositions, which are typically held at law offices. Unfortunately, there is little training for interpreters in depositions, and this workshop will provide a detailed, in-depth, advanced overview of ethical conundrums, the role of check interpreters, best practices, fixing mistakes, special situations, sample deponent responses, high-level depositions, stand-by interpreting, and more.

Objectives: Attendees will learn about the finer points of depositions, including how to handle challenging situations, how to deal with standby and check interpreting, how to avoid conflicts of ethics, and how to make sure law firm clients come back to retain the interpreter again.

Judy Jenner is a Spanish and German business and legal translator and a federally court-certified Spanish interpreter. She has an MBA in marketing and runs her boutique translation and interpreting business, Twin Translations, with her twin sister Dagmar. She was born in Austria and grew up in Mexico City. She’s a former in-house translation department manager and serves as one of the spokespersons for the American Translators Association. She writes the blog Translation Times, pens the “Entrepreneurial Linguist” column for The ATA Chronicle, and is a frequent conference speaker, including at recent events in Czech Republic, Brazil, Sweden, Norway, etc. She is the co-author of The Entrepreneurial Linguist: The Business-School Approach to Freelance Translation. She teaches translation and interpreting at UC-San Diego and at UNLV (University of Nevada, Las Vegas).

“With only a small degree of hyperbole, the immigration laws have been termed second only to the Internal Revenue Code in complexity. A lawyer is often the only person who could thread the labyrinth.” Baltazar-Alcazar v. I.N.S., 386 F.3d 940, 948 (9th Cir. 2004).

Immigration is a vast and complex field of law, and nearly all interpreters have provided interpretation related to some aspect of an immigration claim. Have you ever wondered how a case ends up in immigration court? Or how it ends up in federal court from either USCIS or EOIR? Or have you noticed that immigration practitioners tend to use the same terms that you hear in state court, but seem to mean something different when immigration attorneys and judges use them? Come join Tamber Hilton and Drew Bahr, two practicing immigration attorneys, that are also Spanish interpreters, offering this introductory session on immigration law and terminology.  This presentation will answer all of these questions and more to help attendees feel confident and prepared to work in an immigration setting, particularly in immigration court. Because of the specialized nature of immigration law, the fast pace of court proceedings and the daily frequency with which interpreters work adjudicative hearings rich in fact and law, it is essential for interpreters to understand the law to make informed terminology choices and keep up with the pace of proceedings. In this session, attendees will learn how the U.S. immigration system is structured and the contours of its relationship with the state and federal justice systems. They will also learn about the most common types of immigration remedies that interpreters may encounter in both immigration court and at USCIS, with a focus on understanding what it is that practitioners are arguing in each type of case, so that attendees can better formulate their renditions of argument and predict what might come next in a given proceeding.

Objectives: Participants will be able to articulate the different agencies that make up the federal immigration system and understand the role that state and federal courts can play in immigration claims. They will be able to describe the most common immigration remedies and differentiate between remedies that are available exclusively as a defense to removal, exclusively affirmatively, and those that may be available in both contexts. Finally, they will learn to evaluate terminology options for different concepts in immigration law and assess the legal validity of these options, using statutes where relevant.

Tamber Hilton is a practicing Spanish court interpreter and immigration attorney based in Tucson, Arizona and Washington, D.C. She is federally certified and court certified in the state of Virginia. She has extensive experience as an interpreter for the Executive Office of Immigration Review (EOIR), state, and federal courts in the D.C. area and elsewhere. She was admitted to the Maryland bar in 2021, and has a small immigration practice focusing on humanitarian relief such as asylum, motions to reopen, SIJS, and others. She has a passion for immigration issues unique to border regions, and volunteers regularly at a migrant shelter in Tucson, Arizona. She loves to hike and explore the mountains and canyons of Tucson in her spare time.

Andrew (Drew) Bahr is a practicing immigration attorney focusing on removal defense and an experienced interpreting instructor. Before practicing law, Drew worked as an immigration court interpreter and freelanced for assignments at the Department of Homeland Security, Virginia and D.C. jails, federal jails and prisons, at white shoe firms in downtown Washington, D.C., at many non-profits, and for the Virginia Circuit Courts. Outside of work and teaching, Drew enjoys reading science fiction, playing table-top games, and trying new foods.

Session Description: Attendees will enjoy a 2-hour tour of the Seventeenth Judicial Circuit Courthouse located three miles away from the conference hotel. Judge Jose Izquierdo will join the tour and speak with attendees. There will also be an opportunity to observe Bond court, where interpreters can be found both in-person and remotely. This tour is limited to 20 attendees. NAJIT will provide transportation to and from the conference hotel, provided attendees meet at the designated area. Instructions will be emailed to attendees before the conference. Please allow a minimum of 3-hours for the tour and travel time.