Author: Angie Starbuck

Quick Social Media Marketing Tips for Court Reporters

Quick Social Media Marketing Tips for Court Reporters

As court reporters, we typically do not think of ourselves as “salespeople.”  Yes, we try to sell our services at a deposition by offering realtime, rough drafts, and expedites, but we also need to think about marketing ourselves outside of the deposition or courtroom setting.

Social media can be a quick and easy way to let the world know about you and your unique skills and abilities!  Before diving headfirst into the social media world from a professional standpoint, think carefully about what kind of image you want to project.  Remember, how you present yourself can impact advancement of your career, both positively and negatively.  Here are three of the most mainstream apps where you can market yourself:

  1. LinkedIn – this is a great tool to find employment, get endorsements by people you have worked with (possibly leading to referrals), and exchange information with other professionals.  You can expand your reach to other people’s connections by contributing to discussions or starting your own discussions.  Remember, it’s a two-way street, so participate in other discussions if you’d like people to participate in yours.
  2. Facebook – while Facebook tends to be more of a “social” site than a career-building site, you can certainly make a name for yourself professionally on Facebook.  There are countless groups of court reporters sharing information, jobs, referrals, and tips.  Make sure your profile is professional, join some groups, and get involved!
  3. Twitter – in an age of instant information in short blasts, Twitter is a great way to connect.  With only 140 allotted characters per tweet, it forces you to really think about the message you want to convey and to do it succinctly.

You can also connect and get involved with your state court reporting association and the National Court Reporters Association on social media sites.  This is a good way to stay on top of technology and what’s going on in our profession.

Whether you’re currently using social media sites to market yourself or you’d like to get more involved, here are a few tips to ensure you’re putting your best side forward to the professional world.  These small actions will say a lot about you personally and professionally and hopefully lead to more work for you as a court reporter!

  1. Consider creating a personal Facebook page and a professional Facebook page and limit your professional contacts to your professional page.  That way they won’t see how many concerts you’ve been to this summer, or what party you were at the night before their deposition.  If you’re not going to separate your personal page from your professional page, make sure to keep your profile as professional as possible and keep in mind that potential employers (attorneys, judges, firm owners) may see things you post.
  2. Make sure your profile picture reflects the professional image you want to present.
  3. Don’t talk about clients, witnesses, or cases on your social media sites.  It’s one thing to be positive and talk about a great experience you may have had during a deposition, but be careful to not disclose too much information.  Never talk badly about attorneys or your clients.

In the busy freelance world where everyone’s competing for a bigger piece of the pie, it’s always a good idea to let people know who you are and what you do.  The social media sites are a perfect way to dip your toe in the “sales” pool!

 

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Angie Starbuck, RPR, CRR, CCP is a court reporter in Columbus, Ohio, and the owner of PRI Court Reporting, LLC. Connect with her on LinkedIn.  You can also follow PRI Court Reporting on Twitter and Facebook.

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From Baby Boomers to Millenials: Working Side by Side

From Baby Boomers to Millenials: Working Side by Side

Having been a court reporter for over 20 years now, and a Gen Xer, I am starting to notice myself sandwiched between Baby Boomers and Millenials (or Gen Ys) in both deposition and courtroom settings.  While I didn’t know the names of all the generations, nor that there was a name for this phenomenon, I knew that how I interacted with the different generations of lawyers I worked with varied, depending on where they fall on the generational spectrum.

Today, there are three and sometimes four generations working side by side.   This is known as generational diversity.  Understanding what drives each of these generations, their work habits, and general characteristics can help create a productive and fulfilling workplace for everyone.

There are many examples of these differences even in a deposition setting.  I see members of the Traditional Generation appear in suits, and often formally refer to everyone as Mr. and Mrs.  They may work very long hours, and may have been at the same law firm their entire career.  I also see late Gen Xers and Millenials that appear more casually dressed (although still very professionally), who use technology to its fullest extent, and who may even leave the office by 5:00 to work around child care arrangements.  One of the biggest examples of the difference in generations might be seen when it’s time to schedule another deposition and the Baby Boomers get out their hard copy calendar from their jacket pocket, while the Gen Xers get their smartphone out of their pants pocket!

Gen Xers and Millenials can learn a lot from the Baby Boomers and Traditionalists, but they need to slow down long enough to do so.  They need to respect the seniority and position of these generations.  Baby Boomers can also interact more easily with Gen Xers and Millenials by understanding what shapes them.  Sometimes a Millenial may be texting or e-mailing from their smartphone while chatting with a Baby Boomer.  Baby Boomers may find this disrespectful, but if they understand this is the way Millenials learned to communicate and send and receive information, it helps to understand the Millenials are not doing it to be disrespectful.

