Attendees of the “Best Practices for New Professionals” session at the NCRA Conference & Expo in Minneapolis, Minn., last month were treated to a packed hour of valuable information by Kathryn Sweeney, FAPR, RDR, CRR, owner of Gabriel & Sweeney Court Reporting in Newton, Mass. It was clear that she had enough material for a double session, and she kept the pace moving and the crowd engaged until the very end.
The room was buzzing with energy on Saturday morning, helped along by a prize table loaded with goodies. Sweeney had students and new professionals alike participating, with anyone who asked a question or shouted out an answer rewarded with a trip to the front of the room to pick out a prize. It was a fun way to get everyone involved and keep the energy high.
Sweeney’s presentation was filled with practical advice, offering plenty of “how-to’s” and even more “how-not-to’s.” The latter were particularly memorable, compiled from transcripts of former employees at her own firm — a great way to learn from others’ mistakes.
One of the takeaways was the importance of setting the tone as the court reporter. While many reporters tend to be quiet, Sweeney emphasized that making small talk is a crucial part of the job. She suggested chatting about the weather or sports to get a feel for the deponent’s voice and manner of speaking before the official proceedings begin.
Sweeney also covered important protocols, like the “No ID, no depo” rule, and offered advice on where to sit in the deposition room. “Nobody puts Baby in a corner,” she quoted from “Dirty Dancing,” and showed a picture of the court reporter’s seat at the head of the table.
For those moments when things get a little too fast-paced, she had the perfect quip: “I am certified to write 260 wpm. You are speaking at 300 wpm. Which 40 words do you want me to leave out?”
It’s a humorous and effective way to get the speaker to slow down without being confrontational.
Sweeney also touched on the emotional side of the job. She advised against showing personal reactions during the proceedings, suggesting that if you accidentally roll your eyes at some egregious testimony, you can quickly recover by pretending you saw a fly above your head.
For those difficult moments when the trauma of a witness may hit too close to home, Sweeney recalled a time when she had to put her head down and let her own tears fall on her machine, a candid reminder of the emotional toll this work can take.
Finally, she gave some valuable tips on the technical side of things, reminding attendees to never editorialize in a transcript. If there is a pause, you simply indicate a pause — no screenplay-style descriptions of what the witness was doing or any extra parentheticals. Sweeney showed several textual examples of what NOT to do.
Overall, it was a whirlwind session that left attendees with a lot to think about and plenty of solid advice to put into practice.
Kathryn Sweeney, FAPR, RDR, CRR, of Bedford, N.H., is a freelancer and owner of Gabriel & Sweeney Court Reporting. She can be reached at kaytikat30@yahoo.com.
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