Mock Legal Experiences

The Mock Legal Experiences provided supervised, low-risk mock legal interpreting experiences and observation opportunities to practitioners who completed the Legal Interpreter Training program. The Mock Legal Experiences sought to bring real-world scenarios to participants. The work of an ASL/English interpreter in any setting is complicated, demanding, and requires language fluency and specialized skills. Working in the legal specialty requires additional knowledge of legal discourse, principles, and protocol. Interpreters learning to work in legal settings have very few opportunities to observe interpreted interactions due to the low incidence and geographic spread of deaf individuals who are interacting with the legal system. The curriculum provided a five-week training which included interpreting experience and observation opportunities to increase practical experience in a low-risk setting, to reflect upon interpreting performances, and build confidence in applying the skills, knowledge, and attributes associated with working in court settings.

The mock legal scenarios had two possible participant roles, observer or interpreter.  Both roles were of great importance to this practicum experience. Both observers and interpreters

1. prepared for their assigned scenario(s)
2. engaged in facilitated, collegial discussions about the interpreting work
3. reflected upon their learning experience.