METM24 presentation

Copyright and control: whose rights?

Sue Leschen, Manchester, United Kingdom

Claiming copyright protection, clients of language services often exercise legal control over our written and oral work – and even our likeness. However, we should not assume that ownership of these rights must always reside with those who pay us.

In this interactive session aimed at interpreters, translators and editors, a lawyer-linguist will discuss copyright law and its implications for language services. Although copyright has historically been considered pertinent to literary translation only, safeguarding the ways our work can be used is now increasingly relevant to a wider range of professionals, including interpreters working remotely. By exploring particular scenarios and through open discussion with the presenter, participants will learn how to manage common but thorny scenarios, such as unauthorized use of our texts and images. By the end of the talk, attendees will have a better understanding of their rights, enabling them to draft terms and conditions for use in their business.

About the presenter

Sue Leschen is a lawyer-linguist and the director of the niche market company Avocate Legal and Business French Interpreting and Translation Services Ltd. She is a Fellow of both ITI and CIOL and has Chartered Linguist (Interpreter) status. Sue is a member of CIOL’s Interpreting Division (Steering Group), the International Association of Professional Translators and Interpreters (IAPTI) and the Association of Interpreters and Translators (AIT). She also belongs to ITI’s FrenchNet, LIFT, NWTN and YTI networking groups.