Last week, I attended a mediation with a Korean-speaking client for whom English was his second language. Many lawyers avoid representing clients for whom English is a second language but I enjoy it. It is a chance to understand a different culture and to learn about what prompted someone to leave their home and immigrate not just to the United States but also Alaska.
One of the challenges is making certain the client understands his case and can make knowledgeable decisions as to what is in his best interests. With respect to translation, I relied on this client's son and family members are the most common translaters. Beyond translation, however, it is important to explain legal issues in their simplest forms. With lawyers having a tendency to make things more, as opposed to less complicated, this becomes an useful exercise for me.
You always have to play the hand that life deals you smartly.
