By Lori S. Warren
Not many reporters were as blessed as I was to have a mentor like Sara Prince. From the moment we set foot on campus, Mrs. Prince impressed upon us the importance of our profession; the duty we had as a court reporter. The honor we would share of being the keeper of the record. She was very involved in our state and national associations. Everyone in the industry knew her name (and associated it with good). Because of this, I really didn’t think much about joining both associations when I graduated. I looked at it as an investment in myself and my profession.
Every day freelance reporters go to depositions without seeing another reporter. Attorneys go to depositions and see other attorneys. Even though they may be opponents, they have weekly opportunities to visit and discuss current matters with other attorneys. Reporters do not have this luxury. Our jobs can be very isolating. In the last few years, FB groups and other chats have become available to reporters, but, prior to that, there wasn’t really a way for reporters to connect. And, although the groups/chats can be a fun way to vent to one another, they are not a collective, organized way to get things done.
In order for reporters to remain viable in our profession, we have to be professional and we must stick together. We can’t let the recent laxing of society erode the gravity of the job we share. If we do not take ourselves or our duties seriously, we will be discarded for technology. If we are to protect the record as we should, we need to come together as a whole to defend it. We do this, just as other professionals do, by being a part of something bigger than ourselves; that is, by joining our state and national associations. As Helen Keller said, “Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much.” Our associations go to bat for us every year with state and national leaders to impress upon them the value of the court reporter. They watch for bills that are being presented that would have detrimental effects on our profession. These leaders are there to protect us. The least we can do is support them with our membership.
Technology is going to change the way the record is taken down in the future, but it should not change the keeper of the record. Invest in yourself and your profession so we can do the one thing we were all trained to do…protect the record.
-Lori S. Warren, CCR RPR
President/CEO Alabama Court Reporting, Inc.
