O'Brien & Bails

Michigan Court Reporters

By Dawn Houghton

7 Technology Skills for Legal Assistants and Paralegals Who Want to Excel in Their Careers

Today’s legal assistants and paralegals need to be proficient in a variety of computer and technology skills. As the role of the legal professional changes and grows, a need for technology knowledge is high on the list of requirements for legal industry job positions. The more technology skills you possess, the more valuable you become as a legal assistant or paralegal.

The Bureau of Labor and Statistics lists the following as duties that are performed by legal assistants and paralegals:

  • Investigate and gather the facts of a case
  • Conduct research on relevant laws, regulations, and legal articles
  • Organize and maintain documents in paper or electronic filing systems
  • Gather and arrange evidence and other legal documents for attorney review and case preparation
  • Write or summarize reports to help lawyers prepare for trials
  • Draft correspondence and legal documents, such as contracts and mortgages
  • Get affidavits and other formal statements that may be used as evidence in court
  • Help lawyers during trials by handling exhibits, taking notes, or reviewing trial transcripts
    File exhibits, briefs, appeals and other legal documents with the court or opposing counsel
  • Call clients, witnesses, lawyers, and outside vendors to schedule interviews, meetings, and depositions

Having knowledge of a wide array of technological skills will increase your career opportunities. Here are some of the most common technologies that are an integral part of the operation of a law firm:

1. Word Processing, Spreadsheets and Presentation Software

Document creation is a large part of a legal professional’s responsibilities. Microsoft Office, Open Office, and Google Docs are common software suites that are used in many law firms. Knowledge of one of these programs is a must for legal assistants and paralegals. As a legal professional, you will be communicating and exchanging documents with other parties. Being proficient in programs other than those used in your office is a great advantage when you are sent files with different file types created with different software systems.

2. Copy Machines, Electronic Scanner and Multi-Line Phone Systems

These office machines are commonly used in most offices. Having experience with these machines will be necessary to function in the office. Knowledge of these machines will also allow you to easily learn and adapt to new hardware and equipment that is purchased by your firm. The ability to quickly learn and efficiently use these office machines is an important part of your job as a legal professional.

3. Document Management Systems

Law firms use document management systems to handle document storage, organization, categorization, annotation and retrieval. Documents are such a large part of every legal matter, a good legal document management system is crucial to the success of any law firm.

There are many companies that offer legal document management software. A sampling of the common systems are AbicusLaw, MyCase, Clio, PracticeMaster, just to name a few. While no one can learn all of these software programs, it is helpful to be familiar with at least one system, what it does and how it works. Once you have these concepts, learning new systems, when necessary, will be easier to grasp and master.

4. Conferencing

A video conference is a live, visual connection between two or more people residing in separate locations for the purpose of communication. Law firms may use video conferencing to eliminate traveling for meetings or depositions that are taking place in different cities and states.

Video conferencing requires special equipment to ensure a secure connection. If used in a deposition, often the court reporting firm will supply the equipment and personnel to operate the equipment. Understanding the concept of video conferencing and how it may be used is important knowledge for any legal assistant or paralegal.

5. Electronic Case Filing

Many courts now use electronic systems that allow case documents, such as pleadings, motions and petitions, to be filed with the court using a computer and Internet connection. This process gives the courts a way to easily manage electronic files.

Different courts use different e-filing systems. Most jurisdictions will offer instructions on their websites on how to use their specific e-filing system. A legal professional may need to learn several different systems and be able to file documents for several different jurisdictions.

6. Electronic Discovery

Electronic discovery is the process of identifying and producing relevant, electronically-stored information in litigation. As a legal assistant, you may be asked to assist in the collection and storage of documents. It is good to understand the concepts of e-discovery and the obligations imposed on litigants to preserve, collect, review and produce electronic documents in the discovery process.

7. Legal Research Skills

As a legal professional, you may be asked to use library and Internet resources to discover and confirm information relevant to court cases, hearings, depositions, and legal meetings. You may also perform related administrative duties, such as preparing official legal documents and maintaining records.

Many law firms use paid services, such as Westlaw and Lexis/Nexus, to perform legal research. Familiarity with these services is a skill that will make you more valuable to your employer.

Learning Technologies

The ability to learn new skills and technologies may be one of the most important assets you possess. You can find training and assistance for most of these skills on the Internet in the form of product blogs, instructional videos, and webinar training seminars. Training from co-workers on the job is also very valuable. Seek every opportunity to learn from your co-workers. You may also consider enrolling in classes at your local college if they offer courses on skills you would like to acquire.

