By Tawny Labrum
Technology. It surrounds us. It empowers us. It makes us more efficient. Think about it: What’s one of the first things you do in the morning? If you are anything like me, or millions of others, you pull out your phone; not just any phone though, you pull out your smartphone. Without ever getting out of bed, I am able to instantly communicate with coworkers, correspond with clients, book appointments, and even read the news. In this day and age, not only has technology forever changed our personal lives, it has made its way into our professional lives as well. The legal industry is no exception to this, and as a court reporter, providing services to this industry, embracing technology, realtime technology specifically, is crucial to the outlook and progression of your career.
It’s no secret that, as a whole, the legal industry is slow to latch on and accept change, but as more and more baby boomers reach retirement age, a new generation of lawyers and litigation professionals, a generation born with smartphones and tablets in hand, are entering the workforce. This generation, the Millennials, are accustomed to using technology to get instant results, and because of this, are demanding that service providers, such as court reporters, offer solutions that will allow them to do so.
Over the past few years, the court reporting industry has grown tremendously, and recent reports show that trend continuing upward for many, many years to come. As with lawyers and litigation professionals, many court reporters are reaching retirement age and will be replaced with a workforce accustomed to innovation, a workforce not afraid to use technology to broaden their careers or outperform their peers. So what does this mean for you? This means it’s time to step outside your comfort zone and embrace realtime technology or else face the possibility of being phased out by those who will.
Today’s lawyers want flexibility, whether it be the option to attend depositions and courtroom proceedings remotely or to walk into a war room with their laptops, smartphones, or tablets and instantly connect to a realtime transcript. As a court reporter, it is your job to offer that flexibility and have the tools and know-how to make it possible.All Posts
For some, taking the leap to realtime technology is daunting; for others, finding the time to learn and implement a new technology seems impossible, but it’s not. Within the past five years, many new cost-efficient solutions have hit the market, making that step easier than ever. From Web-based, remote realtime text and video streaming products to universal, local, on-site, wireless realtime delivery, the opportunities are out there.
If you are unsure of where to start, don’t be afraid to ask. Many realtime court reporting groups on Facebook and LinkedIn often discuss technology and can point you in the right direction. I have found that although court reporting can be a cutthroat profession, court reporters are some of the most giving, open professionals around, and they are more than willing to help out.
Times are changing. Technology has opened the doors to a whole new world of opportunity and has become a fixture within the legal industry. More and more litigation professionals are demanding reporting services that use the most cutting-edge technology when it comes to realtime. Knowing what’s out there, embracing it, and taking action to further your skills is imperative in this competitive industry, as well as to better your career.
Tawny Labrum is the marketing director for LiveDeposition, a provider of universal onsite and Web-based remote realtime delivery solutions. More information on LiveDeposition is available at livedeposition.com.
