Solicitor Consultations, Depositions, Mediation, Garda Stations
Legal Interpreting for Solicitors & Barristers in Ireland
Everything the legal process needs outside the courtroom: client consultations, witness statement drafting, deposition prep, mediation, arbitration, contract negotiation, Legal Aid intake, and Garda station attendance under the Custody Regulations 2019.
- Solicitor client consultations across all practice areas
- Deposition + witness statement drafting
- Mediation and arbitration (MII, FMS, Arbitration Act 2010)
- Garda stations under Custody Regulations 2019 (S.I. 119/2019)
- NDA-bound, solicitor-client privileged material handled to standard
Legal Interpreting vs Court Interpreting
Court interpreting is the courtroom itself: District, Circuit, High Court hearings, sentencing, jury trials, WRC and IPAT tribunals. Legal interpreting is everything the legal process needs outside the courtroom, and it is the majority of the interpreter's time on any contested matter. Client consultations before the hearing. Witness statement drafting. Depositions on commission. Mediation and arbitration. Contract negotiation with a foreign counterparty. Legal Aid Board intake. Garda station attendance for a detained non-English speaker.
The two often connect on the same matter. A solicitor takes instructions from a Polish-speaking client in consultation (legal interpreting), then the matter proceeds to a Circuit Family Court hearing (court interpreting). Continuity of interpreter across both is the pattern we recommend, and where continuity is not possible we brief the courtroom interpreter on the consultation glossary in advance. See our court interpreting page for the courtroom side of the same file.
Pricing
Legal interpreting is quoted per session, priced by duration, language pair, and setting (office, Garda station, remote video).
Legal Aid Board and State Solicitor bookings invoiced under the applicable rate framework. B2B firms on 30-day terms with round-number pricing. Same interpreter for consultation and later courtroom hearing available on request.
How It Works
Four steps from first enquiry to post-session file note.
Enquiry
Language pair, date, setting (office, Garda station, remote), duration, practice area. Two minutes on the form, WhatsApp, or a call from the station.
Confirmation
Within 15 minutes for Garda call-outs, 4 working hours for scheduled consultations. Fixed rate confirmed and interpreter matched to practice area.
Prep Pack
Case papers, prior statements, glossary and any bilingual documents shared over encrypted channel. Interpreter reads in and locks specialist vocabulary.
Session & File Note
Interpreter on site or on the line. Post-session note back to the solicitor: attendance timestamps, any technical issues, glossary retained for continuity on the file.
Where Legal Interpreting Fits Best
Six pre-courtroom and out-of-court settings where our legal interpreters are called most often across Ireland.
Solicitor Client Consultations
First-instructions meetings, ongoing case reviews, and pre-hearing prep across criminal defence, immigration, family, personal injury and employment. Interpreter matched to the practice area and briefed on the file.
- Criminal defence first consultations
- Immigration intake and appeal prep
- Family law separation and access discussions
- Personal injury liability and quantum discussions
Depositions & Witness Statements
Statement drafting sessions with witnesses whose first language is not English. The interpreter renders questions and answers in real time, checks the drafted statement back into the source language, and confirms the witness's own words.
- Section 41 statements under caution (pre-charge)
- Personal injury witness statements
- Commercial dispute deponent affidavits
- Immigration substantive interview prep
Mediation & Arbitration
Family Mediation Service and Mediation Institute of Ireland accredited mediations, workplace mediations, commercial disputes, and arbitration under the Arbitration Act 2010. The interpreter is neutral and holds strict confidentiality on caucus discussions.
- Family mediation (FMS, MII accredited)
- Workplace grievance mediation
- Commercial dispute mediation and ADR
- Arbitration under the Arbitration Act 2010
Contract Negotiation
Cross-border commercial contract negotiations, joint venture term sheets, employment contracts for incoming international hires, and pre-signing walkthroughs. Consecutive with sight translation of the drafting during clause-by-clause review.
- Commercial contract signing walkthroughs
- Joint venture term sheet negotiations
- Employment contract pre-signing sessions
- Property conveyancing where a party is non-English speaking
Legal Aid Board Intake
Legal Aid Board first consultations under the Civil Legal Aid Act 1995 (civil and family) and Criminal Legal Aid scheme intake. Bar of Ireland FLAC referrals handled on the same basis. Scheme reference captured at booking.
- Civil Legal Aid first consultations
- Family Legal Aid intake and eligibility
- Criminal Legal Aid intake and case file open
- FLAC referral consultations
Garda Station Attendance
Custody Regulations 2019 (S.I. 119/2019) require an interpreter for a detained person who does not have sufficient English. We attend station interviews under caution, consultation with the Solicitor-Nominated Panel duty solicitor, and pre-charge questioning across Dublin Metropolitan and regional stations.
