How the NCRA Can Increase Its Membership and Thrive Again

Posted bystenoimperiumPosted inCourt ReportingTags:, , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The National Court Reporters Association (NCRA) has long been a pillar of the legal and transcription industries, representing court reporters, captioners, and transcription professionals. However, like many professional associations, the NCRA has seen challenges in recent years, including declining membership and increased competition from alternative transcription services. To thrive again, the NCRA must take bold steps to solidify its role in the industry, increase membership, and secure the future of court reporting.

One radical approach that could redefine the profession is shifting away from proprietary certifications and instead advocating for state-mandated certification requirements. By pushing for legal recognition at the state level, the NCRA can establish stronger protections for its members, create new career pathways, and ensure the longevity of human-driven transcription services.

The Power of State Certification

A fundamental challenge facing court reporters is the lack of uniform, legally required certification across the United States. While some states have licensing requirements, many do not, allowing courts and businesses to bypass professional court reporters in favor of lower-cost alternatives, including AI-driven transcription services. If every state required certification, it would create a standardized profession with higher job security, better wages, and more recognition.

1. Legal Recognition & Job Security

State certification would create a barrier to entry that ensures only qualified professionals can work in the field. If certification were required by law, courts and other institutions would no longer be able to replace professional court reporters with uncertified transcription providers. This would lead to better job security and higher industry standards.

2. Government Support & Standardization

State-backed certification carries more weight than industry-specific credentials. Unlike a voluntary NCRA certification, a state-issued certification would come with legal authority. This would make it harder for organizations to outsource to non-certified providers and could lead to more stable wages and career growth opportunities for court reporters.

3. Membership Growth & NCRA’s New Role

By leading the charge for state certification, the NCRA would establish itself as the primary education and advocacy body for the profession. Instead of being one of several competing certification providers, the NCRA could become the go-to organization for preparing members for state exams, lobbying for standardization, and supporting continuing education requirements.

How the NCRA Can Transition to State Certification

Shifting to a state certification model will require strategic action. The NCRA must engage in legislative advocacy, industry partnerships, and a phased approach to transition successfully.

1. Lobbying for State Certification Laws

The NCRA should work directly with state legislatures to introduce laws requiring court reporters to hold state-issued certification. This involves:

  • Partnering with judicial organizations and bar associations to highlight the importance of qualified human transcriptionists in the legal system.
  • Advocating for laws that mandate certified court reporters in legal proceedings.
  • Demonstrating the risks of uncertified or automated transcription, including inaccuracies and legal misinterpretations.

2. Phasing Out Proprietary Certifications

Rather than maintaining proprietary certifications, the NCRA should gradually transition its certification programs to support state requirements.

  • Existing NCRA certifications could be used as a training foundation for new state licensing exams.
  • The NCRA could administer exams on behalf of state agencies or work as an approved testing provider.
  • The organization could focus on continuing education, exam prep, and professional development instead of serving as the primary certification body.

3. Ensuring Reciprocity Across States

A major challenge in state licensing is fragmentation—each state could create different requirements, making it difficult for professionals to move between states. To prevent this, the NCRA should advocate for reciprocity agreements, ensuring that a certification in one state is valid in others. This model is already used in professions like medicine and law, where practitioners can transfer their credentials with minimal barriers.

4. Marketing the Benefits to Members

A shift to state certification may be met with resistance from existing NCRA members who have already obtained proprietary certifications. The NCRA must clearly communicate the benefits:

  • Greater job security due to legal protection.
  • Higher earning potential as certification becomes a requirement.
  • Stronger industry recognition backed by government agencies.
  • A standardized career path with state-backed legitimacy.

Expanding Membership Benefits

Beyond advocating for state certification, the NCRA must ensure that its membership remains valuable by offering resources that support professionals at every stage of their careers.

1. Career Development & Job Placement

If state certification becomes the norm, the NCRA could serve as the central hub for job placement and career advancement. This could include:

  • An expanded job board connecting certified court reporters with employers.
  • Resume-building tools and interview coaching.
  • Specialized recruitment services for certified professionals.

2. Continuing Education & Professional Growth

To maintain state certification, court reporters may need ongoing education. The NCRA can provide:

  • Mandatory continuing education courses.
  • On-demand webinars and workshops.
  • Specialized training programs for niche industries like medical and broadcast captioning.

