BSL LEGAL CONFERENCE 2024
May 11, 2024
The Priestly & Darwin rooms
Novotel, Birmingham
You are invited to a one-day event focussing on sign language (BSL) interpreting in the legal domain. The event is open to all who are interested in BSL Court and Mental Health Tribunal interpreting. This conference will be particularly useful for colleagues who are already working in this demanding domain; however we welcome students and those who are exploring the idea of moving into this field. Come along and discuss best practices and next steps with colleagues and other professionals.
Doors open at 08:30 with refreshments available. The program will start promptly at 09:00 and conclude at 16:00. Refreshments and a buffet lunch are included in the price of the ticket.
The conference will be delivered in both BSL and English and is therefore accessible to both deaf and hearing delegates.
We have been able to secure a larger room at the Novotel and have released additional tickets. Click purchase tickets below to join the waitlist or contact hello@bsllegal.org for help.
DOWNLOAD PROGRAM
KEYNOTE SPEAKER BIOS
HHJ Kaul was appointed a Circuit Judge on November 9th 2015. She is a Tutor Judge for the Judicial College, and a Diversity and Community Relations Judge. She has experience in working with interpreters on extended and complex cases.
HHJ Swallow practised at the criminal bar having been called in 1989. She was appointed a fee-paid judge in Mental Health in 2004. She was awarded a PhD in 2017 following research into domestic violence. She has been a District Judge in Mental Health since 2020. HHJ Swallow will talk around her work with Mental Health Tribunals and the issues around sourcing BSL interpreters, and the project she is involved with and how that is aiming to influence change in the provision of BSL interpreters.
Wendy is a qualified social worker who has been in the field for over 26 years. Her work experience spans statutory adult and children services through to family court proceedings. She holds an MA in Advanced Child Protection and currently works in deaf mental health services. Wendy was part of the first cohort of deaf individuals to gain the L6 qualification as a translator and is also an A1 assessor.
Wendy is an independent deaf specialist social worker who is frequently sought after for providing reports and expert witness testimony to the courts. Her reports help in understanding the culture, identity, and needs of deaf/hearing children or deaf parents within a deaf family in addition to her social work children and family experience. She was part of the team that influenced how the family courts work with deaf parents and brought a change to case law.
Through her extensive legal experience, Wendy has regular contact with court-appointed BSL/English and intralingual interpreters. This gives her a unique perspective on how interpreters and deaf intermediaries are employed during proceedings and in the courtroom.
Wendy will be presenting a keynote address on ‘The importance of deaf expert assessments during family matters’.
SOUNDBITE PRESENTERS BIOS
Chantelle works as an Intermediary for the Ministry of Justice. Her role involves providing communication support to deaf children and adults who are involved with the police or the courts. She has extensive experience and knowledge of working practices in family courts and mental health tribunals. Chantelle often works alongside professionals such as psychiatrists, psychologists, family therapists, solicitors, barristers, speech therapists, audiologists, teachers of the deaf and social workers. She has a wealth of experience working with people who use non-standard signs or gestures. Chantelle’s primary aim is to provide support to deaf people who find themselves in the court system.
Amanda shares her experience as one of the first deaf Jurors in the United Kingdom. What preparations were there and how did the interpreters work with her to fulfill the duty as a jury member.
This soundbite is facilitated by Becci Higgins in conversation with Amanda Woolley.
With nearly thirty years of legal interpreting experience, Gloria is a respected figure in the field. Throughout her career she has been a trailblazer and has been instrumental in training, mentoring and supporting interpreters within legal settings.
She was privileged to be part of the interpreting team for the first-ever BSL deaf juror, where things were meticulously planned by the court to ensure best possible practice. There were many great learning points for the interpreting team many of which will be shared in this soundbite session. She has since handled numerous other juror bookings and has given much consideration about interpreting practises in this unique sphere of legal interpreting.
Although very recently retired, she remains actively involved the landscape of legal interpreting. She currently serves on two Ministry of Justice advisory groups and participates in several other legal interpreting forums.
Interpreting for a deaf juror offers an excellent entry point for aspiring legal interpreters and in this sound-bite session Gloria delves into the considerations for interpreting with deaf jurors.
Catherine is a qualified interpreter since 2014, with a base in Exeter. Her expertise extends across the South West, London and further afield, where she is engaged in a variety of legal interpreting assignments. Catherine’s specialised interest in legal interpreting is backed by extensive and diverse training, which has equipped her with a broad range of experiences in family law, criminal courts, and the Court of Protection. Additionally, she has recently expanded her skill set by completing expert witness training.
Catherine’s, services encompass interpreting for mental health assessments, Personal Independence payment (PIP) interviews, employment tribunals and small claims court hearings. She is regularly chosen to work with deaf legal professionals in magistrates courts and Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) tribunals, and has significant experience working with deaf jurors across the United Kingdom. Catherine’s experience also includes acting alongside both deaf relays and deaf intermediaries.
Catherine is confident interpreting in court proceedings and in out-of-court settings, including a variety of police intercepting assignments. Her professional ethos is characterised by a commitment to adaptability and a focus on the needs of the clients, ensuring that she provides professional and responsive interpreting services.
Catherine will be presenting the topic, ‘how we speak to legal professionals’.
Mark has used sign language all his life and qualified as a British Sign Language interpreter in 2012. He has worked on projects in various countries including Kenya, Lebanon, and Bulgaria. Now based between the UK & France, he enjoys a mix of home-based and in-person work but has focussed on court, police and legal interpreting. Having recently received an Attestation de Comparabilité (ENIC-NARIC France Education International) Mark now practices as a BSL interpreter in France and across the EU.
Mark will be sharing his thoughts on how to take the fear out of direct legal bookings by understanding how to quote a sustainable Legal Aid fee. He will also be demonstrating a beta version of a Legal Aid calaculator, which is his personal passion project.
Benjamin is a Registered Sign Language Translator and has been involved in BSL Translation all his life, coming from a Deaf BSL family. He has worked in a variety of domains (including social care, lectures, conferences, webinars, legal, tribunals, and many more) and with a range of clients including DeafBlind clients and those that require language modification. He is an ASLI trained Mentor and is now working towards becoming an Assessor (AVRA).
Benjamin works to promote the role of Deaf Translators/Deaf Interpreters in both the profession and the deaf community, previously being the DIN Chair, current Board member of ASLI and is in various working groups.
Benjamin will share his experience of working as a Translator/Deaf Interpreter in court settings and provide a “checklist” of things to consider when working with deaf people in court settings, both inside and outside of court.
*Disclaimer: Details of speakers and topics are correct at the time of going to press. However, circumstances beyond our control may necessitate substitutions of speakers and topics for which we cannot be held responsible. All speakers and items contained in the program are subject to change without notice. We will use our best endeavours to arrange new and relevant speakers.
VENUE
Priestly & Darwin Rooms
Novotel
70 Broad Street
Birmingham
B1 2HT