Brown & Jones Reporting is made up of individual people who happen to be court reporters in the Milwaukee area.  We wanted to let you get to know our court reporters more than you’d learn working with them at a deposition.

This article is an interview with Jessie Waack, who has been a court reporter for 17 years. She has been with Brown & Jones Reporting for over 15 years.

How long have you been a court reporter?  17 years

How long have you been with Brown & Jones Reporting?  15 years

What do you like most about working with Brown & Jones Reporting?

I love the people I get to work with.  Everyone has a lot to offer the company in addition to what we do for each other.  Whenever someone has something come up, the rest of the reporters are willing to jump in and help out where they can.  It is really a family atmosphere.

Before becoming a court reporter, have you ever worked in other jobs or fields? If so, what did you do?

I was fortunate to have gone from high school straight into court reporting school.  I wanted to take a “gap year” before going to college.  Let’s just say my mother was NOT going to allow THAT to happen.  Needless to say, I didn’t see the outside of a classroom until I was 21 years old.

Where did you grow up?

I have lived my entire life in Wisconsin.  I grew up in a small town called Reedsville in the middle of nowhere.  I still have some great friends who live there.  Whenever I go back home, I love to catch up with them.

What changes have you seen in the industry since you became a court reporter?

I started reporting with an old manual steno machine.  I mean OLD manual machine.  I had a can of oil that looked like the one I use on my bike.  I also had to learn WordPerfect in college so I could type up transcripts.

What is the best part of being a court reporter?

I love being a jack of all trades.  I always know something I can insert into any conversation.  Another asset is the freedom my schedule offers.  I can do my shopping during the day and not wait in lines.  It’s a HUGE time saver.

What is the most challenging part of being a court reporter?

They don’t let me talk all day.  By the time I meet up with someone at the end of the day, my mouth is going non-stop – a lot like those chattering wind-up teeth.

What has been your most challenging deposition?

Living in the city, I enjoy walking around during snowstorms.  I got a phone call to cover a deposition another firm was unable to cover.  Instead of taking the time to go home, I picked up an older backup machine at my office and went straight to the deposition.  I was using an steno that used floppy disks.  I had no computer, no realtime feed, NOTHING!  I didn’t even know if it was writing to the floppy disk.  I was prepared to type everything from the paper notes.  Two people were in the room – the other SIXTEEN were appearing by phone.  It was a half-day deposition of an expert on boiler valves.  I hadn’t read back from my notes since college – but I did it!!

Have you ever had funny things happen to you in a deposition?

Let’s just say I have been mooned twice and another gentleman offered to share his prostate scar.  I still don’t know what the prostate scar had to do with his car accident.

Do you have any tips about work/life balance?

Get up every morning as if you are going to work.  The mindset has you prepared to work all day and ready to take any last-minute deposition.

What else would you like us to know about you?

Traveling is my passion.  I have covered 64 countries in seven years.  I will be heading for the second base camp of Everest in April 2014, and then 2015 will be spent on Mount McKinley, dog-sledding the northern boundary waters of Canada up to the Arctic to ice climb in Greenland.  I figure once I have those things knocked out, I am going to look into these vacations I have heard of where there are umbrellas in coconut shells.

We hope you’ve enjoyed getting to know Jessie Waack better. Look for future interview articles with other Brown & Jones court reporters. In the meantime, let us know in the comments if Jessie’s answers brought up any memories or ideas in your mind about court reporting.

Writing clean is a good goal for court reporters.  When you are a student and increasing your speeds, you may not always be able to write cleanly.  As a reporter, when the speed in the deposition or courtroom increases, clean writing is much more difficult to sustain.  Once you are no longer a new reporter, you have time to concentrate on writing theory once again.  This is a good time to begin adding to your brief forms.  Developing your own strokes for common phrases decreases the number of strokes you are writing, and slows down the pace of strokes.  This allows you to be more deliberate in your writing and begin seeing less areas you need to edit when you begin transcription.

Here are some resources you may want to take advantage of if you are working on your writing and brief forms:

NCRA Database and Tips

If you decide this is the area of proficiency you want to work on, you don’t have to go it alone. The National Court Reporters Association offers a database of briefs contributed by working court reporters.  This database is a treasure trove of good briefs organized by categories such as numbers, prefixes, punctuation and more.  Anyone can use this NCRA Database to gather new brief forms.

