The challenge
A solicitor client approached Translate Hive with an interpreting requirement that fell well outside the ordinary.
They required a Lithuanian interpreter to attend an appointment in person in Lithuania, creating a number of practical considerations beyond simply identifying a suitably qualified linguist.
The assignment required careful coordination of the interpreter's availability and location, together with international travel, airport transfers, local transport and accommodation considerations. As with any legal instruction, reliability, clear communication and confidence in the arrangements were essential.
Finding the right solution
Rather than treating the overseas location as a barrier, Translate Hive explored how the assignment could be delivered practically and professionally.
Using our linguist network and resources, we identified a suitable Lithuanian linguist with the appropriate language skills who was both willing and able to attend the appointment in person.
From there, our team worked through the wider logistical requirements surrounding the assignment, including anticipated flights and travel arrangements, so that the solicitor did not have to coordinate multiple elements separately.
Clear costs from the outset
International interpreting assignments can involve variable costs, particularly where flights, ground transportation and accommodation may be required.
We therefore worked through the anticipated expenditure in advance and provided the client with a clear estimate before proceeding, giving them visibility over the likely overall cost of the instruction.
This allowed the solicitor to make an informed decision while we continued to manage the practical arrangements.
End-to-end coordination
Translate Hive managed the requirement from the initial enquiry through to securing the interpreter and developing a workable plan for attendance in Lithuania.
For the client, this meant having a single point of contact responsible for progressing the assignment, rather than needing to source a linguist overseas and independently arrange the associated travel and logistics.
It is an approach that reflects how we work with legal clients more broadly: understanding the requirement, identifying potential complications early and taking responsibility for finding a practical solution.
Going beyond standard interpreting requests
This assignment is a good example of the flexibility required when supporting solicitors with international matters.
Not every interpreting requirement fits neatly into a standard service. Sometimes the location, language, timetable or circumstances create an unusual challenge.
In those situations, Translate Hive does not simply work from a fixed menu of services. We look at the requirement as a whole and explore what can realistically be done to make it work.
What initially appeared to be a particularly difficult overseas request was ultimately turned into a clear, practical and bookable interpreting solution.
Supporting legal clients in the UK and overseas
While many of our interpreting assignments take place within the UK, our network allows us to explore solutions for clients who require language support internationally.
Whether the requirement involves an interpreter attending locally, travelling to an overseas appointment, or coordinating a more complex international instruction, Translate Hive can assess the circumstances, source appropriate linguists and manage the practicalities involved.
For solicitors handling matters that cross borders, that means having a language services partner prepared to solve the unusual problems as well as deliver the routine assignments.