The Unsung Heroes of Justice: Court Interpreters

Over the past six months, I’ve been involved in public service interpreting, and here’s what I’ve observed:

Behind the scenes of every courtroom - beyond the lawyers, judges, and witnesses - there is often a quiet yet vital presence: the court interpreter. These professionals bridge language barriers, ensuring justice is not lost in translation.

From my own experience, I’ve come to appreciate how demanding this role truly is. Court interpreters do far more than switch between languages, in my case, English and Russian; they must accurately render complex legal terminology and acronyms - often with minimal context and under significant pressure. Whether it’s ASBO, YOI, or PIP, interpreters must instantly grasp and convey meaning with total precision.

Court interpreters must also be familiar with a broad range of legal areas - criminal, family, immigration, and social security - each with its own specialised vocabulary and procedures. It’s not just about language proficiency; it’s about understanding the legal system well enough to make it accessible to all parties involved.

One of the most challenging aspects is simultaneous interpreting - listening and speaking at the same time. It’s a cognitively intense task that requires exceptional focus, speed, and accuracy. In most professional environments, this is recognised as a premium skill and compensated accordingly. Yet, in public service interpreting, that recognition is often lacking - which continues to surprise me, given the complexity and importance of the task.

The nature of the job adds to the challenge. Assignments are often unpredictable, with short notice and long travel times. The work can be mentally and emotionally draining. Most interpreters work on a freelance basis, without benefits, job security, or consistent income - despite being essential to the functioning of the justice system.

Yet for all their skill and dedication, public service interpreters, in my opinion, remain underappreciated - and undervalued in terms of pay. Still, I’ve witnessed remarkable professionalism, resilience, and integrity among my colleagues. They are the quiet heroes of the justice system, and they truly deserve greater recognition, support, and respect. Without them, the legal system simply wouldn’t speak to everyone.

Interpreting at Britain’s Got Talent 2019: The Champions

Interpreting at Britain’s Got Talent 2019: The Champions was an unforgettable experience. When I was contacted on behalf of ITV with the request to provide a Russian-English interpreting service for one of their contestants who couldn’t speak English very well, it didn’t take me long to say yes! I had never been on TV before and was understandably nervous but everyone was so supportive and helpful backstage during the two days of rehearsals and filming that soon I forgot about the pressure of being on stage together with Ant and Dec and in front of all those famous judges. After all they weren’t going to judge ME! Unfortunately, my contestant didn’t get through to the final but I was most thankful to ITV for the magical experience and a chance to see how the show is made from the inside. When the filming was over Simon Cowell came up to us to say hello and thanked me for my help with interpreting - as simple as that! As it turned out, there was nothing to be scared of – it was just another day at the office! You can see me at work by clicking here

Interpreting for Russian ballet dancers Natalya Osipova and Sergey Polunin

I found a couple of pictures I was allowed to take during my interpreting job for the British Vogue last year. The company in charge organised a promotional photo session with the Russian ballet dancers Natalya Osipova from the Covent Garden and Sergey Polunin, for the British Vogue April issue. Being Russian myself I was very excited to have a chance to interpret during the interview for the two Russian superstars of the ballet world. Although both dancers had good English, the producers felt it was a good idea to have a Russian interpreter on the set. Both dancers looked so strong and powerful but gorgeous and gentle at the same time. Despite their fame they were both quite good-natured and professional throughout the whole day. There was a lot of chemistry between them – it wasn’t a secret that they were a couple on and off stage. It was a real privilege to accompany them and help with interpreting on a few other interview occasions after the British Vogue event.  The unexpected perk from those assignments was a ticket to their show in the Sadles Wells theatre!