3. Networking & Community Building

A strong sense of community can encourage professionals to maintain membership. The NCRA should invest in:

  • Annual conferences featuring keynote speakers and workshops.
  • Virtual networking events to connect members across different regions.
  • Mentorship programs pairing new professionals with seasoned experts.

Overcoming Potential Challenges

While a transition to state certification could bring significant benefits, it will also face obstacles. The NCRA must be prepared to address potential legal, financial, and industry challenges.

1. Revenue Loss from Certification Fees

The NCRA currently generates revenue from its proprietary certifications. To offset this loss, the organization could:

  • Charge for exam prep courses and study materials.
  • Offer continuing education programs for state-certified reporters.
  • Expand advocacy efforts and operate as a membership-driven lobbying organization.

2. Resistance from Courts Used to Looser Requirements

Some courts, particularly in states without strict certification laws, may be hesitant to adopt a state-mandated model. The NCRA should:

  • Provide case studies showcasing the risks of uncertified transcription.
  • Work with judges and legal organizations to advocate for professional certification.
  • Offer state-specific training programs to help ease the transition.

3. Pushback from Alternative Transcription Providers

Companies offering automated transcription services or non-certified alternatives could resist stricter certification laws. The NCRA must:

  • Emphasize the risks of AI-driven transcription, such as inaccuracy and lack of accountability.
  • Advocate for policies that mandate human oversight in legal transcription.
  • Educate the public and legal community on the importance of certified professionals.

Conclusion: A Bold Step Toward the Future

For the NCRA to revitalize its membership and secure the future of court reporting, it must take bold and decisive action. Moving away from proprietary certifications and pushing for state-mandated certification laws would transform court reporting into a legally recognized, standardized profession with stronger protections and higher earning potential.

By leading this movement, the NCRA can reestablish itself as the industry authority, attract more members, and ensure that human court reporters remain an essential part of the legal system for generations to come.

This approach carries risks, but if executed well, it could make the NCRA more powerful and relevant than ever. The question is: Will the organization be bold enough to take the leap?

Published by stenoimperium

We exist to facilitate the fortifying of the Stenography profession and ensure its survival for the next hundred years! As court reporters, we've handed the relationship role with our customers, or attorneys, over to the agencies and their sales reps.  This has done a lot of damage to our industry.  It has taken away our ability to have those relationships, the ability to be humanized and valued.  We've become a replaceable commodity. Merely saying we are the “Gold Standard” tells them that we’re the best, but there are alternatives.  Who we are though, is much, much more powerful than that!  We are the Responsible Charge.  “Responsible Charge” means responsibility for the direction, control, supervision, and possession of stenographic & transcription work, as the case may be, to assure that the work product has been critically examined and evaluated for compliance with appropriate professional standards by a licensee in the profession, and by sealing and signing the documents, the professional stenographer accepts responsibility for the stenographic or transcription work, respectively, represented by the documents and that applicable stenographic and professional standards have been met.  This designation exists in other professions, such as engineering, land surveying, public water works, landscape architects, land surveyors, fire preventionists, geologists, architects, and more.  In the case of professional engineers, the engineering association adopted a Responsible Charge position statement that says, “A professional engineer is only considered to be in responsible charge of an engineering work if the professional engineer makes independent professional decisions regarding the engineering work without requiring instruction or approval from another authority and maintains control over those decisions by the professional engineer’s physical presence at the location where the engineering work is performed or by electronic communication with the individual executing the engineering work.” If we were to adopt a Responsible Charge position statement for our industry, we could start with a draft that looks something like this: "A professional court reporter, or stenographer, is only considered to be in responsible charge of court reporting work if the professional court reporter makes independent professional decisions regarding the court reporting work without requiring instruction or approval from another authority and maintains control over those decisions by the professional court reporter’s physical presence at the location where the court reporting work is performed or by electronic communication with the individual executing the court reporting work.” Shared purpose The cornerstone of a strategic narrative is a shared purpose. This shared purpose is the outcome that you and your customer are working toward together. It’s more than a value proposition of what you deliver to them. Or a mission of what you do for the world. It’s the journey that you are on with them. By having a shared purpose, the relationship shifts from consumer to co-creator. In court reporting, our mission is “to bring justice to every litigant in the U.S.”  That purpose is shared by all involved in the litigation process – judges, attorneys, everyone.  Who we are is the Responsible Charge.  How we do that is by Protecting the Record.

Leave a comment