When attorneys receive shocking court reporting invoices, frustration is understandable. But those inflated charges are not enriching court reporters. They are the product of private-equity consolidation, corporate billing structures, and middlemen who control pricing while paying reporters a shrinking share. If the profession is being hollowed out, it is not by stenographers. It is by the business models built on top of them.
Tag Archives: PrivateEquity
Celebration or Contradiction – When Corporate CEU’s Collide With the Reality of the Record
Corporate newsletters now celebrate “community” and “professional pride” while quietly advancing business models that make those same professionals optional. When private-equity-backed firms praise stenographers as essential yet invest in scalable digital replacements, the contradiction isn’t accidental — it’s strategic. Celebration becomes optics management, not advocacy, and reporters are left to reconcile flattering words with an economic reality moving in the opposite direction.
The Court Reporting Industry Faces Structural Stress
The court reporting sector is showing signs of structural stress after years of private-equity consolidation and rising interest rates. Higher transcript costs and declining reporter compensation have prompted some firms to explore lower-cost recording methods, though many of these alternatives face evidentiary and certification limits. As labor supply tightens and compliance standards remain unchanged, the market appears to be shifting back toward models emphasizing reliability and credentialed recordkeeping.
STENOIMPERIUM 