In Michigan cities such as Detroit, Ann Arbor, Lansing and Grand Rapids, lawyers sometimes find themselves burdened by their caseloads and the amount of work they need to do to prepare for trials, hearings and other legal proceedings. Fortunately, companies that specialize in court reporting in Michigan perform numerous services and tasks to support legal professionals like attorneys across the state. They provide litigation support with services such as legal videography, transcriptions of meetings and legal proceedings, recording remote depositions of witnesses and producing trial presentation materials to strengthen lawyers’ cases in court. Detroit litigation lawyers can count on court reporting companies in Detroit for many vital support services that often make the difference between victory and defeat.
Leading court reporters in Detroit MI work closely with Motown law firms to provide supplemental or supporting evidence that will make their cases stronger. This may mean filming legal documentaries to lay out the facts of a case. It may also mean securing remote depositions with key witnesses. Court reporters can assist law firms with research as well.
Court reporting firms also allow lawyers to use their offices for meeting spaces, as these offices typically feature the latest in video-conferencing technology. With this technology, lawyers can video-chat with witnesses or clients across town or across the country in real-time. Lawyers and their teams can plot out their strategies for trials using the conference rooms of court reporting firms.
With litigation on the rise, the services of court reporting firms may become more valued as lawyers turn to these trained professionals to take some of the work off their plates. Court reporters attend specific schooling to work in their profession and must pass a state examination. Court reporters in Michigan will help the state’s lawyers and attorneys keep up with the rising number of lawsuits filed each year.
Although their work sometimes goes unnoticed or gets overlooked, court reporters do highly important work in the American justice system. They ensure the accurate and factual transcription of legal proceedings such as trials and hearings without bias or prejudice toward one side or the other. In addition to these official duties, court reporting in America also includes legal support services that court reporting companies can offer to law firms and attorneys to assist them as they prepare for trial or make their cases in court. Many court reporters across the nation work with litigious lawyers, helping them build strong cases for lawsuits.
Court reporters in California “protect the public by ensuring the integrity of the judicial record,” according to the Court Reporters Board of California, a Board established by the state in 1951. The Board sets professional standards for court reporters in the state and provides oversight of the court reporting profession in the Golden State. To become a licensed certified shorthand reporter (CSR) in California, one must pass a three-part licensing exam, typically after attending a court reporting school, approved by the state.
Court reporting firms across the country assist lawyers and law firms with a broad range of support services. These include remote deposition services for lawyers who need to record testimony of witnesses for use as evidence in trials or lawsuits. These services also include legal videography, the production of trial presentation media such as computer animation, PowerPoint presentations and printed trial boards. Court reporting firms also perform transcription services and, in some cases, translation services for legal clients. Court reporters can help lawyers overcome language barriers with witnesses and potential clients.
While court reporters who work for the courts ensure the integrity and accuracy of the judicial record, those who work in the private sector work for the advancement of justice.
Hanson Renaissance Court Reporters & Video is one of the oldest independent court reporting companies in the United States. Based in Detroit, Michigan since 1963, Hanson offers its premium court reporting, conference hosting and legal videography services across Michigan.
Recently the editors of Court Reporters.co spoke with Gerald Hanson, the President of Hanson Renaissance Court Reporters & Video. Below is a transcript of our interview that was conducted via email.
CO: Court reporting is a family trade for you. When did you know you wanted to follow that path?
Gerald Hanson: I’ve always had an interest in business and seeing the success of my father I decided I wanted to be a part of the family business.
CO: How long have you been with Hanson Renaissance?
GH: Since 1991. 31 years.
CO: At what point did you decide you might want to run the firm as opposed to working as a standard employee?
GH: As the firm grew, I saw that my dad needed help and I gradually took on more responsibilities. I learned the business from my dad and with technology it continues to evolve every year. I enjoy the responsibility of running the firm and am very involved in the day-to-day operations.
CO: What is it that the firm does differently from other court reporting firms?
GH: We are a family owned business and provide the best service in the industry. As the owner I am available 24/7 to work directly with clients. We are based in Michigan and take pride in being able to help clients in last minute emergencies or scheduling situations.
CO: How has the COVID-19 pandemic changed how the firm operates?
GH: Our transition during the pandemic was seamless. We opened our first video conference room in 1985 and have been scheduling remote virtual depositions for the past six years so we were ahead of most companies. Virtual depositions continue to be the preference; however, we continue to see an increase in scheduling in person depositions. Our firm has been a leader in videoconferencing for years and our team of video technicians are on every virtual deposition as a resource. Lastly, our court reporters and employees continued to operate very efficient during the pandemic and our state-of-the-art technology and unmatched client service have helped us to set the highest standards in servicing court reporting needs.
CO: How has the industry changed since you first started?
GH: The court reporting industry has evolved over the years with innovation and technology. Everything from scheduling depositions to taking depositions virtually has evolved. We continue to be leaders in innovation providing the best service in the court reporting industry.
CO: What do you think it takes to be a good court reporter?