NCRA also provides the following tips for learning and using briefs: 

• Do not use briefs if they do not fit within your theory or they will cause conflicts.
• Test a new brief against your dictionary. If it conflicts, don’t use it.
• Practice writing the brief or phrase many times before implementing it.
• Put the new outlines in a job dictionary until you’re sure you want to use them forever. Then put them in your personal dictionary.
• Having a brief for a term does not mean you’ll understand the term when it is said, remember the outline to write it without hesitation, or write it without fingering errors.
• Use a brief when the word/phrase is frequent or you frequently misstroke it.
• Don’t use a brief that creates fingering errors.

Briefs Dictionary

If you’re looking for a dictionary of brief forms, you may want to pick up a copy of Laurie Boucke’s book, “Brief Encounters:  A Dictionary of Court Reporting.” The publisher, White-Boucke Publishing describes this reference book as follows:

“A professional dictionary of approximately 64,000 conflict-free, mainly one-stroke briefs and phrases for realtime writing. It is an invaluable tool for reporters and students. The briefs are compatible with common writing theories and are easy to remember. The dictionary contains general vocabulary, as opposed to specialized terminology. It includes irregular verbs, the principal parts of all verb entries, arbitraries, punctuation, homonyms, special characters and more.”

Court Reporters Who Share

The internet has given court reporters a platform on which to share ideas. Some reporters share brief forms and tips on writing speed and practice. Here are just a few places you can find briefs from court reporters:

• Court reporter, Robin Qualy, lists briefs on her Twitter page.  It’s been a while since Robin has added to her list, but you can still find dozens and dozens of good briefs in her Twitter stream.  Find Robin on Twitter @RobinQualyCSR.
• Elsie Villega, a court reporting student, has her own website, “I love Steno”, where she lists new briefs she is learning and using.  There may be some here that might work for you too.
• Court Reporter Keith Vincent from Texas offers a PDF file filled with hundreds of short ways of writing words in steno. His list is made up of shortcuts contributed by him and other court reporters.   Keith says on his website, “I think this is an area where steno writers can help each other. So I’m creating a “Steno Tips” section of this website.”  The PDF is free to download.

Making a concerted effort to add to your list of common brief forms you use will lead to cleaner writing for you in the future.  Clean writing can make your life so much easier when reading back and transcribing.  The time you spend practicing and adding brief forms to your steno vocabulary now will pay large dividends into the future.

If you found this article interesting, you might also like “4 Excellent Online Grammar Resources for Legal Professionals.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Susan Kay is a Co-Founder and Co-Owner of Brown & Jones Reporting, Inc. Connect with her on LinkedIn and Google+.

Brown & Jones Reporting is made up of individual people who happen to be court reporters in the Milwaukee area.  We wanted to let you get to know our court reporters more than you’d learn working with them at a deposition.

This article is an interview with Sheila Finnegan-Martinez, who has been a court reporter for 7 years. She has been with Brown & Jones Reporting for over 2 years.

How long have you been a court reporter?

I am in my seventh year of court reporting. 

How long have you been with your current firm?

A little over two years.

What do you like most about working with Brown & Jones Reporting?

The fabulous management, great/hilarious coworkers, traveling and meeting new people, and flexibility in scheduling.

Before becoming a court reporter, have you ever worked in other jobs or fields? If so, what did you do?

Yes. I became interested in court reporting after working for five years with the deaf and hard-of-hearing community in Madison, Wisconsin. When I learned about the court reporting/closed captioning program, I thought – BINGO – and knew this is where my journey would really begin. 

Where did you grow up?

Though I am a proud “California Navy Baby,” I grew up primarily in Central Wisconsin. 

What changes have you seen in the industry since you became a court reporter?

The intense need for obtaining your Realtime certification, which I am striving for. I was so close last time!

What is the best part of being a court reporter?

Always learning something new!  Through hearing the testimony of many witnesses, I now know how to lay carpet properly, what the right pitch a roof needs to be for Wisconsin weather, and how to best scrub a tub!