Kathleen Brady (Principal of Kanarek & Brady, LLC) has narrowed down three things to keep in mind:

  1. Understand the environment.  Observe how others in your workplace are working, dressing, communicating.  Professionalism and respect are still key, no matter what generation you are a part of.
  2. Understand the impact of technology.  Younger generations are used to getting information quicker than ever.    They are also used to having the “answer at their fingertips.”  They need to slow down, use some independent thinking, and keep professional communication formal and not resort to text-speak.
  3. Display impeccable judgment.  Millenials are used to putting their life and thoughts on display via many social media channels.  Sometimes Baby Boomers may look at this as a lack of judgment.

The keys to successful generational diversity in the workplace is to respect those you are working with, regardless of their generation; celebrate and embrace every generation’s differences; and have an open mind that you could possibly learn a thing or two from someone from a different generation!

 

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Angie Starbuck is a court reporter in Columbus, Ohio, and the owner of PRI Court Reporting, LLC. Angie is an NCRA-certified RPR, CRR, CCP, and a proud Gen Xer. Connect with her on LinkedIn and Google+.

Sources:
Attention Gen Y’s:  Understand Generational Differences in the Workplace by Kathleen Brady, Kanarek & Brady, LLC.
Generational Differences Between Attorneys, by James Kimberly, Sapphire Consulting.
Photo credit:  www.abcya.com

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When Should an Attorney Hire a CART Provider?

When Should an Attorney Hire a CART Provider?

If you have ever worked with a client or witness who is deaf or hard of hearing, you both may have struggled with communication.  One of the many methods of assisting with communication for people who are deaf or hard of hearing utilizes the same process, equipment, and software that court reporters use.  That is called Communication Access Realtime Translation (CART).

Here are four tips on when and why it would be helpful to hire or request a CART provider in a legal setting:

  1. If your client is deaf or hard of hearing and they are being deposed, a CART provider could help facilitate communication for your client.  Keep in mind that CART is a one-way communication service, so if your client uses American Sign Language to communicate, CART may not be the best option.
  2. If your client is deaf or hard of hearing and their case is going to trial, utilizing a CART provider during the trial could be very beneficial for your client.  This service would ensure they are provided the same access as hearing individuals to all that is said during the proceedings.
  3. If you have a witness who is deaf or hard of hearing who will be testifying in court, you should bring this to the attention of the judge or other judicial personnel so that appropriate accommodations can be made to have a CART provider there for the witness.
  4. If you, yourself, are deaf or hard of hearing, consider requesting a CART provider to assist you in court.

While there are many similarities between an official court reporter and a CART provider, there are some important differences:

Like court reporting, there are also certifications for CART providers by the National Court Reporters Association.  Look for a CCP (Certified CART Provider) or CRR (Certified Realtime Reporter) when hiring a CART provider.   You can locate a qualified CART provider by searching the NCRA Sourcebook (http://www.ncrasourcebook.com/) or ask your favorite court reporter for a referral.

 

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Angie Starbuck, RPR/CRR, is a court reporter in Columbus, Ohio, and the owner of PRI Court Reporting, LLC.   Angie is also an experienced CART and captioning provider.  Connect with her on LinkedIn and Google+.

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No Time For Lunch?

No Time For Lunch?

If you often find yourself making excuses to coworkers or yourself about why you can’t get away from your desk for lunch, you’re not alone!  According to a Right Management survey* of 1,023 workers, 28% said they seldom, if ever, take a break for lunch, and 39% of those workers say they do, but usually stay at their desk.

We have partnered with an expert in this field, Kim Cox, health coach at Benefit Wellness in Plain City, Ohio, to shed some light on the drawbacks of this habit and to provide some suggestions on how to break out of this habit to improve your health.

Sitting for too long at a sedentary job can contribute to health problems from head to toe, including heart disease, strained neck and back, tight hips, disk damage, and poor circulation in the legs.  Another downside of skipping lunch is you may be inclined to binge later in the day and make poor food choices for snacks from a vending machine or fast food dinners.

Kim suggests compartmentalizing and building in time for intended breaks and lunch during your work day.

Here are some of the benefits of taking time for yourself and for lunch:

All of these things will lead to improved productivity at work and, more importantly, improve your health.

“The groundwork to all happiness is good health.”  ~Leigh Hun

 

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Angie Starbuck is a court reporter in Columbus, Ohio, and the owner of PRI Court Reporting, LLC. Connect with her on LinkedIn and Google+.