Stay Current on New Technologies

As a legal professional, it is up to you to continually seek training and stay up-to-date on the latest technologies. In order to do that, you need to continually look for new skills and training. One of the best ways you can do this is to be Internet savvy. You can find out about emerging technologies and training through legal professional organizations, LinkedIn groups, or local and national bar associations.

The legal professional who stays current with new technologies and is willing to learn new skills is a valuable asset to any law firm. By making yourself that person, you will greatly increase your career opportunities in the legal industry.

If you enjoyed this article, you might also like our free guide “5 Technologies Every Attorney Must Have.”

By Dawn Houghton

3 Ways Legal Assistants and Paralegals Can Manage Workday Interruptions

Are interruptions ruining your productivity?

As a legal professional, you are often working on projects and tasks that require intense concentration. But constant interruptions break the flow of your thought processes. This can slow down your work and make you less efficient at your job. If you feel this is happening to you, then you need to look at what is causing the interruptions and find ways to diminish the frequency. There are three common causes of interruptions for most legal professionals: email, telephone calls, and co-workers.

Interrupting Emails

If you’re like most people, you start your day by checking your email. If you receive a large number of emails, this can be an extremely time-consuming task. It is important to have a system for processing your email inbox in order to keep it from growing into a huge time commitment.

When you review your email, decide if there is a task required that is related to the email. If it is a task that can be performed in five minutes, tackle it right then before moving on. If a task is required that will take more time, add it to your task list. You will be able to then prioritize the task in connection with all of your tasks for the day.

Whenever possible, check your email only periodically throughout the day. Are you one of those people who have email open all the time so you can see every message as it comes in? This practice results in interruptions that happen constantly while you are working on performing other tasks. If possible, choose a period of time that you will check your email and stick to it. You may decide to check your email once in the morning, once at lunch, and once near the end of the day. If you are required to view emails more frequently, try waiting until the beginning of every hour to check for new emails. This will allow you to read and prioritize emails in batches, and will give you some solid uninterrupted time to work on larger tasks that require more concentration.

Interrupting Telephone Calls

As a legal professional, you receive many different types of telephone calls during the day. Some are more important than others. Most telephone systems now have caller ID which allows us to see who is calling before we pick up. Use the caller ID to screen calls. Some calls need to be taken right away. Others are not as pressing and can wait for a time that is more convenient for you. Let those calls go to voice mail.

Schedule a time of day to return telephone calls. You may choose one time in the afternoon to return calls, or you may need to schedule time more frequently such as every two or three hours. The goal is to group your calls together as much as possible. This allows you to limit the interruptions you receive throughout the day and gives you more time to focus on tasks that require more concentration.

Interrupting Co-Workers

It is necessary for co-workers to interact and communicate regularly throughout the work day. Some co-workers interrupt more frequently than others. An urgent issue for them may not be an urgent issue for you. If you find this situation happening, encourage these co-workers to email you questions. This will allow you to preview their requests and decide whether this is a priority for you to work on right this minute. If a co-worker has many questions for you, encourage them to write the questions down and come to you once or twice a day to discuss the list of questions.

These situations need to be handled delicately because you don’t want to alienate your peers. Let your co-workers know when you are working on a project and need some uninterrupted time. If you have a door on your office, close it to let people know right now is not a good time for an interruption. If you do not have a door, send an email asking for interruptions to be kept to a minimum during your project time. If you designate a start and end time, your co-workers will feel more comfortable waiting to talk to you if they know what time you will be free.

The skill of good time management can be an asset for you and your employer. Frequent interruptions can negatively impact your ability to get work done efficiently. This may result in working longer hours to get everything done, or not getting as much done in the hours you do work. Managing frequent interruptions is a good skill to master if you work in a law office.

Interested in reading more? Here are some good articles we found that you might find helpful.

“Managing Interruptions: Maintain Focus, Keep Control of Your Time,” by Mindtools.com

“Top 6 Strategies for Managing Interruptions in the Workplace,” by Kristina Schneider, Executive Assistant

“The 4-D Formula for Managing Interruptions,” by TimeManagementSuccess.com

 

If you enjoyed this article, you might also like “3 Tops Skills of the Best Legal Assistants”.

By Dawn Houghton

Top 10 Skills of the Best Court Reporters

What Does a Court Reporter Do?Because court reporting is a highly specialized skill, it takes a special type of person to be a court reporter and do it well. The best court reporters possess certain qualities and skills that make them good at what they do.

