About Zel Saccani, Esq.

Long before becoming an attorney, translator and interpreter, Zel Saccani was fascinated by foreign languages and cultures. Born in the southwestern U.S. state of Arizona, he grew up in Tucson, one hour north of the Mexican border, where he lived until the age of fourteen. While attending the boarding school of Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts, he spent his eleventh grade year in Barcelona, Spain, where he acquired a love and a mastery of the Spanish language.

After completing his high school studies in the United States, Zel moved to Los Angeles, California, where he attended Occidental College and graduated magna cum laude with a double major in German and Public Policy. At Occidental, he began his translation career by preparing numerous English translations for the College and for his own academic endeavors and pursuits.

Upon graduating from Occidental College, Zel worked as a paralegal at a Los Angeles law firm, where he combined his language skills with his interest in the law in order to assist foreign-born clients with their immigration and civil matters. During this time, Zel also assisted the firm's immigration attorneys by translating numerous client documents into English.

In 1995, Zel moved to Florida, where he started working as a paralegal at a Fort Lauderdale law firm. While at the firm, Zel used his language skills to service its main client, a multi-national automobile rental company, with its diverse language needs. His knowledge of foreign languages allowed him to translate documents, draft correspondence, and work as a liaison with foreign counsel and consulates on various clients' behalf.

Before attending law school at the University of Miami, Zel studied at the Università degli Studi di Trento (Trento University) in northern Italy. During law school, Zel audited Italian and Portuguese classes at the University of Miami's College of Arts and Sciences. He also completed various bilingual (Spanish and English) law classes at the University of Miami School of Law and won the CALI award for academic achievement for his performance in the University's Spanish Commercial Law class, among others.

After graduating cum laude from the University of Miami School of Law in May 2000, Zel passed the Florida Bar in September 2000. One month later, he started Saccani Legal and Business Translations, and he continues to serve as the company's president.

In May 2006, Saccani moved the company to Brownsville, Texas, where he has lived and worked ever since.  In late August 2007, Saccani attended the Centro Universitario del Noreste, a Mexican law school. He works with his wife, Korinna Manjarrez, in Brownsville, Texas, where their company, Saccani Legal and Business Translations, completed ten years of operations in October 2010.  

Associate member of the American Translators Association (ATA) since 2000

Zel Saccani of Saccani Legal and Business Translations has been an associate member of the American Translators Association since 2000.

Click here to link to Zel Saccani’s profile on the ATA website.