Court Reporters Breaking Barriers in the Legal World

The legal profession is often perceived as an exclusive club, where connections, privilege, and background dictate success. The story of a determined individual breaking into law against all odds resonates with many who have faced systemic barriers. Yet, while much attention is given to the lawyers themselves, an often-overlooked group within the legal world faces similar challenges and plays an equally vital role—court reporters.

Court reporters are the silent sentinels of the courtroom, capturing every word spoken in legal proceedings with precision and accuracy. Their work is essential in ensuring justice is documented, yet they, too, must navigate a profession that is not always welcoming to outsiders. Like the aspiring lawyer in the inspiration story, court reporters often confront barriers to entry, professional biases, and a lack of recognition for their indispensable contributions.

The Challenge of Breaking In

Just as many aspiring lawyers struggle to secure their first role, court reporters often face a daunting entry process. Training programs are rigorous, requiring not only technical mastery but also linguistic dexterity and unwavering concentration.

For those without industry connections, breaking into court reporting can feel like an uphill battle. Many firms prefer candidates with experience, yet gaining that experience often depends on being given a chance in the first place. Furthermore, like the legal profession, court reporting has historically been dominated by individuals from certain backgrounds, making it harder for those from non-traditional paths to be accepted.

Overcoming Bias and Stereotypes

In the legal world, accents, educational background, and social standing can influence career opportunities. The same biases that affect aspiring lawyers also impact court reporters. There is often an unspoken expectation for court reporters to conform to traditional norms, whether it be in their manner of speech, professional affiliations, or even appearance.

However, court reporters, like lawyers, are proving that skill and determination transcend these biases. The legal field is beginning to recognize that diversity in court reporting brings broader benefits, such as improved accessibility, multilingual capabilities, and a workforce that better represents the communities it serves.

Turning Challenges Into Strengths

Court reporters who have faced rejection, professional roadblocks, or skepticism due to their background often develop resilience that sets them apart. Like the lawyer in the inspiration story, they learn to turn setbacks into motivation, seeking alternative paths and opportunities when traditional doors remain closed.

Many successful court reporters have built their careers by demonstrating excellence in their craft, networking relentlessly, and proving that their work ethic and skill far outweigh superficial factors. They innovate, adapt, and show that success in court reporting—like in law—is not about where you come from, but what you bring to the table.

The Future of Court Reporting is a More Inclusive Profession

Just as law firms benefit from embracing diverse legal professionals, the judicial system gains immeasurably from fostering a more inclusive court reporting profession. Firms that recognize the value of hiring court reporters based on merit, rather than background, will reap the rewards of a more skilled, engaged, and diverse workforce.

Technology is also playing a role in leveling the playing field. Remote court proceedings and the growing acceptance of voice-writing across more states are creating new opportunities for those who may have previously been excluded from traditional court reporting roles. With increased accessibility and recognition of talent over pedigree, the future of court reporting is shifting toward inclusivity and meritocracy.

Conclusion

The journey of an outsider striving to break into the legal profession is not unique to lawyers—it is a challenge faced by court reporters as well. Yet, as the legal industry evolves, those who have persevered through rejection, bias, and adversity are proving to be invaluable assets.

Whether in law or court reporting, the message remains the same: the future belongs to those who bring dedication, skill, and resilience to the table. And for those firms and institutions that recognize and embrace this, the advantages are clear. The question is, are they ready to move forward?

The answer, much like the profession itself, is being written in real time—by those bold enough to redefine the narrative.

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. View more posts