Het Juridisch Loket

Making legal information accessible

Het Juridisch Loket helps people understand their legal rights, obligations and options. For many people, this information is essential when they are faced with challenges related to housing, employment, family matters, debt or other legal issues. As the Netherlands becomes increasingly international, there is also a growing need to make this information accessible to people who do not yet fully understand the Dutch language.

To support this ambition, Het Juridisch Loket partnered with Attached to translate its website from Dutch into English. What started as a translation project soon developed into a broader localization partnership focused on accessibility, consistency and sustainable processes.

The challenge

One of the biggest challenges in this project was balancing several priorities that were all equally important.

First and foremost, the legal information needed to remain accurate, reliable and carefully worded. At the same time, it also had to remain understandable for people who are unfamiliar with legal matters and who may already be dealing with stressful or uncertain situations.

In addition, managing a large website that evolves on a daily basis requires structure and discipline. New terminology questions, content decisions and page updates arise continuously. Decisions need to be documented, knowledge needs to be shared and updates need to be implemented consistently.

It soon became clear that this partnership was about much more than translating content. It was equally about creating the processes, governance and communication channels needed to ensure that everyone remained aligned while the website continued to evolve.

Our approach

With more than 500 URLs covering a wide range of topics and information levels, this project required a strategic approach.

A well-considered translation strategy as a starting point

Before translating the first page, we worked closely with Het Juridisch Loket to create a complete overview of the website. Every page was categorized and prioritized based on several factors, including:

• visibility
• visitor impact
• legal sensitivity
• content lifespan
• suitability for AI-assisted workflows

This approach enabled us to determine which content should be translated first and how different content types could be handled most effectively, both from a quality and budget perspective.

Keeping control of a continuously evolving website

At the same time, the website itself continued to develop. New pages were added, existing content was updated and priorities shifted throughout the project. To maintain a clear overview, we developed a comprehensive project tracker that provides all stakeholders with real-time visibility into the status of every page.

Terminology as the common thread

As legal terminology continued to evolve throughout the project, we developed a central terminology database that is continuously updated. New insights, terminology decisions and client feedback are incorporated immediately and shared with the entire team. Thanks to short communication lines with Het Juridisch Loket, questions can be resolved quickly while terminology remains consistent across the entire website.

One writing style across hundreds of pages

Alongside the terminology database, we developed a dedicated style guide covering tone of voice, writing style, translation choices and the application of plain language principles. These guidelines ensure that all language specialists work from the same foundation and that new content and updates integrate seamlessly with previously translated pages.

A dedicated team for maximum consistency

To safeguard quality throughout the project, we work with a dedicated team of language specialists. By involving the same translators and reviewers throughout the project, we not only maintain consistently high quality, but also continue building knowledge about the project, the target audience and previous linguistic decisions. This results in consistent translations, efficient reviews and shared ownership of the final result.

Collaboration

Close collaboration has been a key success factor throughout the project. Through a dedicated Teams channel, regular check-ins—both online and in person—and short communication lines, questions can be addressed quickly and knowledge can be shared efficiently.

The impact

By making legal information available in English, Het Juridisch Loket is able to support a broader group of people living in the Netherlands.

The impact of this project extends far beyond language alone. It helps people find information at moments when they may feel uncertain, vulnerable or overwhelmed. It enables them to better understand their rights, their responsibilities and the steps they can take.

The translated content helps people find answers to questions about:

• housing and tenancy rights, including disputes with landlords, rent increases and housing-related issues
• employment and income, such as employment contracts, dismissal, benefits and workplace rights
• family and relationship matters, including separation, childcare arrangements and legal questions relating to illness and bereavement
• debt and collection procedures, helping people understand the options available when financial problems arise
• consumer rights and guarantees, enabling people to stand up for themselves when purchases or services do not go as expected
• interactions with government bodies and legal organizations, helping people better understand procedures, rights and obligations

Perhaps the most meaningful outcome is that this information becomes accessible to people who are not yet fully comfortable navigating Dutch-language resources. By removing language barriers, Het Juridisch Loket can reach more people, provide better support and help them participate fully in Dutch society.

This is the impact we are most proud of. By making language accessible, we make information accessible. As a result, support becomes easier to find at the moments when it is needed most.

Why Attached?

This project required much more than linguistic expertise alone. It required structure, oversight, collaboration and the ability to coordinate a large number of moving parts simultaneously.

✅ Strategic prioritization of more than 500 web pages
✅ Strong terminology management and knowledge governance
✅ Expertise in plain language and legal communication
✅ Transparent communication and close collaboration

At Attached, we firmly believe in the essential role of language. Language helps people participate, understand information and find their way within society. We are therefore proud to support Het Juridisch Loket in making legal information accessible to even more people in the Netherlands.

A special thank you to the entire Het Juridisch Loket team for their trust, open collaboration and shared ambition to help people when they need it most.