About Us
English <-> German
German Language Service has been operating in the greater Chicago area and nationwide since 1989. We provide translations of immigration-related documents as well as commercial translations and simultaneous interpretation including (but not limited to) the following fields:
- Engineering
- Pharmaceutical
- Legal
Advantage - Quality
President and CEO Marc Falkenberg, Ph.D., has been a translator, interpreter and voice-over talent for 20+ years.
Years of experience and a broad scientific background
- Court certified; I recently completed training for court interpreting and am now listed in the llinois Court Supreme Court Interpreter Registry as a “qualified” interpreter. I would have liked the opportunity to be listed as a “certified” Interpreter, but unfortunately, for German, the registry no longer offers the OPI (Oral Proficiency Interview). There is only one interpreter, located in Milwaukee, who is listed as “certified,” because she went through the process when the OPI was still offered for German.
- I have experience translating documents and interpreting at conferences and depositions. The profession requires you to acquaint yourself quickly with any new subject, from CNC-machining to pharmaceutics. I believe that I have managed this with ease due to the time I spent doing research at both German and American universities, combined with my staying up to date with developments in the sciences and the business world. I am also fluent in legal terminology.
- I continue to read German newspapers to stay up to date on developments in my former home country.
- I am listed at the German Consulate in Chicago as a translator to turn to for translations of documents required for legal matters and immigration purposes.
- As a published author, I produce elegant and concise text, in both German and English.
I have served in depositions and as a translator at several law firms, among them:
- Baker & McKenzie, Foley & Lardner
I have been a translator and interpreter in the Chicago-land area and the United States since 2000; I have also worked as a voice-over narrator; clients include:
- CTFC (United States Government), Governor of the German State of Hessen, Chicago Mercantile Exchange, Board of Trade, CME, ABN/AMRO, Lions Club, Rotary Club, McCormick Plc.
- United Airlines, Lufthansa, SAP, Bosch, Siemens, Western Digital, Swiss IT Security, Corning, Thyssen, Rockwell Automation, Verizon, McDonalds, Lifecycle Fitness, Brown Swiss, Chrysler, Audi, DMG Mori, Caterpillar, Belden, Spar, Aldi, Mars Candy
- Abbott, Baxter, Pfizer, Roche, Northwestern University Medicine, American Medical Systems
- ESPN, NBA, Netflix, The Chicago Symphony Orchestra, The Art Institute of Chicago
Rates for Interpreting
Rates for translations depend on text difficulty, volume, and the deadline.
Rates for simultaneous interpretation:
Cancellation by the hiring party is subject to the following fees: 50% of total estimate for cancellation later than 3 days before job start; 100% of total estimate for cancellation later than 24 hours before job start.
Per diem: $75 in large cities, $40 in rural areas
Travel = miles driven *$.7. + travel time of more than 2 hours = 1/2 day ($450)
1)IN-PERSON
1a) TANDEM in-person
up to 1-hr jobs: $225 (25% of day rate)
1-2 hour jobs: $360 (40% of day rt.)
2-3 hr jobs: $540 (55% of day rt.)
3-4 hr jobs: $630 (70% of day rt.)
4-8 hr jobs ($900 = day rt.)
Overtime: 1.5 times hourly rate based on 8 hours= 113/hr), billed in 30-min. increments ($56/ ev. 1/2 hr).
1b) SOLO (25% MORE than TANDEM) in-person
up to 1 hr jobs: $300
1-2 hour jobs: $480
2-3 hr jobs: $720
3-4 hr jobs: $840
I will not go longer than 4 hours solo.
Overtime: 1.5 times hourly rate based on 4 hour max (= $630), billed in 30-min. increments ($79 ev. 1/2 hour).
2) VIRTUAL events (30% less of in-person events):
2a) TANDEM virtual
up to 1 hr: $158
1-2 hour jobs: $ 252
2-3 hr jobs: $378
3-4 hr jobs: $441
4-8 hrs: $630
Overtime: 1.5 times hourly rate based on 4 hour max ($158), billed in 30-min. increments ($79/ ev. 1/2 hour).
2b) SOLO virtual
up to 1 hr jobs: $210
1-2 hour jobs: $336
2-3 hr jobs: $504
3-4 hr jobs: $588
I will not go more than 4 hours solo.
Overtime: 1.5 times hourly rate based on 4 hour max ($210/hr), billed in 30-min. increments ($105/ev. 1/2 hour).