Kim Cox is an ACE Health Coach emphasizing fitness, nutrition, and behavior modification.  She is dedicated to helping individuals work towards greater balance, purpose, and well-being.  She is the founder of Benefit Wellness in Plain City, Ohio.  You can connect with Kim on Facebook @Benefit Wellness or www.benefitwellnessonline.com.

*Source for Right Management Survey here.

Photo credit can be found here.

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An Interview with Columbus Court Reporter – Christine Woodruff

An Interview with Columbus Court Reporter – Christine Woodruff

PRI Court Reporting is lucky enough to have a very talented and friendly team of employees.  Christine Woodruff is a court reporter in Columbus, Ohio, and she has been with PRI for over 13 years. Christine concentrates her work in the CART setting, but has deposition experience, also.  Christine is very professional, friendly, and talented.  You have probably met her at a deposition or CART job, so here’s a chance to get to know her a little better.

How long have you been a court reporter?
I have been a court reporter for 13 years.

How long have you been working at PRI Court Reporting?
I have worked for PRI all of my court reporting career.

Did you have other court reporting experience prior to joining PRI?
I did a short assignment as an intern at the Franklin County courthouse at the end of my schooling.

What do you like most about working at PRI?
I love the people I work with at PRI.  I also like the variety of work that is available at PRI because it never gets old or boring. I am constantly learning new things and meeting new people.

Where are you from or where did you grow up?
I grew up in Grove City, Ohio.  I went to a Catholic school through middle school, and then I graduated from Grove City High School.  My parents grew up in Grove City, as well.

Before working as a court reporter, did you have another career or job?  If so, what?
Before working for PRI, I had a few other jobs.  The job I had immediately before PRI was as a safety coordinator for a wood manufacturing plant.  I developed and taught safety trainings, helped develop and organize the plant’s safety program, and kept all the records for the plant that were required by OSHA.  I also briefly held my Realtor’s license.

What is one thing you would like our clients to know about court reporting/depositions/CART?
The biggest thing I would tell our clients about court reporting is that court reporters are not as familiar with the case or the subject matter as they are, so any information you can share ahead of time will make the court reporter’s job easier.  Specifically, things such as names of the parties involved and any technical or medical terms that will likely come up will be very helpful.

What is the most unusual deposition/CART situation you’ve found yourself in?
The most unusual place I have been in for my job is the conference room looking out at the “death house” at an Ohio correctional institution.  Some of the interesting subjects that I have encountered are landscape architecture, nursing, engineering, disability studies, deaf history, fine arts, organic chemistry, physics,  CAD, welding, Greek mythology, genetic engineering, physiology, child development, psychology, Asian philosophy, ASL, Six Sigma, ceramics, and many more.  I have met very interesting and unusual people, too.

What’s on your iPod?
My favorite thing to listen to is talk radio or podcasts; however, I am a fan of most types of music including country, classical, musicals, rock, alternative, gospel, and Christian music.

What is one thing our clients don’t know about you?
I was a den mom for Boy Scouts and a leader for Girl Scouts.

What is your favorite Columbus restaurant?
I love The Cheesecake Factory!

What is your favorite app?
My favorite apps are Kindle and YouVersion, but I use Waze the most often.

What do you like to do when you’re not at work?
When I am not at work, I am usually with my children or playing with my grandson.  I enjoy volunteering for anything that allows me to be involved in any way with my kids, which includes school events, sporting events, or even just being their personal taxi driver.  I also enjoy playing tennis, volleyball, and other sports.

What is your best tip for balancing work/life/family?
Set priorities and stick with them, and use your time wisely.

 

We hope you’ve enjoyed learning a little more about Christine.  Look for more interviews with other PRI Court Reporting staff in the future.

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Steps a Court Reporter Takes to Prepare a Transcript for Production

Steps a Court Reporter Takes to Prepare a Transcript for Production

Do you ever wonder about how a court reporter gets such a great transcript to you after your deposition and the steps she takes to accomplish this?

Imagine this:  You’ve just completed an all-day deposition of the expert witness in your case and you’ve lightened the load in your briefcase by giving all your exhibits to the court reporter.  You’ve told her that you need the transcript expedited.  You’ve been watching the realtime screen all day, so you know how clean the transcript is.  It can’t be that difficult or take that long to get the transcript ready for delivery, right?

While your favorite court reporter is very good at her job – she must be, otherwise you wouldn’t hire her, right? —  producing a transcript isn’t as easy as hitting the print button on her computer.

