Meet the Community: Mary L.

In this installation of our Meet the Community Series, you’ll meet Mary L., a Lionbridge legal translator since 2010. Mary shares what her work is like, how she built her career, and how legal translation has changed over the last decade-plus. Read more in our blog.

Tell us about your work for Lionbridge.

I began translating and editing for Lionbridge’s legal division, mainly on high-volume litigation and arbitration cases. As the industry gradually moved away from the massive long-term, multi-translator litigation projects of the twenty-teens, I also embraced a more varied workload, which today includes everything from translation of agricultural contracts and environmental impact assessments to more standard legal and commercial materials, such as:

• Foreign court rulings
• Corporate reports, certificates of good standing and apostilles
• Correspondence
• Official documents such as birth and marriage certificates
• Transcription of audio and video files
• MTPE

How did you come to work with Lionbridge?

In 2018, Lionbridge acquired a boutique legal translation agency that I’d been steadily working with since 2010. When it became part of Lionbridge, I could continue working on my long-term projects. I also jumped at the opportunity to work on projects for new end-clients and branch out into different specializations.

How did you get into this field? What professional associations do you belong to? What degrees have you earned specifically to help you in this field?

I had a strong desire to become a translator, but wasn’t quite sure how to go about it. I majored in Spanish and English literature in college, then earned a master’s degree in Spanish. I moved to Washington, DC, after grad school and was quickly hired as the only Spanish speaker in a criminal defense and immigration law practice with over 200 Spanish-speaking clients. I later moved on to a paralegal position in the Public International Law and Investor-State Arbitration practice group at a major international law firm. There, I began summarizing historical Spanish documents for an ICJ-mediated boundary dispute. I ultimately ended up gaining the experience to take on much of the group’s translation, as well as some informal interpreting for the firm’s pro bono program.

In hopes of achieving a better work-life balance and a more malleable schedule, I took two translation and editing courses. I also joined the American Translators Association and the National Capital Area Translators Association. Through these organizations, I met some stellar legal translators and made valuable connections in the freelance world. I finally moved completely into freelance work in 2011, shortly after my first child was born. I passed the ATA Spanish>English certification exam in 2019.

What languages do you speak?

Spanish, English, and a sliver of French.

What do you enjoy most about your work?

The flexibility of a freelance schedule is invaluable to me. It allows me time to pursue other interests, like playing the piano and guitar again after a 20-year hiatus and learning how to ski alongside my husband and kids. I enjoy the quiet solitude of working from home and the variety of projects I work on at any given time. Most importantly, freelancing gives me the freedom to travel and spend summers at my husband’s family home in Valladolid, Spain.

What does a typical workday look like for you?

At my home base in the US, I typically begin work shortly before 9:00 am. Depending on my workload that day, I may enjoy a walk outside or run a few errands after lunch. I like to wrap up around 5:00 pm to leave time for cooking family meals. Sometimes I sign back on after dinner to accommodate a rush job or handle a looming deadline.

When I’m in Spain, however, the workload tends to be lighter (because it’s typically July and August). I often get up early for a brisk walk or to bike into town before the heat settles in. Then I work until our family converges for a long Spanish lunch. In the afternoon, I take a few more hours for translation or admin tasks.

How long have you worked with Lionbridge? How have you seen the company and your work evolve?

I have worked regularly with Lionbridge since late 2018. I’ve seen both the company itself and my own work evolve due to profound industry changes. Lionbridge has readily adapted to advancements in MT with post-editing offerings, so I’ve become more adept at leveraging technology to deliver projects quickly for clients who request this approach. I prefer the creativity and linguistic challenges involved in the traditional human translation model. However, I’ve recently started to explore more technology-forward opportunities, such as voice recordings and annotation projects.

Why do you prefer freelancing for Lionbridge? How does it fit your lifestyle?

Given its size and presence in the legal translation market, Lionbridge has offered me broad access to a variety of projects and the opportunity to expand into other areas of interest. For instance, I leveraged my experience working on medical device litigation to branch into Lionbridge’s Life Sciences division. I completed several training courses on handling protected health information (PHI) and now receive PHI translation requests. These jobs provide an interesting counterpoint to legal translation. Because Lionbridge operates across many time zones, I can also pick up requests in the US and while traveling in Europe.

What do you enjoy doing outside of work?

 I am an avid home cook and passionate about eating with the seasons. Devising a creative meal plan from a pile of local organic produce brings me infinite joy. So does winding down in the evenings with a good book. I also make time to connect with family and friends over the weekend. Lastly, I really love to host a great dinner party!