GH: To be a good court reporter it takes many skills including, concentration, organization, good grammar, punctuation, and proofreading. Court reporters must be punctual and have great time management skills. As real time court reporting continues to grow reporters must be detail oriented and become familiar with legal and medical terminology.
CO: What are your hopes for Hanson Renaissance for the near and long-term future?
GH: My hopes for Hanson Renaissance for the remainder of the year are to continue to work closely with clients and provide the best client service in the industry. We will continue to be the best firm for both in person and virtual depositions. Our court reporters are professional, and we deliver timely transcripts and take pride in our work.
CO: What would you tell someone who wants to get into the court reporting industry in today:
GH: Court reporting is a challenging career that comes with tremendous benefits. Successful court reporters are ultimately in charge of their own earnings potential and there is an opportunity for a high income with flexibility. A good court reporter is highly valued and there is always a demand as court reporters can’t be replaced. We award a scholarship in honor of my father and our founder Gerald Hanson. We welcome any students looking to go into the court reporting field in the state of Michigan to apply for our scholarship. We mentor students attending court reporting school and attend high school recruitment events to drive interest in the court reporting industry. Students can apply for the scholarship here.
The National Network Reporting Company (NNRC) is pleased to announce their brand new partner pages. As an international court reporting firm, the NNRC has partnered with court reporting firms all over the globe. In the United States, the NNRC sometimes has partners who do not cover the same area, but work in the same state. To help clarify which partners work in which states, the NNRC has produced these state partner pages. The directory is still a work in progress, but these pages include: California Partners, Ohio Partners, Colorado Partners, Louisiana Partners, Alabama Partners, and North Carolina Partners. On each page, readers can learn a little about the firms that represent these areas.
For over 40 years, the NNRC has served attorneys and other legal professionals across the world. Before, the standards for litigation support varied wildly from firm to firm. Attorneys could never anticipate whether or not a firm could live up to their expectations. This was unacceptable to the firms that founded the NNRC. Together, they set a new standard of speed, accuracy, efficiency, and customer service. In order to be accepted as an NNRC partner, clients must undergo a strict vetting process to ensure they live up to these high standards.
Credit: Cypress College
“The National Network Reporting Company is a different type of firm,” Lloyd Gronich, an expert from Oak Park, California says. “Their business was founded out of the concern for their clients, and the business continues to be molded by that clientele.”
This allows attorneys, no matter where in the world they are, to schedule a litigation support service with the utmost confidence. Whether booking a court reporter in California or a legal video professional in Missouri, there is a partner with the NNRC who can help.
To learn more about the NNRC, call (866) 337-6672, email debbe.dreher@nnrc.com, or visit their offices.
Litigation support has grown into a diverse world for legal professionals to peruse. It is rare that attorneys simply require a court reporting or trial support service—more often than not, they need several services for their upcoming case. Court reporting firms have learned that the best way to keep in business is to listen to client needs and include the services they really need in their lineup.
For the longest time, court reporting firms did just that: court reporting. The world of law has become more complex and demanding for attorneys, so naturally, some of that demand shifts to court reporting firms. On top of court reporting, firms now offer anything from transcription, to interpreters, to mediation to keep up with the ever-changing needs of clients.
Credit: Southeastern Legal Video
The best firms, however, incorporate the latest technology into their services. As technology grows more important, legal videography has practically become a right-hand-man to court reporting. These days, court reporting firms that don’t offer legal videography fall short. But what is legal videography, and why is it so important?
A legal videographer is a professional who is responsible for recording legal proceedings with high-quality audio and video equipment. They can be utilized to record a trial, legal deposition, the signing of legal documents, or even to record evidence for trials like damaged property. To work with a firm that officers legal videography, prospective videographers should get their Certified Legal Video Specialist (CLVS) certification from the NCRA. This ensures the professional’s understanding of the field and level of skill. Legal videographers should have a quality video camera, audio mixer, microphones, headphones, and even backdrops at their disposal so a client can get the most out of their service.
There are a number of specificities that legal videographers must keep in mind as they move forward with a case. They must know the differences in the operation of legal videography on a state-by-state basis. It is up to the legal videographer to know those rules and receive the proper certifications and meet the correct industry standards that clients look for. The legal videographer knows what state rules and what federal rules take priority on a job.
The world is full of jargon the average attorney might not know the answer to when it comes to their legal video service, and it isn’t their job. Their legal videographer takes care of the industry specific videos so the attorney has nothing to worry about. For a crash course on becoming a deposition videographer, watch the video below.
Legal videographers are another fantastic resource to have on top of one’s court reporter. By capturing the audio and visuals of a deposition, attorneys can craft a stronger narrative for the courtroom. Some court reporting firms work with an additional legal videography firm or a freelance professional, while others employ in-house professionals. In-house legal videographers are especially valuable, as it gives client the comfort of knowing the standard they expect from their court reporters transfers to their legal videographers.
“In-house legal videography sweetens the deal for many attorneys,” Marti Sutherland-Vidal, Chief Operating Officer of Laws Reporting, says. “When a client knows they can trust your firm, they don’t want to hop around to others and hope they get the same level of support because you don’t offer all the services they need. Offering legal videography in the same place they get their court reporters is a game-changer.”