1. Punctuality
When a court reporter is given an assignment, the best court reporters will show up to the venue on time or a few minutes early. If a court reporter shows up 20 minutes late, that is 20 minutes wasted on the part of all attorneys, as well as the deponent. The best court reporters know that punctuality makes them more reliable and valuable to clients.

2. Confidentiality
Court reporters are involved in many different types of legal actions. Many times the testimony that is being recorded is confidential and sensitive information. The best court reporters understand that information heard in a proceeding is not to be repeated elsewhere.

3. Neutrality
As officers of the court, court reporters are to maintain neutrality when working on cases. Upon hearing testimony, they do not share their opinions about the case. The best court reporters simply record what is spoken. They do not enter into special contracts for services with one party over another. Instead, they treat each party equally, providing the same services with the same price structure to all parties.

4. Business Etiquette
The best court reporters are familiar with and use good manners and business etiquette. They understand how to introduce people in a situation where parties do not know each other. They are always on time. The best court reporters dress appropriately for a business setting. They know that using good manners and business etiquette go a long way in cementing a business relationship.

5. Grammar, Punctuation and Proofreading
Court reporters produce a written transcript of the spoken word. When a witness speaks, he or she does not provide punctuation. The best court reporters know the rules of punctuation and how to apply them to the spoken word. They are good at proofreading. Their transcripts will hold little to no errors, typos, or misplaced punctuation.

6. Assertiveness
During a legal proceeding, the court reporter will sit, listen, and record the spoken word. They are not an active part of the proceedings. However, there are times when a court reporter does need to speak up in order to make an accurate record. The best court reporters know when to stop a proceeding to ask a witness to speak louder. They do not hesitate to make requests from parties when necessary, such as ask for spellings of names, cities or streets mentioned in the proceeding at the conclusion of the deposition. The best court reporters know when to speak up and be assertive in order to make an accurate transcript.

7. Organizational Skills
Most court reporters work independently and have a large amount of control over their own schedule and work load. They have to balance many activities effectively. Organizational skills are needed in order to manage witnesses and exhibits during a proceeding. These same skills are needed when preparing a transcript and ensuring that it will be delivered on time. The best court reporters are well-organized and are reliable.

8. Time Management
Most court reporters spend a large part of their time working independently. The best court reporters know how to organize their schedule. They know how to manage their time in order to deliver an accurate transcript on time. The best court reporters know how to prioritize their tasks and activities in order to meet their responsibilities.

9. Customer Service
Customer service is important in any industry and especially true in court reporting. The best court reporters are committed to providing good service and accurate transcripts on time. They can anticipate some of the needs of their clients. They know that great customer service is one of the best ways to build a good working relationship with clients and gain repeat business.

10. Shorthand Writing Skills
Writing machine shorthand is a highly technical skill. Not everyone has a talent for learning the shorthand language and how to write it. The best court reporters have a gift for writing shorthand. They continually strive to increase their skills by obtaining higher levels of certification. These higher levels of certification require a court reporter to possess a higher level of knowledge of the industry as well as the ability to write at higher speeds and rates of accuracy. The best court reporters know there is always room for improvement and continually strive to obtain higher skill levels.

The best court reporters enjoy their career. They reproduce every spoken word into a transcript that creates an official record of testimony. They are punctual. They understand confidentiality and neutrality. They are good at time management, punctuation and grammar. The best court reporters provide an excellent service and superior customer service. When working with the best court reporters, attorneys can rest assured the record will be accurate and delivered on time.

If you enjoyed this article, you might also like Court Reporters Strive For Customer Satisfaction.

By Dawn Houghton

Ethics Matter – The Honesty and Integrity of Court Reporters

indecision-1167245-639x459What Are Ethics?

Ethics: a set of moral principles; a theory or system of moral values
                         –  Merriam-Webster Dictionary

Why Are Ethics Important?

As we conduct our personal and professional lives, ethics allow us to make decisions on what actions to take, which actions are right and which actions are wrong. As a profession, court reporters have discussed, debated, and agreed upon a certain standard set of ethics and ethical behavior.

In the past, we have discussed different aspects of ethical standards in court reporting. Here are the topics and links to the articles for you to read:

Does Contracting Compromise the Impartiality of a Court Reporter?

Within the last 20 years, a controversial practice has cropped up in the court reporting profession. Some court reporters have begun contracting exclusively with companies and organizations for large amounts of services. Many court reporters are against such contracting for ethical reasons. This article discusses how and why such situations should be avoided.

9 Ethics Guidelines for Court Reporting Firm Owners

Court reporters have some common ethical considerations, and so do court reporting firm owners. There are special situations that arise with respect to how we work with court reporters as well as how we work with attorney clients. This article discusses topics every court reporting firm owner should consider.

