The Journal of Court Reporting
On March 26, Law360 posted an article in honor of Women’s History Month authored by NCRA member Karen Santucci, CRI, chair of the court reporting program at Plaza College, Queens, N.Y., and vice president of the New York State Court Reporters Association, about the important roles women court reporters play in the American judicial system.
The North American Legal Chronicle reported on Jan. 12 that CIVC Partners, a Chicago-based middle-market private equity firm, announced that it has invested in Magna Legal Services.
NCRA Technology Committee member Kelli Ann Willis, RPR, CRR, has taken over the NCRA Instagram account, @ncraofficial, this week from the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, Nev. We talked to her about what she is planning.
JCR Weekly | Tell us about yourself.
KAW | I am an international realtime court reporter. I have been reporting since 1983 and realtiming since 1994. I have been a techie since my teens.
JCR Weekly | What interests you about the CES?
KAW | CES is the Super Bowl of the tech world! It is the place where all new technology is showcased. I have been watching reports from the CES floor for years!
JCR Weekly| What are you hoping to find?
KAW | I cannot wait to see the new TVs, computers, and anything else that catches my eye! I am going to be on the search for anything techie that can help court reporters.
JCR Weekly | What new technology do you think will be interesting to NCRA members?
KAW | Computers, cell phones, and AI will be a focus.
Be sure to follow us on Instagram at @ncraofficial to see what Willis finds.
Cyberattacks are in the news again. And while the reports may focus on elections or high-profile attacks on government or financial organizations, cyberattacks on small- and medium-size businesses are accelerating and increasingly sophisticated.
In an effort to keep these kinds of issues at the forefront of members’ minds and give a general background and knowledge, we collected a number of links to articles that can offer information as you decide the best approach for you and your company. In addition, we’ve linked several TechLinks stories from the past year that discuss protecting yourself from various scams.
Nolo, one of the web’s largest libraries of free, consumer-friendly legal information, offers a few steps that small businesses can take to prevent being caught in a cyberattack: 1) maintain control over your security chain; 2) implement security and other protection measures; and 3) involve law enforcement after detecting a security breach. The article also offers advice on what to do after a cyberattack.
A May 29 article on Inc.com suggested that the majority of small businesses do not have a plan to protect against cyberattacks. The article goes on to offer four myths that small business owners might hold and four ways to protect your company.
The best defense is being aware of potential risks, reminds a May 4 article on Forbes.com. The article lists the top five ways that cyberattacks occur and offers ways to combat them. Hackers are looking to find the weak link in your organization, so make sure that everyone who works for you is aware of what to look for and how to avoid it.
Also see:
TechLinks: How to build a strong password
TechLinks: Is this email for real?
TechLinks: Staying safe online
M&E Daily reported on April 24 that digital media and content services facility Los Angeles Distribution & Broadcasting (LADB) has named closed captioning specialist Deborah Schuster as its new EVP of accessibility services, a role that will see her spearheading LADB’s expansion into the live captioning business.
The Sports Video Group reported on April 18 that VITAC Captions will provide captioning for the National Hockey League’s Stanley Cup playoff games.
Registration for Intersteno’s 2018 Internet Keyboarding Competition being held April 23 through May 9 via its website closes April 22. The online competition allows steno machine writers and other keyboarders to test their skills and find out how they rate worldwide. NCRA members who place in the contest will be listed in upcoming issues of the JCR and JCR Weekly.
Competitors will use the Taki software, which is a free download on the Intersteno website, and can participate on a day of their own choosing between April 23 and May 9. It’s up to the individual to decide how they want to enter the competition.
Court reporting programs can register groups of students and host a competition for a class or entire school in conjunction with the event. Court reporting students who are interested in participating should contact their instructor about registering.
For more information about the competition or to register as an individual contestant, contact NCRA at intersteno@ncra.org.
More information on the contest is available at Intersteno.org.
Interested in the Intersteno Internet Contest? Check out these stories:
Get a taste of international competition without leaving your office
NCRA’s Intersteno Task Force interviews the winners of the Intersteno Internet Keyboarding Contest
Expedite, based in Tampa, Fla., announced in a press release issued April 2, that it has launched a new app that lets attorneys, paralegals, and firm owners schedule support providers and service providers from their cell phones.
Nancy Bistany, RPR, found a list of five steps to take to make sure that you are Understanding internet safety,” in which several of them shared their typical practices.]
Robin Nodland, FAPR, RDR, CRR, found a good list for security issues for lawyers in the SmallLaw blog, part of Technolawyer, which can easily be adapted for court reporters and court reporting firms. The article shares that security for a law firm should be a layered affair, covering physical, digital, and human factors. “I love the question at the end: What happens if you get hit by a bus?” Nodland says. ”I ask this of every one of our court reporters, whether they’re an employee with us or an independent contractor.” [Note that the article is free but requires a TechnoLawyer profile to access.]
Jonathan Moretti, CLVS, shared the July 2017 issue of Malwarebytes’ newsletter, which included an article on how to stay cyber safe. Tips included how to monitor your children’s internet habits, watching out for public WiFi, and avoiding credit card skimmers at ATMs and gas pumps.
In a press release issued Sept. 19, DirectDep, based in New York, announced a new online service that helps legal professionals reserve qualified court reporters in seconds. The online service works similar to reservation and appointment services such as OpenTable and Zocdoc.