In an international context, every word counts. When it comes to an arbitration claim, terminological precision and legal consistency in translation are crucial. This document cannot tolerate approximation. It is the founding document of a procedure that often involves major financial, commercial or regulatory stakes.
Why the translation of your arbitration claim deserves special attention
The Request for Arbitration officially opens the dispute. It sets out the framework of the dispute, identifies the parties, sets out the grievances, specifies the claims, the legal basis, the seat of arbitration, the chosen language and the applicable rules. In international arbitration, this document is systematically communicated to arbitrators, opposing counsel and institutions that do not necessarily share your language.
If you are involved in a Franco-English case, for example, the translation of the arbitration claim becomes the reference medium throughout the proceedings. The slightest inaccuracy in the legal qualification, contractual designation or formulation of claims can be exploited, or even contested.
Strict terminology requirements
Translating a request for arbitration requires much more than linguistic mastery. It requires :
- Master the terminology specific to commercial or institutional arbitration (e.g. ICC, LCIA, ICC, ICSID...),
- Understand the substantive law invoked (contract law, public international law, investment law, etc.),
- Understand the issues related to arbitration clauses and the chosen jurisdiction,
- Reproduce the legal effects of acts written in another language.
The wrong wording can change the interpretation of a grievance, a claim or a legal basis. In arbitration, each element can have procedural or financial consequences.
Why entrust this translation to legal experts?
You wouldn't entrust the drafting of your request for arbitration to a non-lawyer. The same goes for its translation. Generalist translators or non-specialized automatic tools are not trained in the subtleties of legal language. And even less so to the specific constraints of international arbitration.
At Legal 230, our legal and arbitration translators work exclusively from legal documents. They understand your issues, are familiar with the practices of arbitration institutions, and translate with rigor, neutrality and accuracy.
Case in point: a request for arbitration in a dispute over commercial breach between a French company and a Mexican distributor
A French pharmaceutical company wished to initiate arbitration proceedings against its distributor based in Mexico. The contract provided for arbitration in London, in English, under the auspices of the LCIA.
Translating the request for arbitration required :
- Faithful reproduction of grievances drafted in French law,
- Adapting civil law terms to an Anglo-Saxon audience,
- Preserving the persuasive force of the original legal argument.
Without controlled translation, the risk of ambiguity or misunderstanding could have undermined the admissibility or clarity of the requests made.
Secure your arbitration procedures from the outset
Are you preparing an arbitration claim for an international dispute? Don't let the language barrier compromise your rights.
👉 Contact our specialized legal translation team to guarantee a faithful, clear version that meets the expectations of arbitration institutions.