Hebrew · German · English
Legal translation with a historian’s precision
I’m Dr. Mina Kuttner, a translator since 1999 with a Ph.D. in legal history. I translate legal, financial and official documents from Hebrew and German into English, and from English and German into Hebrew, including Rabbinical Court decisions written in Hebrew and Talmudic Aramaic.
Ph.D. in legal history
Translating since 1999
ProZ.com Certified PRO
Hebrew, German and English
About me
A scholar of law who translates it
I grew up speaking English and German at home and studied Hebrew in all its layers: modern, Biblical and Talmudic. My academic path took me from Tel Aviv University (M.A. cum laude, Jewish History and Middle Eastern Studies) to a Ph.D. in legal history at the Union Institute and University in Cincinnati, where my thesis on the common-law legal system received the 2003 Marvin B. Sussman Award.
That background shapes how I translate. Legal and official documents carry history, institutions and terminology that a reader abroad must understand exactly. I work carefully, research every term, and deliver translations that lawyers, courts and authorities can rely on.
What I translate
Legal, official and financial documents
Every service below covers the document types I translate most often. If yours is not listed, ask: I will tell you honestly whether it is in my field.
Rabbinical Court decisions and family law
Judgments of Israel’s Rabbinical Courts in divorce cases, from Hebrew and Talmudic Aramaic into English. Family-court appeals, prenuptial and out-of-court settlements, and property settlements.
Legal documents and contracts
Court declarations, contracts, name-change matters and other legal documents for law firms and private clients, translated with the terminology the receiving court or authority expects.
Official and civil records
Birth, death, marriage and divorce certificates, ID cards, matriculation and name-change certificates, IDF documents, and German pension and insurance records, for immigration, courts and government offices.
Financial documents
Financial reports, statements and their terminology (net operating income, CPI, EBITDA) between Hebrew, German and English, for finance teams, accountants and agencies.
Language pairs: Hebrew to English · German to English · German to Hebrew · English to Hebrew
Historical and academic documents
History on the page
Beyond legal work, I have translated historical documents, including two letters by Albert Einstein, a declaration by David Ben-Gurion, letters by psychiatrists from the 1940s, and reports on archaeological excavations in Israel.
My training as a historian means I read these documents in their context: the institutions, the period and the language of the time.
Mina has worked with us as a professional freelance translator from DE and HE to EN in various subject fields. Our team has had positive experiences from this collaboration, and Mina has become a valuable member of our staff of freelance translators.
Translated · ProZ.com feedback, 2019 · See my ProZ.com profile
Credentials
Education and qualifications
Education
- Ph.D., legal history (common-law system), Union Institute and University, Cincinnati. 2003 Marvin B. Sussman Award
- M.A. cum laude and honorary B.A., Tel Aviv University (Jewish History, Middle Eastern Studies)
- Qualified teacher, Levinski Teaching College, Tel Aviv
Professional
- ProZ.com Certified PRO
- Freelance translator since 1999
- Training: Hebrew-English Legal Translation Pitfalls (ProZ.com); courses on AI in translation
- Tools: MateCat, AI-assisted workflows, specialist dictionaries
- Based in Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada
Contact
Let’s discuss your documents
Tell me what you need translated, the language pair and your deadline, and I’ll reply with a quote.