Contract Translation: Commercial, Employment and Licensing Agreements
Rigorous legal translations that protect your interests in any jurisdiction
Get a Free QuoteContract translation for international business requires more than linguistic competence. It demands an understanding of the legal systems governing each agreement, precise handling of jurisdiction-specific terminology, and absolute confidentiality. M21Global, based in Lisbon and certified to ISO 17100 by Bureau Veritas, translates commercial and international contracts in over 63 languages for law firms, multinational corporations and financial institutions operating across borders.
With over two decades of experience in legal translation, our linguists specialise in cross-border agreements governed by Portuguese, EU and common law frameworks. Whether you are closing an M&A deal involving Portuguese entities, executing distribution agreements across European markets, or preparing employment contracts for international hires in Portugal, M21Global delivers rigorous, deadline-driven contract translations that protect your interests.
International Contract Translation
International contracts involve multiple jurisdictions, each with its own legal terminology, contractual structures and regulatory requirements. A contract governed by Portuguese civil law differs fundamentally from a common law agreement, and the translation must reflect these differences accurately. M21Global assigns linguists with proven experience in cross-border contractual work who understand the legal frameworks of both the source and target jurisdictions.
We translate cross-border M&A agreements, joint venture contracts, international distribution and licensing agreements, shareholder agreements for multinational structures, and service contracts spanning multiple EU member states. For bilingual contracts where both versions carry equal legal standing, our linguists verify equivalence clause by clause, ensuring total alignment of terms, obligations and conditions.
Certified Contract Translation
Many jurisdictions require contract translations to be certified for official use. M21Global issues certified translations with a signed declaration of accuracy in compliance with ISO 17100, accepted by courts, registries and regulatory bodies in Portugal and abroad. Our in-house lawyers can provide additional certification, and we coordinate notarisation and Hague Apostille when the receiving jurisdiction requires it.
For contracts involving Portuguese law, having a Portugal-based translation partner with in-house legal expertise ensures that the translation uses terminology consistent with the Portuguese Civil Code and Commercial Code. This precision reduces the risk of ambiguities that could be exploited in litigation or arbitration.
Industries We Serve
M21Global translates contracts across a wide range of industries and transaction types. Our strongest areas include M&A and corporate transactions (share purchase agreements, due diligence documentation, corporate restructuring), real estate (sale and purchase agreements, lease contracts, property development agreements), employment law (international employment contracts, secondment agreements, non-compete clauses) and commercial law (distribution agreements, franchise contracts, SLAs, NDAs).
We also serve the technology sector (software licensing, SaaS agreements, data processing agreements) and financial services (loan agreements, investment fund documentation, regulatory filings). Each project is assigned to linguists with experience in the relevant industry, supported by validated legal glossaries and translation memories that ensure terminological consistency.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Our linguists have experience translating contracts governed by civil law (Portugal, Germany, France, Spain), common law (UK, USA, Australia) and mixed legal systems. We understand the structural and terminological differences between these systems and ensure the translation reflects the legal intent of the original within the correct jurisdictional context. For multilingual transactions, we maintain consistency across all language versions.
A translated contract has legal validity when it is a certified translation and, where required by the applicable jurisdiction, authenticated by a solicitor, notary or apostilled. M21Global provides certified translations with a declaration of accuracy, accepted by courts and official bodies in Portugal and internationally. We clarify the certification requirements of the receiving jurisdiction before starting work.
Simple contracts of 5 to 10 pages are normally completed within 3 to 5 business days. Complex international agreements or high-volume document sets may require longer timelines. For urgent transactions, we offer express service with dedicated linguist teams. We provide the estimated delivery date with the quote, which is sent within 3 business hours of receiving your documents.
Yes. European Portuguese is our home market. Our native European Portuguese linguists translate contracts with terminology consistent with Portuguese law and business practice. This is important because European Portuguese differs significantly from Brazilian Portuguese in legal terminology, spelling and register. If your contract involves both variants, we assign separate native linguists for each to ensure accuracy.
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