Translating intellectual property documents

As innovation is constant, translating intellectual property documents is a must. App developers, creators and artists, programmers and marketers are just some of the professions where protecting intellectual property has become practically an everyday job.

This world is not only innovative, but also globalised. Therefore, it is often not enough to issue documents in our language, or to submit them to the authorities in our countries. If our project is (or intends to be) transnational, it is better to protect yourself by getting good advice on translating documents related to intellectual property.

What types of intellectual property documents can be translated?

Before diving into the subject, let’s take a look at what intellectual property is:

 

Just like everything else, different types of documents need to be filed according to the type of involvement you have with the intellectual product. The main ones are the following four:

• Author(s): these are the documents filed by people who want to register a work that is their own. They are the most common. For instance, authors will register their novel with this type of document, or a team of developers will register their new app.
• Other original owners: In some cases, the owners are not the authors of a work, such as in the case of collaborative projects. Some people devise a project, using their name, which is then carried out by others. If they agree, they may be the owners of the intellectual property of the complete creation.
• Inter vivos transfers: the ownership of the intellectual property is transferred from one person to another, both of them alive.
• Mortis causa transfers: intellectual property is inheritable. When an owner dies, intellectual property is passed on to their heirs or heiresses. Intellectual property rights usually last for 70 years after the author’s (or first owner’s) death.

How do you translate IP documents?

Translating intellectual property documents comes under legal translation, which is a very tricky type of translation. These documents have a specific language, namely legalese, and not everyone is familiar with it.

Moreover, legal language conventions are very different, not only from one country to another, but also from one culture to another. One country’s legal tradition results in a specific language, which may be completely different from another’s. Literal translation simply does not work here.

When registering a work or handling any paperwork related to intellectual property, the smartest thing to do is to contact someone who can prove that they have previous experience with legal translation. At least they should have an in-depth knowledge of the legal language in the country in question (a translator who has studied law in that country, for example).

But legal translation is not sworn translation (unless expressly stated otherwise).

If we need to translate an intellectual property document, bear in mind that sworn translation and legal translation are not the same thing. Both services are often confused by name and, on more than one occasion, clients end up overpaying for fear of falling short.

However, be aware that this is not always necessary. Firstly, legal translations, which we talk about all the time here, simply refer to the type of language used in a document. A sworn translation, on the other hand, is one that has the signature of a translator who legalises the document.

 

 

So, do intellectual property documents have to be legally valid?  Not exactly unless we want to register it in a country where the authorities require it. Therefore, checking the documentation we need to provide in order to request the appropriate translation is important so that we do not overpay.

Our best ally is a translation agency

For those in the business of innovation, professional IP translation services are not just a luxury—they’re a necessity. From legal terminology expertise to ensuring IP law compliance, these services are critical to maintaining the integrity and protection of your intellectual property on a global scale.

Ontranslation has quality standards, regulated by ISO 9001, which guarantee that we will always select the best team of expert legal translators for documents to safeguard your innovation.

Don’t take a risk! Get experts to make sure that what’s yours is yours.