The legal status of legal translators within the community of Portuguese speaking countries

The Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries (CPLP) encompasses nine countries across Asia, Africa, Europe and South America, with their own set of rules governing legal translators and interpreters. To study the legal status of those professionals within the CPLP, we analyze both international recommendations, and national legislation from each CPLP member state, and deontological and ethical codes from associations of translators. Our focus is to understand the rights, duties, and obligations of legal translators as defined by these instruments. The findings reveal that not all these nine countries follow international recommendations, nor do all have a regulated professional status. It is thus recommended in the conclusion that common efforts should be pursued to improve the legal status of this profession.