A nationally recognized law firm took over a $289 million breach of contract case after a previous Am Law Firm was removed, due to flawed translations that had compromised the legal strategy.
The Challenge
A key issue in the trial was the translation of a specific clause in a joint venture agreement between two companies collaborating on an $18 billion refinery project. One party argued that the clause had created a fiduciary obligation that had been breached. The other countered that no such duty existed and pointed to the previous language provider’s poor early project work as to blame.
The case had been “stuck in the mud” for years due to inadequate translations that failed to capture the true legal intent of the critical contract provisions. The firm’s challenge was compounded by its current translation provider, who mistranslated key terms, delivered late, and lacked the responsiveness or scale required for high-stakes litigation.
The lead attorney was frustrated. With the trial date approaching and millions on the line, the firm needed a partner who could move quickly, precisely translate, and show up when it mattered, no matter the hour.
A routine check-in call from Morningside on Wednesday resulted in a simple reply, “We have something for you now.” Within hours, we were on a high-stakes video call with the whole trial team, learning the scope of what would become a defining moment in their success.
The Solution
Morningside stepped up as a partner an embedded legal team member. From the first urgent call, our legal experts got to work, immersing themselves in the matter’s complex terminology, context, and stakes. We immediately understood that this wasn’t just about translating words but preserving legal strategy and enabling victory.
We assembled a comprehensive team and leveraged our follow-the-sun business model to work around the clock. Within 24 hours of that initial Wednesday call, we had all 150+ Spanish (Latin American) documents assigned to professional human translators, and work had commenced on Thursday. Our approach included building custom glossaries that ensured every word reflected legal intent, not just literal meaning, and was consistent across documents, leaving no room for inconsistencies that could undermine legal strategy. Our certified linguists understood how a single phrase could influence fiduciary interpretation and ultimately, the court’s decision. We coordinated closely with the legal team to ensure proper Bates numbering correspondence and that our certifications met the specific requirements of the presiding court.
We didn’t just translate documents; we translated strategy, tone, and risk. We also provided professional interpreters for the live proceedings, ensuring that critical moments were supported clearly and enabling confidence and accurate communication in the courtroom.
The Journey
What could have become a logistical nightmare turned into a seamless, collaborative process even when the scope expanded during the project, and urgent Saturday evening calls at 6:45 PM became necessary.
We accurately translated more than 1.5 million words within within a week, remaining flexible as new filings emerged and additional documents were added to the project scope.
Our rolling delivery approach ensured the legal team received certified translations as they were completed, giving them ample time for review and case preparation. The project managers coordinating this massive undertaking worked tirelessly to maintain quality and timeline adherence while managing the complex requirements of Bates numbering, court certification formatting, and legal terminology consistency.
Throughout the process, there was extensive collaboration between Morningside and the legal team, particularly with the lead associate managing the case. Our responsiveness helped shift the legal team’s experience from chaos to confidence. Attorneys remarked on how our attention to detail and proactive availability transformed their workflow and enabled them to focus on winning the case rather than worrying about linguistic accuracy.
In the courtroom, our legal translation expertise ensured that nuanced contract language, central to the dispute, was preserved and communicated precisely, directly supporting the firm’s strategy and trial outcome. This was more than meeting deadlines; it was about empowering legal professionals to win on their terms. Our work was instrumental in helping the firm present its case confidently and convincingly.
Most importantly, our work directly influenced the trial’s outcome. The precise translation of the disputed contract clause became central to the defense’s argument that no fiduciary duty existed, providing the clarity they needed to present their case convincingly to the jury.
Morningside’s linguistic expertise gave the legal team the clarity they needed to make the case—and win!
The Partnership
The result was a complete legal victory in the $289 million lawsuit. The defense achieved total victory after 10 days of testimony and 7 hours of jury deliberation.
“Your team was fantastic wire to wire,” said the lead trial attorney.
“Delivered excellent written and live translations on a timeline that the other translation companies said was impossible. The translations told the true story and helped us overwhelm our opponent early and throughout the jury trial after years of the case being stuck in the mud due to bad translations.”
The senior partner emphasized the critical nature of our contribution: “Your work was truly the difference between winning and losing.”
Our ability to absorb complex legal context and respond quickly and accurately allowed the firm to stay focused on legal strategy while we safeguarded the language behind it. The case victory represented a successful defense and validated the idea that precise legal translation can be the deciding factor in high-stakes litigation.
The trust built during this engagement has led to referrals for additional matters across multiple languages, including Korean and Greek.
About Morningside
At Morningside, a Questel Company we know that legal language isn’t just about translation—it’s about trust, timing, and strategy. We combine certified human expertise, legal acumen, and a commitment to responsiveness to support legal professionals when the stakes are highest.
From urgent litigation matters to global compliance, we deliver defensible translations and expert interpretation that empower law firms to communicate confidently and successfully across borders and languages.
Don’t gamble with your case or your reputation.
You wouldn’t recommend picking just any legal expert off the internet. Why treat your translations any differently? When billions are at stake, nuance matters. Precision matters. Trust matters.
That’s why top firms choose Morningside.
We don’t just deliver translations—we provide confidence in court.