Tag Archives: Dr Debra Russell

Deep Impacts: 2025 Highlights at The Interpreter’s Lab

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2025 was a year of deepening impact, strengthening training, advancing standards, and building stronger bridges between interpreters, institutions, and communities.

At TIL, we continue to advocate at all levels for the important contributions of interpreters and for recognition of interpreting as a specialized profession. The work that we do and the initiatives supported interpreters across spoken and signed languages nationwide. In 2025 over 150 new and practicing interpreters engaged in our training and continuing education programs. Building on current research and established best practices endorsed by international experts, TIL regularly strengthens its core curriculum and foundational ethical guidelines for interpreters.

Check out this Blog for More Information on How TIL Sets the Pace

Programs continued to align with Canadian and international standards while remaining grounded in real-world practice.

Learning & Professional Development (Membership Program)

Professional Development and Continuing Education

Interpreting in Law Enforcement – Working with the Police – Masterclass with Dr. Debra Russell (offered again in 2026)

  • 2 sessions for ASL interpreters
  • 1 session for spoken-language interpreters

Four cohorts of Interpreting in Community Settings – A Foundational Program

Interpreting in Legal & Court Settings

  • 1 cohort for spoken-language interpreters
  • 1 cohort for ASL–English interpreters, adapted from our long-standing spoken-language curriculum to meet the specific requirements of ASL–English interpreting.

Program & Curriculum Development

  • Implemented ISO/TS 6253:2024 across programs, supported by a successful full internal audit.

Updated course content across programs, including:

  • Revised Ethical Guidelines for Interpreters in Community Settings
  • Updated competency frameworks and assessment measures
  • Engaged a new instructor with expertise in training for interpreting in Indigenous languages 

Partnerships & Customized Training

  • Designed and delivered a customized training program for the Family Support Institute of BC (Resource Parent / Peer Programs)
  • Welcomed new partner agencies into our organizational training programs
  • Strengthened collaboration with professional membership organizations in Canada and internationally

Sector Leadership & Standards

Continued service as:

  • Board Member and Chair, Interpreting Committee – Canadian Language Industry Association (CLIA)
  • Certified Member, Women Business Enterprises (WBE)
  • Presentation to Canadian Translators, Terminologist and Interpreters Council Board at their annual AGM on ISO TC 37/SC 5 projects and standards
  • Ongoing leadership in the rollout and implementation of international standards in interpreter education
  • Initiated the BC Working Group on Interpreting Services, in collaboration with the Provincial Language Service (PHSA BC), a cross-sectoral initiative exploring system-level improvements to access and information on qualified language services.

Presentations & Advocacy

  • Speech-Hearing BC: Enhancing Speech-Language Pathology Practices: Strategies for Effective Collaboration with Interpreters
  • Health Standards Organization (HSO): Language Access as the Tipping Point for Equity and Inclusion
  • PSIT Networking Group – UK – London Metropolitan University (June 13); The Canadian Experience in Public Service Interpreting
  • Met with Minister Niki Sharma, BC Attorney General, to discuss language access, interpreting, procurement practices, and ISO standards.

Media & Knowledge Sharing

Excellence as Standard Practice

2025 was an exceptional year for The Interpreter’s Lab, marked by meaningful growth, collaboration, and impact. As always, we continue to evolve our programs, strengthen standards-aligned training, and respond to emerging needs in the field.

This progress is only possible through the trust and engagement of our members, partners, and collaborators. We look forward to building on this momentum together in 2026.

2025 Annual Masterclass Interpreting in Law Enforcement Settings with Dr. Debra Russell

About the 2025 Masterclass

Interpreting in Law Enforcement Settings with Dr. Debra Russell

This Masterclass will centre on best practices for interpreters working with law enforcement agencies, with a particular focus on interpreting for the police.

It is designed to teach interpreters the practical skills and knowledge required to work effectively in police settings while understanding the Canadian legal context.

Workshop Overview

This specialized Masterclass is designed for interpreters working in legal, court and community settings who want to deepen their skills in law enforcement interpreting. With a focus on real-world application, participants will engage in hands-on activities using police transcripts and case studies.

Led by Dr. Debra Russell, this interactive session includes role-play exercises that will challenge and refine participants’ ability to accurately interpret complex, emotionally charged, and sensitive communications between civilians and law enforcement personnel. Ethical dilemmas, professional boundaries, and the consequences of interpreter errors will also be explored, equipping interpreters with practical strategies to manage dynamic situations.

Participants will leave the workshop with a greater understanding of the protocols, expectations, and pressures unique to interpreting in policing contexts—and the confidence to perform their roles with accuracy and professionalism.