What is the most challenging part of being a court reporter?

Trusting your GPS to get you where you need to be! 

As a court reporter, what is your biggest fear?

Equipment malfunction and attorneys who put their beverages a little too close to me. 

What has been your most challenging deposition?

Taking my first medical deposition of a very fast-speaking chiropractor!  Oh, and pulmonary radiologists are always a treat to work with, as well! 

Have you ever had funny things happen to you in a deposition?

YES!  It happens to me so often that I ought to write a book about it!  On a lunch break, years ago, I grabbed soup and a sandwich at a local deli.  The deposition resumed, then ended, and I got in my car, looked in the mirror, and saw that I had tomato bisque soup all over my cheek!  Why no one told me is still baffling… 

Do you have any tips about work/life balance?

RELAX!  Everyone is human, and taking time out for YOU is crucial – something I think we sometimes forget. 

What else would you like us to know about you?

I’m pretty good at nunchuks.

We hope you’ve enjoyed getting to know Sheila Finnegan-Martinez better. Look for future interview articles with other Brown & Jones court reporters. In the meantime, let us know in the comments if Sheila’s answers brought up any memories or ideas in your mind about court reporting.

Having a good command of grammar is a valuable skill to possess, no matter what industry you work in.  However, since so much of what is produced by law firms and courts is in the form of the written word, it is essential that anyone working in the law have highly refined grammar skills. 

With that in mind, we have some great grammar resources to share with you. Whether you are looking to improve your grammar, or are simply looking for a specific grammar rule, these websites will give you the information you’re looking for.  They also have some cool features you may not have known were available.

1.  Grammarbook.com

Jane Strauss, the author of The Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation, wanted this website to serve individuals seeking to improve their punctuation and grammar skills. Although Jane passed away in 2011, her website survives as part of her legacy. The homepage displays links divided into categories: grammar rules, punctuation rules, and other rules. They also have free online quizzes available to non-subscribers as well as subscriber exclusive tests. If you would like to access the more detailed quizzes, you can also pay 99 cents for access. And should you find the website very helpful, you can opt to subscribe for $29.95, which offers 500 log-ins. Instructors and employers can subscribe for $99.95, which includes an unlimited amount of log-ins for one year. Instructors and employers have control over quizzes, and quiz results are automatically tallied.

2. Grammarly.com

This website offers a tool that acts as an automated proofreader.  In other words, it is an instant grammar checker. It checks your writing for spelling and grammar and punctuation mistakes. It also goes one step further and checks for plagiarism! Anyone can benefit from this website whether they are a student, paralegal, court reporter, writer, or simply an individual hoping to improve their writing skills. Grammarly also posts some great creative images and jokes on their blog and social media accounts (such as the image in this article).

3. Lousywriter.com

Lousywriter.com is a free online resource to help you improve your writing skills. As explained by their homepage, they abide by the English standard of writing because they want to “make you sound intelligent and make you look professional.” Their mission is to help you communicate more effectively through proper word usage and sentence structure. The website has many links, including video tutorials, audio podcasts, a grammar blog, free eBooks, and free visual charts. It also includes links to writing and editing jobs, freelance writing groups, English grammar books, and grammar software. And to make things easier, there are even cheat sheets on violations of English words, homonyms, homogeneous words, and possessive nouns – all subjects that people commonly struggle with. Furthermore, they also include links on how to write effective sales letters, resumes, ad copy, and blog copy. This website has a plethora of information and helpful tips that anybody will find applicable.

4. DrGrammar.org

This website was created by University of Northern Iowa’s Department of Languages and Literature to help writers in need of a reliable grammar and punctuation resource. Included are frequently asked questions that everybody wonders at least once in their lifetime. The answers are thorough and informative. DrGrammar.com also provides sections on word origins, English as a second language, plagiarism, business communication, documentation resources, a writer’s toolbox, as well as a section where readers can ask questions.

Even if you were not born with good grammar genes, no one needs to know.  Use these resources to pick up skills you are lacking, or simply to check specific instances of grammar you are questioning in your own writing.