Here are some of the steps a good court reporter will go through once the deposition is over in order to produce a clean, accurate transcript that will help you and your client:

Depending on the type of deposition and the complexity of the case or the witness, it could take up to two times the length of the deposition for the court reporter to complete the transcript.  So for a four-hour deposition, she could spend eight hours on editing and proofreading that transcript.

So remember, after your all-day deposition is over and you’ve expedited that transcript for overnight delivery, your favorite court reporter will be up for hours that night reading, editing, and proofreading in order to provide you with the great service and accurate transcript you’ve become accustomed to.

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Angie Starbuck is a court reporter in Columbus, Ohio, and the owner of PRI Court Reporting, LLC. Connect with her on LinkedIn and Google+.

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Questions to Ask When Hiring a CART Provider

Questions to Ask When Hiring a CART Provider

If you are an individual who is deaf or hard of hearing, or you are working with someone who is, you may be faced with a situation where you need to locate and hire a CART provider.  Here are some helpful questions to ask a potential CART provider to give you confidence that they are qualified to provide the services you need. You can keep this list handy while doing your research to help you remember all the details.

1.  Are you a certified CART provider?
The National Court Reporters Association (NCRA) offers certifications that court reporters can obtain by demonstrating their proficiency in the skills needed to provide CART or captioning services. The certifications you should look for or ask about are Certified Realtime Reporter (CRR), Certified CART Provider (CCP), Certified Broadcast Captioner (CBC).

2.  What experience do you have in providing CART?
You will want to find someone who has experience with the type of situation for which you are needing CART services.  Do they have experience providing CART in classrooms, conferences, meetings?

3.  Do you provide CART on your device or do I have to provide my own?
Most CART providers will provide a screen for you to view during the event.  They may be able to send the feed to your laptop, iPad, or other tablet device upon request.  Does the CART provider provide an overhead for use with a large group?

4.  What are your rates?
Does the CART provider charge an hourly rate?  Do they charge a half day or full day rate?  Are there hourly minimums, such as a two-hour minimum? Is there a different charge for CART services for one individual versus a large group?

5.  Does the rate include providing a transcript of the event or session?
If the provider’s rate includes a transcript, ask in what format they provide the transcript; i.e., PDF, ASCII, Word.  If they don’t include a transcript in the rates, is there an additional cost to obtain a transcript?

You can find certified CART providers in your area by searching the NCRA sourcebook or contacting your local court reporting firm to get a referral.

 

To help you make sure you have gathered all the details needed when scheduling your next CART or captioning event, download the Quick CART and Captioning Scheduling Checklist.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Angie Starbuck, RPR/CRR, is a court reporter in Columbus, Ohio, and the owner of PRI Court Reporting, LLC.   Angie is an experienced CART and captioning provider.  Connect with her on LinkedIn and Google+.

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PRI Court Reporting Administrative Spotlight: Production Manager Gary Burgard

PRI Court Reporting Administrative Spotlight: Production Manager Gary Burgard

PRI Court Reporting has a very experienced and knowledgeable team of internal office staff.  Gary Burgard is our production manager.  He is our longest tenured employee and he’s served many different roles over the years.  We’re lucky to have him!  You may have spoken with Gary on the phone when scheduling a deposition or ordering a transcript, so here’s a chance to get to know him a little better.

What are you responsible for at PRI Court Reporting?  
My primary responsibility is to get transcripts to clients, which includes files in various formats, exhibits, and a PRI Portfolio which is a searchable hyperlinked file in PDF format.  I also do filings, scheduling, issue and have subpoenas served for depositions.

How long have you been with PRI?
It will be 27 years on March 17, 2014.

Did you have other court reporting experience prior to joining PRI?
Yes.  I worked for Lord Reporting as a federal “court reporter” recording and transcribing hearings and trials for the government.

What is your favorite part about working at PRI?
The people are great to work with.

Where are you from or where did you grow up?
Born in Adrian, Michigan, grew up in Toledo, Ohio

What was the first job you ever had?
First real job was for a veterinarian, three years in high school and the first year of college when on break.

What is one thing you would like our clients to know about transcript production/scheduling? 
It’s easy to schedule a court reporter using PRI’s website.  Just go to www.priohio.com and click on the green Schedule Now button.  Follow the prompts, and once completed you will receive an e-mail confirmation.  Another e-mail confirmation will be sent the day before.

What do you like to do when you’re not at work?
Concerts, movies.

What’s on your iPod? 
Everything from Bach to Rammstein.