Participants will learn to:

  • Be better prepared to handle the demands of interpreting in law enforcement settings.
  • Communicate effectively with police personnel and navigate law enforcement structures.
  • Address ethical dilemmas with clarity and confidence.
  • Apply interpreting strategies that uphold standards in legal contexts.
  • Understand the real-world consequences of interpreter errors—and how to avoid them.
  • Reflect on personal positioning and neutrality in adversarial or emotionally intense environments.

Pricing

TIL Members: $25 + GST

Non-members: $85 + GST

PDU’s/ CEU’s: 3 (CTTIC & Partners)

Master Legal Interpreting with Dr. Debra Russell

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Your Path to Interpreting in Legal & Court Settings

Legal interpreting involves facilitating communication in a range of proceedings — depositions, trials, hearings, and more. It demands not only fluency in multiple languages but also a deep understanding of legal terminology, procedures, and cultural nuances that can influence communication.

Who Should Take This Course

If you have been working as an interpreter in other settings, such as social services, financial assistance, and other community-based situations, but are now ready to expand your practice, interpreting in legal and court settings is for you.

“It was a well-structured course led by a very knowledgeable instructor. I highly recommend this course to any interpreter who might be interested in interpreting in legal and court settings.”

– Corina, Interpreting in Legal and Court Settings Student / TIL

This course is designed for busy professionals who already have a lot going on but want to gain the skills and knowledge to expand their interpreting practice. Working as a court interpreter frequently means a higher hourly rate, with standard minimum hours per assignment.

With these additional specialized skills, you will be able to command higher pay rates—beyond courts and tribunals—that reflect the value you bring to all high-stakes, law enforcement environments.

Career Opportunities for Legal Interpreters

Qualified legal interpreters work with: 

  • Law firms 
  • Courts at all levels (local, provincial, and federal) 
  • Administrative tribunals 
  • Examinations for discovery and other legal settings 
  • Immigration and Refugee Board 
  • Municipal Police and the RCMP

The Ministry of the Attorney General, Court Services Branch (CSB), recognizes The Interpreter’s Lab (TIL) training as a qualification for court interpreting. Our Interpreting in Legal and Court Settings program is listed on the CSB spoken language interpreter application form, reflecting the quality and relevance of our training for interpreters pursuing work in legal environments.

Why Specialized Training in Legal and Court Interpreting Is Essential

Who better to teach legal and court interpreting than such an esteemed interpreter and educator as Dr. Debra Russell?

Meet Your Instructor Dr. Debra Russell

Dr. Debra Russell, a Canadian-certified interpreter, educator, and researcher with over 30 years of experience, has been at the forefront of advancing legal interpreting practices. She is a highly regarded educator and returns to TIL to lead our Interpreting in Legal and Court Settings program, starting February 6, 2025. This is a unique opportunity to learn from one of Canada’s most respected educators in the field.

Dr. Russell emphasizes the need for specialized skills to excel in legal and court settings, sharing insights into the complexities of working in these formal and high-stakes environments. Sharing her perspective as someone whose work and research have been rooted in the legal interpreting field for decades, Dr. Russell states:

“Legal proceedings are complex and nuanced. Misunderstandings in these settings can have serious consequences. Training provides interpreters with the skills and knowledge to navigate these challenges confidently and effectively.”

Specialized training prepares interpreters to handle the demands of legal proceedings by building on their existing expertise and addressing areas like:

  • Mastering legal terminology 
  • Becoming aware of and comfortable with procedural protocols 
  • Understanding the communication dynamics that influence interpreting in legal settings 
  • Gaining confidence to work in courtrooms, tribunals, or administrative hearings 
  • Understanding how to work in a variety of law enforcement settings (e.g., municipal police, RCMP, Canadian Border Services Agency)

This training helps interpreters navigate intimidating legal environments with professionalism, reducing anxiety and ensuring accuracy.

Take Your Career to the Next Level – Recognized by Agencies and Professional Memberships Across Canada including the Ministry of the Attorney General (MAG) 

If you’re an interpreter looking to expand your skill set and explore new opportunities, consider enrolling in TIL’s Interpreting in Legal and Court Settings program. By investing in this training, you’ll gain the tools needed to excel in legal settings and stand out as a professional in the field. 

This is also your chance to learn directly from Dr. Russell, whose expertise, research, and passion for teaching make her an invaluable resource for interpreters at all stages of their careers.

Start your journey toward becoming a highly skilled legal interpreter and open the door to a rewarding and  meaningful career.

 

Next Program Start Date: February 6, 2025

REGISTRATION CLOSES ON JANUARY 31, 2025

Live Sessions run Thursdays: 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. PST (UTC-7)

This course is a blended learning program, combining both online, real-time instruction with self-guided content, materials, resources, and student manuals.

  • TIL Members receive 20% off all second-level, advanced courses.

Learn More OR Register – See the Course Outline