Sue Leschen
Business Name: Avocate - Legal and Business French Interpreting and Translation Services Ltd
Contact:
Phone: 0044 7818633565
Mobile Phone: 0044 7818633565
Fax Number: n/a
Translator Subjects:
- Business, Commerce and Finance
- European Union and International Affairs
- Health and Safety
- Law
Interpreter Services:
- Ad Hoc
- Business
- Conference
- Consecutive
- Public Service
- Simultaneous
Professional Information
Education
Social Studies Degree BA (2:1)
Law Degree LLB (2:1)
Solicitor (non – practising)
Diploma in Public Service interpreting
Professional Qualifications
I am a dual qualified lawyer – linguist (now non – practising UK qualified solicitor) so offer a highly specialised and good quality service.
I interpret face to face all over the UK but particularly Up North in the Greater Manchester area where my company is based and also increasingly remotely on various platforms. I work with lawyers, the police, advice centres, courts, government departments, companies, NGOs, charities and individuals seeking legal and / or business interpreters or translators.
Last but not least I regularly present talks and webinars for language professionals mainly in the area of legal terminology to ITI, CIOL, Sign Senei and other professional organisations as well as make regular contributions on the same subject to CIOL’s monthly journal, The Linguist.
My company Avocate also has a mentoring arm and I regularly mentor individuals and groups in legal terminology and also legal English. I also mentor for the CIOL DPSI Law examinations. Avocate also provides dedicated mentoring and support for language professionals looking to set up or enhance their freelance businesses and mentoring sessions cover everything from drafting terms and conditions to drafting legal and professional website content.
Affiliations
Fellow of Chartered Institute of Linguists (FCIL) (until 31/08/2025)
Fellow of Institute of Translation and Interpreting (FITI) (until 01/05/2025)
Member of several ITI groups:
French Network
LIFT Network
Interpreting Development Network
Marketing Network
Sports Network
YTI
Also member of several other professional organisations:
Association of Interpreters and Translators (AIT)
Association of Translation Companies (ATC)
CIOL TransNet
CIOL InterpNet
International Legal English Association (ILETA)
Registrant of
National Register of Public Service Interpreters (NRPSI)
Additional Information:
I am an entrepreneurial lawyer – linguist and the Director of niche market Manchester based company Avocate Legal French Services Ltd (https://www.avocate.co.uk). I have 23 years experience of French interpreting and translation in legal and business assignments and have been an active member of NWTN for most of that time.
I hold Chartered Linguist (Interpreter) status and I am a Fellow of both the ITI and CIOL. I sit on two professional conduct committees, namely those of CIOL and National Registers of Communication Professionals Working With Deaf and Deaf Blind People (NRCPD).
In addition I also sit on the ITI LIFT committee and the CIOL Interpreting Division Steering Group Committee where inter alia we organise relevant CPD sessions for members. I am currently leading the ITI LIFT website sub committee in developing an updated website for LIFT.