- Station interviews under caution
- Consultation with duty solicitor before questioning
- Section 4 CJA 1984 extended detention interviews
- Charge sheet reading and bail application
Custody Regulations 2019: Interpreter at Garda Stations
The Criminal Justice Act 1984 (Treatment of Persons in Custody in Garda Síochána Stations) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 119/2019) require the member in charge to obtain an interpreter for a detained person who does not have sufficient English to understand the caution, the reason for arrest, or the questioning to follow. The interpreter is a legal safeguard, not an operational convenience: any station interview conducted without one where one was required is challengeable at the admissibility stage.
We are contacted by Garda members directly (via the station member in charge) and by solicitors on the Solicitor-Nominated Panel who are called to the station. Response time in Dublin Metropolitan stations is typically 60 to 90 minutes in active hours; regional stations and overnight call-outs vary by language availability. Priority coverage in Polish, Ukrainian, Russian, Romanian, Arabic and Lithuanian. Other pairs handled on availability with clear turnaround given at first call.
Confidentiality & Privilege
Solicitor-client privilege attaches to the interpreter as an agent of the solicitor. Everything said in the consultation, the mediation caucus, or the pre-signing negotiation is privileged in the same way as if the solicitor were speaking directly to the client. Every interpreter signs an NDA before any assignment. No independent recording, no note retention outside the file, no discussion of the matter with anyone outside the retainer.
Where a firm requires signed confidentiality on a per-matter basis (commercially sensitive M&A, family law high-net-worth work, sensitive employment matters), we sign the firm's own confidentiality form ahead of the session. GDPR compliant handling on identifying information: encrypted channel for case papers, retention only for the prep and session window, deletion afterwards.
What Our Clients Say
Feedback from Dublin solicitors, mediators, and firms handling cross-border commercial work.
"We use Tatkowski for Ukrainian and Polish consultations in the office and for Legal Aid Board immigration intake. Reliable, on time, and the interpreter reads the file properly before the client walks in."
Solicitor, immigration and asylum practice, Dublin 2
"Called at 11pm from Store Street for a Romanian-speaking detained client. Interpreter on scene inside 75 minutes, station interview ran cleanly. Cannot ask for more on a Custody Regs call-out."
Duty solicitor, Solicitor-Nominated Panel
"Same interpreter for the family mediation and then the Circuit Family Court hearing eight weeks later. Vocabulary was consistent between the two, which mattered when the affidavits went in."
Family law partner, Dublin 4
Book a Legal Interpreter
Short form or WhatsApp. Garda call-outs: use the number below directly, 24/7.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is legal interpreting different from court interpreting?
Court interpreting is the actual courtroom or tribunal work: hearings, trials, sentencing, WRC, IPAT. Legal interpreting is everything else in the legal process: solicitor client consultations, deposition preparation, witness statement drafting, mediation and arbitration, contract negotiation, Legal Aid intake, and Garda station attendance for detained non-English speakers. Same interpreter can cover both, and we recommend continuity where the matter is heading to court.
Do you attend Garda station interviews for a detained non-English speaker?
Yes. The Custody Regulations 2019 (S.I. 119/2019) require an interpreter for a detained person who does not have sufficient English. We are called by solicitors on the Solicitor-Nominated Panel and by Garda members directly. Response time on a station call is typically 60 to 90 minutes in Dublin during active hours, longer overnight in regional stations.
What lead time do you need for a solicitor consultation?
24 hours preferred for a first consultation with a new client. Same-day handled where an interpreter is available in the language pair. For a deposition or witness statement drafting session over 90 minutes, 3 to 5 working days is preferable so the interpreter can review any prior statements and case papers to lock in specialist vocabulary.
Can we book you for mediation and arbitration?
Yes. Family Mediation Service and Mediation Institute of Ireland accredited mediations, workplace mediations, commercial mediations, and arbitration under the Arbitration Act 2010 are part of our regular caseload. The interpreter is neutral, sits outside the caucus rooms unless invited in by the mediator, and holds strict confidentiality on anything said in caucus.
Do you invoice Legal Aid Board and State Solicitor bookings?
Yes. We accept booking references from the Legal Aid Board, Bar of Ireland FLAC referrals, and State Solicitor's office. Purchase order or scheme reference is captured at booking and invoicing follows the applicable rate framework for the scheme.
Can the same interpreter cover the consultation and the courtroom later?
Yes, and this is the strongly recommended pattern. Booking the same interpreter for the private consultation and the eventual court hearing removes vocabulary drift between what the client said in private and what is later placed on the record under oath. It is also more efficient: the interpreter already knows the file when the hearing arrives.
How is confidentiality handled on privileged material?
Every interpreter signs an NDA. Solicitor-client privilege applies to the interpreter as an agent of the solicitor. No independent recording, no note retention outside the file, no discussion of the matter outside the retainer. GDPR compliant handling on all identifying information. Solicitors can request signed confidentiality on a per-matter basis where the retainer requires it.
What languages do you cover for legal work?
Priority coverage in Polish, Ukrainian, Russian, Romanian, Arabic and Lithuanian, which are the highest-volume pairs across Irish legal work. Full coverage in Spanish, French, Portuguese, Italian, German, and 15 further languages including rarer pairs quoted on availability.