If you found this article interesting, you might also like “7 Good LinkedIn Groups For Paralegals”.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jane Jones is a court reporter, Co-Founder and Co-Owner of Brown & Jones Reporting, Inc. Connect with her on LinkedIn and Google+.

Image Credit: Grammarly

Have you been considering a career as a paralegal?  Are you thinking of getting a degree in Paralegal Studies?  There are a wide variety of programs offered to prepare a paralegal for a career in the legal.  You can find anything from a certificate program lasting several months, to a bachelor’s degree which requires four years to graduate. The courses are delivered in various ways.  Some are on-campus classes, while others are offered online.  There is also a lot of variation in pricing.  The list that follows is by no means meant to be an exhaustive list of available programs.  These are just a few we found to give you an idea of the differences in programs and pricing. 

1) Liberty University offers an online certificate program and an online Associate’s degree in Paralegal Studies.  The certificate program is 18 credits, totaling 18 hrs. The Associate’s program is a one-year program (if students follow the one-year completion plan).  The program totals to 60 hours. Each credit hour amounts to $340.

2) Duke University is one of the top paralegal programs in the country despite not being an ABA-approved program (American Bar Association). Duke has been quoted to not apply for ABA approval because they do not know if it’s in the best interest of their students as it may change tuition costs.  Duke offers a classroom-based program as a well as an online global program. The classroom-based program is in Durham, North Carolina. 

The Paralegal Studies Program is an intensive 300-hour course of study. It is a qualified program by the NC State Bar and graduates can apply for the Graduate Bar Paralegal Exam. Tuition is $5,395 (excluding costs of textbooks).

The Online Global program teaches essential skills for paralegals. It is a 156-hour course of study. The tuition is $6,995 (excluding cost of textbooks).

3) Kaplan University – Maine Campus is one of the more expensive options at $66,780 or $371 per credit for a total of 180 credits. However, their Bachelor of Science courses in Paralegal Studies are intensive and they boast a 90% job placement rate upon graduation. Their retention rate may be on the lower side, but that could be due to a variety of reasons. Most graduates find work upon graduation and are even eligible to take the Paralegal Advanced Competency Exam (PACE).

4) George Washington University offers a 32-credit Master’s program in Paralegal Studies. For those who have already graduated from an undergraduate school and want to advance their degrees, GWU may be a preferred option. Classes are held online or at the Foggy Bottom Campus. Each credit costs $750.

5) Pace University offers a certificate program and boasts that students can complete it within five months. Students are taught applicable skills such as learning to use research engines such as LexisNexis and Westlaw. Students are also given “real world” assignments to prepare them for work. Tuition and further information is not displayed on the site, so prospective students will have to fill out their information on Pace.edu to request further information.

6) Los Angeles City College is an ABA-approved program. The objective of the school is to thoroughly prepare students in substantive and procedural law to complete any paralegal task in an efficient, professional, and ethical manner. The school only offers a 60-hour Associate’s degree. Since it is a city college, tuition is cheaper. Out-of-state residents pay $188 per unit and in-state residents pay through a determination of their expected family contribution and financial need.

7) University of San Diego is another ABA-approved program. They offer “day and evening classes, employment assistance, financial aid, and internship opportunities.” Full-time students (12-18 units) are charged a base tuition each semester. Tuition for the 2013-14 school year is $40,900 or $20,450 per semester. Part-time students pay $1,410 per unit for up to 11 units.

8) Long Island University’s Brooklyn Campus offers a 328-hour, non-credit certificate, ABA-approved program designed to prepare students to work at a law firm, a government agency, law department, bank, real estate company, and insurance company. This program offers a diverse background. Tuition is not based on credits, but program courses. Course tuition ranges from $110 to $825 per class.

When comparing paralegal programs, be sure to speak to representatives of the school. Ask to also speak to current students and former students.  Paralegals in your community are another helpful resource. Ask paralegals in your area for advice on how to choose a good paralegal program that is right for you.

If you enjoyed this article, you might also like “3 Organizations That Could Help You Advance Your Paralegal Career”.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Susan Kay is a Co-Founder and Co-Owner of Brown & Jones Reporting, Inc. Connect with her on LinkedIn and Google+.