Court Reporters and Ethics in Pricing

This article further discusses the issue of contracting and how it effects pricing of court reporting services and transcripts. What should a client expect to pay for services and transcripts? This article discusses Michigan’s specific set of guidelines that are meant to be followed by all court reporters.

Court Reporters Ethics and Gift-Giving

Recently, there has been an increase in the number of gift-giving or reward programs offered to attorneys and their staff for scheduling depositions with a particular court reporting agency. Many gifts clearly are made in order to influence the selection of court reporting agencies when scheduling depositions. This article discusses the ongoing debate among court reporters as to whether this practice is ethical and whether it begins to erode the industry’s reputation for operating with high integrity.

Industry ethics are continually evolving. Conversations about ethics in court reporting allow us to consider different actions and behaviors and decide whether they are in alignment with our high standards for honesty and integrity. It’s a conversation that is necessary because, to the profession of court reporting, ethics do matter.

For more on court reporting ethics from our perspective, download this free report: “Thoughts on Court Reporter Ethics: From a Court Reporting Firm Owner”.

By Dawn Houghton

Court Reporter – Good Legal Career for Non-Lawyers

Michigan court reporter steno machineIn an article on About.com, the profession of Court Reporting is listed as one of 10 Hot Legal Careers for Non-Lawyers.

We agree! Court reporting is a good profession.

A court reporter is a very important piece of the legal process and holds a well-respected position in the legal world. Court reporting can be a great career. As a court reporter, every day is different and interesting. You listen to testimony of many different people on a variety of topics. You are always learning something new as you make the official record that will be used in a legal proceeding.

If you are considering court reporting as a career, you should first understand the role of a court reporter in the legal profession.

What is a Court Reporter?

A court reporter sits in the court room or in a deposition and takes down every spoken word during the proceedings. Court reporters prepare official transcripts of the sworn testimony for use by attorneys, judges and litigants. These transcripts are used as the official record of the events that took place during the hearing, deposition or trial. Reporters are responsible for certifying that what has been entered is accurate and true to the best of their ability.

How Does a Court Reporter Make the Record?

Court reporters use a computer and stenotype machine to take down the spoken words they hear. The stenotype machine allows the reporter to use a form of shorthand by using sounds of words to record data. The computer uses software called computer-aided transcription to translate the information into English.

Are there different kinds of court reporters in the legal industry?

Traditionally court reporters fall under two different categories: Judicial and Freelance.

Freelance Court Reporter

Freelancers work for court reporting agencies which are hired by law firms, attorneys, corporations and other organizations. These agencies work with freelancers to cover depositions, examinations under oath, hearings and board meetings. Freelance court reporters can be considered independent contractors or employees, depending how the court reporting firm is structured.

Freelance court reporters are typically on-call. Most agencies call a reporter one day in advance of an assignment. One perk of being a freelancer is that you usually travel to different locations. Some reporters enjoy this aspect and prefer not to work in the same location every day. Another benefit of freelancing is that you get to return home after the job is done to work on transcription and you can work comfortably in your own home. Many states require freelance reporters to obtain certification by the state before they begin working as a court reporter.

Official Court Reporters

Official court reporters are employed by the courts and are sometimes assigned to a particular judge or courtroom. They can cover a variety of court cases, from lower court cases to high-profile cases, depending on which district or court they work in. Many jurisdictions require official reporters to pass certifications, such as the RPR (Registered Professional Reporter) and CRR (Certified Realtime Reporter), that test their written knowledge and skills before qualifying to work in the courts. But even upon passing the required certifications, being accepted for an officialship normally takes time. It is common for reporters to wait years before being considered since courts receive a high volume of applicants. Many reporters desire an officialship since it offers more stability when compared to freelancing. Official reporters have set salaries, set hours, and benefits such as health insurance and pensions. There are also opportunities to earn additional money on top of your set salary when attorneys order transcripts.

What Role Does a Court Reporter Play in the Legal World?

A court reporter is responsible for keeping the official record. As an officer of the court, a court reporter acts as a representative of the court even in a deposition setting outside of the courtroom. He or she is also the person charged with swearing witnesses by administering the oath.
Court reporters are shown much respect from the legal community, be it attorneys, paralegals, legal assistants or judges. Court reporters earn this respect by taking very seriously the responsibilities imparted to them. Many reporters enjoy this earned respect and find the legal field a pleasant environment in which to work.

If you are considering a career in court reporting, you also might like to read “Finding the Right Court Reporting Program For You.”