In Whitby, court reporting firms provide different types of clients who require court reporters for different skill sets for different types of cases. A client who may need to make a case using video depositions, for instance, can simply contact a firm that offers professional video depositions and legal services, and the firm can then connect him with a Certified Legal Video Specialist (CLVS) located in his area. Or perhaps there is a need to book a deposition in The United States or Europe, the court reporting firm can be used to provide the manpower and technology to remotely produce reports that the client needs in a timely and accurate manner. In essence, court reporting firms act as go-betweens, linking clients to the right types of court reporter who have the skill sets and experience levels required for the job at hand.
Court reporters are generally classified into two types. There are those who work individually as sole practitioners, and enjoy the flexibility to put in either full time or part time hours and work for a limited number of clients. The second type are those affiliated with court reporting firms, either as an independent contractor or as an employee of the firm.
Over the years, it has become necessary for independent court reporters to become affiliated with a court reporting firm. This is because the scope of court reporting services has widened. Court reporters no longer just cater to legal professionals, but are also in demand in broadcasting, journalism, and politics. The geographical needs of clients have spread out across continents and work hours overextended from the set 9-5 desk job. And most important of all, is the requirement to be able to supply clients with the latest technology required for fast, consistent reporting. Technology concerns alone can make it virtually impossible for the independent court reporter to meet client demands. You’ll need huge amounts of time and financial resources to learn a whole new set of skills to remain competitive, and also to purchase and acquire necessary equipment to be able to provide related services.
It is just not possible for an independent court reporter with limited means to be able to do this on his own. Every court reporter does not have the same skills and won’t have the same resources available to utilize. A court stenographer, for example, will not have the skills of a broadcast captioner or a Certified Legal Video Specialist. He probably may be able to acquire new skills, and may have the money to procure the technology needed, but certainly he can’t be in two places at one time to serve many different clients.
Court reporting firms, however, will have the resources and connections to supply different demands for various services. These agencies supply law firms, attorneys, corporations and other organizations with a select pool of court reporters who are pre-assessed to provide technologically advanced services such as video depositions, subpoena services, real-time reporting, e-mail transcripts, imaging, and much more. Affiliating with court reporting firms in Whitby can definitely prove to be very advantageous to a sole practitioner nowadays as this will allow him to develop strategic relationships with organizations that can position him to provide his clients with more and better services.
