Apps for Legal Professionals

Apps for Legal Professionals

Years ago I wrote an article called Time Management Isn?t about Managing Your Time that?s likely still floating on the interweb somewhere. The idea was that we always have 24 hours in a day so it is pointless to manage our time. Rather, we need to manage how we?re using our time. I?ve found one of the ways to do this is to embrace apps for legal professionals.

Increased Efficiency

My favorite tool for running a small business is Google Drive which includes Google equivalents of MS Word, Excel, a calendar, and other tools. Safely store and share documents with multiple parties or share links to documents that includes view-only or editing options. That means using less space on a computer and sharing documents without sending a separate email. I like this because it?s efficient, especially for those working in teams. Other cloud options include DropBox and iCloud.

Words Matter

DragonDiction is a voice to text app that allows users to dictate text messages, emails, and social media statuses. This is the perfect app for the legal professional who is on the go and needs an efficient way to communicate.

Along with DragonDiction is Evernote which allows users to make lists, take notes, and search via smartphone or computer. Pretty slick and easy to use for the busiest of freelancers.

Legal Specific

DroidLaw is a free app providing access to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, Evidence, Appellate, Criminal, Appellate, and Bankruptcy Procedure, and the U.S. Constitution. Available for purchase are state codes and laws and other resources useful to legal professionals. If you?re an iPhone user, LawStack is another option with similar resources.

If you?re a legal news hound, try LegalEdge. This app includes news alerts, updates, and case filings from across the nation. For general news, set up a Google Alert for certain terms and automatically receive news and blog posts about that topic straight to your email on a recurring basis.

It?s worth noting these apps for legal professionals including our Phoenix court reporters, all have free options available if you just want to give them a try. Leave a comment and let us know what you like to use and have fun managing your time!

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Change Your Perspective When You Volunteer Your Time

Change Your Perspective When You Volunteer Your Time

When was the last time you volunteered? Whether it was to build houses, care for shelter pets, or participate in a mock deposition, you can change your perspective when you volunteer your time. For court reporters, there is also the benefit of sharing your experience with others who may be interested in a career in this changing field.

Change Your Perspective

As a volunteer, you see the world through different eyes. Feeding the homeless made me appreciate having food and shelter, luxuries I had taken for granted. Building homes made me appreciate the work my parents did to buy and keep our home. And for one court reporter, the joy was seeing students learn about the deposition process, including a mock deposition. [Source]

Benefits of Volunteering

There?s something positive to be said for spending an afternoon with high school or law students sharing your experience as a court reporter. It connects you not only to other people but to the community. Too often I feel like we?re too busy to pay attention to what is around us when the reality is that what is around us may be even more important than our small world of home, school, and work.

The benefits of volunteering include a feeling of accomplishment, connecting with others, learning new skills, and making a difference in someone else?s life.

Promote Your Industry

If you?re asked to volunteer, think of it as an opportunity to promote your industry and collaborate with others. Whether you like being in the spotlight or not, you?re the center of attention and a representative for other court reporters. Listen to what others are asking, answer them or point them to resources like the NCRA, and connect with them via LinkedIn so you can continue the conversation. Who knows, you might find a new friend, mentor, or client!

If you?re a court reporter seeking new opportunities or an attorney in need of a Phoenix court reporter for an upcoming deposition, we?d love to talk to you. Call us today.

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What does the court reporter shortage mean for earnings?

court reporter shortage mean for earnings

You?re called for a deposition and in the room is your attorney, opposing counsel, and the court reporter. You?re sworn in and asked questions related to the case in question and you provide answers to the best of your knowledge and leave. While the deposition may be over for you, it?s really just beginning for the court reporter who can earn in the six figures for their quiet work at depositions and other venues. There?s just one problem – a court reporter shortage.

According to Ducker Worldwide, there will be a shortage of more than 5,000 reporters by 2018 including 120 in Arizona and 2,320 in neighboring California.

What does the court reporter shortage mean for earnings? It means new reporters start at average annual earnings of $42,000 and median pay is $51,000; it can be even more in urban areas like Phoenix. For those with experience, they can make well into the six figures.

The reason is simple economics and the law of supply and demand. Court reporters are the product and the price is their salary. When the supply is low and demand is high, as it is today, salaries increase.

Because of the court reporter shortage, Arizona courts only require a court reporter at certain types of cases.

According to the Arizona Supreme Court, human court reporters are only required in cases involving a Grand or felony jury trial, death penalty murder cases, some sex crimes, and parental consent for abortion. That leaves a lot of cases without a human court reporter.

Without a person to record the proceedings, courts are forced to use digital technology and then hire freelance court reporters to transcribe from the recording.

The problem is that the technology is good but not great. Often portions of testimony or exchanges is inaudible in a recording leaving the reporter no choice but to mark it as inaudible and move on.

As an industry, we need to be better about communicating not only the opportunities for court reporters in legal, business, political, civic and educational venues, but about the earnings potential.

Interested in becoming a court reporter? Check out the National Court Reporters Association (NCRA) list of approved court reporting programs.

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