Mailbag Question From A Court Reporter... Which Agency To Work For?

Posted on 8/28/2007

From my mailbox this weeks comes a question from a newly licensed CSR inquiring about which court reporting firms are reputable...

This e-mail is for Todd Olivas. My name is ##### #####. I was a student at South Coast College, and I was also in class one of the days he came and spoke to the school. I passed the CSR in 2006, and I have been working in the L.A. area. I am writing today because I have some questions regarding finding the right agency and some other questions regarding agencies.

-New CSR in LA

Dear New CSR in LA:
Thank you for writing to me. First off, a huge CONGRATULATIONS for completing the monstrous task of becoming a CSR. :) Way to go! telephone. Thanks so much for taking the time to read this!

Second, you have so much going for you:

You have a CSR license!
Court Reporters are in huge demand!
You live in one of the busiest litigation hubs in the United States! (Los Angeles)
You`re smart enough to ask people`s advice about what to do next. (If only everyone did that)

If I were in your shoes, here are the agencies that I would get in contact with:

Me (shameless plug, I know)
Barkley
Lynden J & Associates
Reporters` Connection

Questions To Ask When Working With A Court Reporting Agency:

What kind of work/clients do they have?
As a new reporter, do they provide lots of TLC in the beginning?
What are their rates? Not only page rates but late cancellation fees, appearances, waiting time, mileage, per diems, after hours...
When are the pay dates and cut off times?
Do they have integrity within the industry? (Ask for court reporter references)

Comment by Leslie Brocoff
2/6/2008

Dear Mr. Olivas ~

I, too, am a graduate of South Coast College of court reporting. I was licensed in 1986, worked for 12 years, and then took a rather long hiatus to stay home and raise my children. After nine years, I have re-entered the work force. I have recently completed a two-month stint of going back to school to build up my speed. The skill is still there, yeah! I have made a hefty investment in all brand new equipment (Elan Mira paperless writer, and CaseCatalyst, as well as a new Dell laptop). I have been back to work for the past three weeks, and I’m happy to say that it feels as though I never left the profession.

I am, however, having trouble getting study work. Any advice would be helpful. I am at a place in my life where now I can work any time, any day, any where, and I can’t get the work! Is this the sign of the times, or just the time of year?

Frustrated ~

Leslie Brocoff

The Most Influential People In Court Reporting

Court reporting in the Land of Enchantment aka New Mexico!