What is one thing our clients don’t know about you?
I was a working musician for 15 years.

What is your favorite restaurant in Columbus?
Rancho Alegre.

What is your favorite app?
I have no cell phone, no apps.

 

We hope you’ve enjoyed learning a little more about Gary.  Look for more interviews with other PRI Court Reporting staff in the future.

Court Reporting Ethics: Incentive Gifts to Attorneys

Court Reporting Ethics: Incentive Gifts to Attorneys

Does your court reporting firm offer you, your assistant, or your paralegal, gifts of money, gift cards, or products in exchange for scheduling your depositions with them?  Over the years, some court reporting firms have participated in a disturbing practice of offering “rewards programs” for attorneys and their law firms whereby the scheduler of depositions earns points or gifts every time they schedule with that court reporting firm.

This can be a dangerous practice for court reporting firms as well as the attorneys and their clients.  As keepers of the record and officers of the court, court reporters should maintain impartiality and neutrality in order to protect the integrity of our profession.

The National Court Reporters Association (NCRA) Code of Professional Ethics states that members shall, “Refrain from giving, directly or indirectly, any gift or anything of value to attorneys or their staff, other clients or their staff, or any other persons or entities associated with any litigation, which exceeds $150 in the aggregate per recipient each year.  Nothing offered in exchange for future work is permissible, regardless of its value.”  NCRA has further distinguished between “thank you” gifts (such as pens, coffee mugs, and other marketing materials), and “incentive” gifts, which are given in exchange for the promise of future work.

NCRA has formed Ethics First, which is a “voluntary…public awareness program that seeks to positively educate court reporters, colleagues, firms, and in particular, their clients and consumers,” about why the impartiality and neutrality of the court reporter is so important in maintaining our legal system.  If you would like to help maintain an unbiased legal system, please consider using a court reporting firm that is an Ethics First member, and one that doesn’t use gifting as a way to increase their business.

While the court reporter’s concern about impartiality is of utmost importance to them, attorneys and law firms should also be concerned about their participation in “rewards programs.”  Here are some things to think about:

So when scheduling your depositions, whether locally or nationally, don’t hesitate to ask the firm if they are an Ethics First participant.  Consider using a firm with qualified, experienced court reporters so you know you’ll receive the best services for your client, and don’t be fooled by the gifts!

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Angie Starbuck is a court reporter in Columbus, Ohio, and the owner of PRI Court Reporting, LLC. Angie is an individual participant in NCRA Ethics First, and PRI Court Reporting is a proud Ethics First firm participant.  Connect with her on LinkedIn and Google+.

Photo credit here.

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Video Deposition Tips for Attorneys and Their Witnesses

Video Deposition Tips for Attorneys and Their Witnesses

Video depositions can be very helpful to your case and they are sometimes even necessary to be used during trial.  For these reasons, it would be to your benefit to make sure you get the best quality video you can.  Here are a few key things court reporters and videographers have learned over the years that will help with this and hopefully keep your video off YouTube with the search term “worst video deposition”!

1.  Reserve a conference room with adequate space to accommodate all the parties and the addition of a videographer and his/her equipment.

2.  Make sure all parties are aware the videographer will need access to the conference room one hour prior to the start of the deposition so they can set up and test all equipment.

3.  The sound quality is best when the microphone is placed in the center of the shirt, about three inches below the chin.  Some attorneys place their microphone too low on their tie and this will affect audio quality and tends to add background noises, like paper shuffling or the microphone hitting the table.

4.  Please provide the videographer a copy of the notice prior to the start of the deposition.  This will give them helpful information to include at the beginning of the video to identify the case and parties.

5.  Remember to state clearly and loudly when you want to go off the record and confirm that the court reporter and videographer heard you; otherwise, they will continue recording the conversation.

6.  Always remove your microphone when standing up to leave the table or the room. Forgetting to do so can result in damage to the microphones as well as recording conversations you may not want on the video.

7.  As in any deposition, please speak one at a time.  This is especially important during a video deposition because court reporters try to interrupt as little as possible so they don’t leave you with a video for a jury that is full of unnecessary colloquy or that requires a lot of editing.

These tips should be helpful in ensuring your video deposition is valuable to your client and their case and one you would be pleased with presenting to a jury.

 

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Angie Starbuck is a court reporter in Columbus, Ohio, and the owner of PRI Court Reporting, LLC. Connect with her on LinkedIn and Google+.

Photo courtesy of NCRA.  Also, thanks to Matt Aurigema with Gema Video for his videography tips.

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