Credit: The Cooper Group
Sutherland-Vidal’s Miami court reporters at Laws Reporting have offered a variety of litigation services essentially since the firm’s conception. It is what has kept the firm in business for almost 50 years. Given how court reporters and legal videographers work in-tandem on such a high number of cases, it only made sense to add legal videography in Miami to their services.
Many may think legal video services directly get in the way of the work court reporters do, but that is just not the case. When utilized together, a legal video and court reporting service are an unstoppable resource for attorneys. Video synchronization marries these two services together seamlessly: the accurate transcript recorded be the reporter can be transposed over the recorded video so that it appears as captions over the video.
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While clearly helpful in nature, it becomes abundantly clear just how useful video synchronization is once one takes a closer look. Attorneys can use their synchronized video during their reviewal process as they prepare for the next step, as it makes clip retrieval far easier (and faster). When used during a trial, this service is especially pertinent for the hard of hearing. It allows them to digest what was said during a deposition or other legal proceeding just as easily as everyone else.
“I would encourage others to earn the CLVS certification because you never know when you may need the skills, even if you are primarily still reporting,” Deborah Alvina, a court reporter and legal videographer, says, clearly illustrating the growing importance of the field.
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Despite how closely court reporters and legal videographers work, Certified Legal Video Specialists still don’t have an active role in within the National Court Reporters Association. Given the importance of a quality professional in this area of practice, it is shocking to know that they are often left out of decisions the association makes.
Legal video specialists are making a grand push for their voices to be heard. A vote will be held at the NCRA’s July conference that determines a more active inclusion throughout the organization.
From the CLVS Council: Allowing CLVS Associate members to become Participating members does not hinder the goals of the Association. It would strengthen the 35+ year partnership and demonstrate the cooperation with verbatim stenographic reporters. pic.twitter.com/JvLYb9pfGr
“The CLVS program has been around for 30 years and for us to not have a voice by now, and we’ve been such a team partner of the court reporters… is frustrating.”
Considering how Certified Legal Video Specialists have been practically essential to the world of law for the past several decades, it is only a matter of time before they receive the representation they deserve. Court reporters who work alongside these professionals have long-since been aware of their worth, and the rest of the world would be apt to follow suit.
Hanna & Hanna Reporting is pleased to announce their videoconferencing services. For decades, attorneys and paralegals in the Houston area have come to Hanna & Hanna for their sterling reputation of accuracy and timeliness in court reporting. Now, attorneys in need of a quality videoconferencing service can come to Hanna Reporting and receive that exact same quality of service. Hanna Reporting’s staff uses the latest equipment in the industry so that audio and video are as crisp and clear as possible. In a time where gathering in larger groups is still frowned upon, videoconferencing is a great option.
Attorneys can keep their legal teams and witnesses safe at home all the way to the deposition stage. Hanna & Hanna Reporting is proud to offer their clients remote deposition services. The firm utilizes the best technology in the business to connect attorneys to their staff and certified court reporters over a secure server with crisp audio and visuals.
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Over the past several decades Hanna & Hanna Reporting has made a name for itself as one of the best litigation firms in the area. These Houston court reporters are well known for their dedication to the craft and their responsive customer service. They work tirelessly to ensure their client’s needs are met the first time. Their membership with the National Network Reporting Company (NNRC), a court reporting agency that assures the quality of court reporters with their strict vetting process, only solidifies their reputation of timeliness, efficiency, and accuracy.
In the state of Ohio, Cleveland is a legal hub. As one of the largest cities in the state, it’s no wonder it’s home to some of the best, most reliable professionals in the business. When in need of an attorney, clients can find one who fights for their rights no matter the area of practice. When that attorney then goes on to build a legal team, they have the best Cleveland, Ohio court reporters to choose from.
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While these legal professionals are well-known for the support they provide their clients, they can’t operate without support of their own. In Cleveland, that place is the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association. The bar association has over 135 years of history under its belt. What once served as two separate bar associations– the Cleveland Bar, serving the city, and the Cuyahoga County Bar Association, serving the county– combined to become the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association. It is now the primary resource for research in the area, perfect for students and professionals alike.
The nonprofit is dedicated to supporting the needs of those in the surrounding Cleveland area. With attorneys, judges, students, court reporters, and other business professionals as members, any legal professional can find the resources they require to provide their clients the best results possible. The organization promotes unparalleled professional and ethical standards in hopes of creating an honest legal community.
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The association is nationally recognized for their public outreach and pro bono legal services. Lawyers Giving Back is a program designed to support the Cleveland community through hundreds of volunteer lawyers collaborating with other business professionals and community partners. Together, they work to help students continue their education and provide people access to justice who otherwise may not be able to afford it.
The Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association was designed to help people. Legal professionals can turn to the association for any resources or educational purposes they desire. Other citizens of Cleveland can turn to the association for whatever legal assistance they need.
