In our age of globalization legal translation plays an essential role as a means of communication enabling the mechanism of the law to function in more than one language. This article deals with the translation of authentic legislative texts in various multilingual settings in national law (Canada, Switzerland, Hong Kong), supranational law (European Union) and international law (United Nations). By analyzing translations of legislative texts in the various settings, the author attempts to show how translation strategy differs depending on the linguistic and extra-linguistic factors of each communicative situation. In light of the increasing demand for skilled legal translators, emphasis is also placed on developing translation competence to meet the challenges of this interdisciplinary profession.