Lake Mary Court Reporting Trends

I have been a court reporter serving Lake Mary and Longwood for over twenty years. Over that time, there has been the opportunity to work with amazing people and develop strong relationships with lawyers, doctors, court officials and other people in the community. While every other industry has been revolutionized by technology, court reporting is almost immune to this due to the nature of our work. Sure, stenography machines we use have gotten better (and much more expensive) over the years and files and uploads are easier delivered by a dropbox link or email than the old days where we had to print and drive them over, but the work remains the same.

One of the trends that I am seeing though is something that is affecting many business owners in Lake Mary, and in the rest of the US. Skilled labor is on the decline. Luckily, I have some amazing team members, but I see the decline in great, experienced workers every couple of years when I post a job. Quality applicants are fewer and fewer each time. I often wonder why- this profession pays well and I like to think that Seminole Reporting takes very good care of our employees in regard to work/life balance and professional development. I think this is because the tradeoff for all of the good stuff is that it is hard work. You have to be meticulous,organized and you have to listen well and work fast. It takes experience to be okay to always being working under a deadline where perfection is expected- all the time, every time.

Is Court Reporting Declining?

There seems to be more arbitration than ever these days. Courtroom, Meeting Notes, Contract Talks, Legal contracts, depositions, mediation and so much more. There is an incredible amount of work, but the workforce itself is declining. There are so many more opportunities than people. Empty seats are a real thing in most court reporting offices around the US. Tess Sheets, a writer for the Orlando Sentinel, wrote a brilliant and accurate article recently about this same topic,  Court Reporter Shortage Looming

In this she talked about some of the challenges of court reporting that we face often and why it is not able to be replaced by digital recording technology. The reporter also included this line that was so true-  I loved this line.“It’s been compared to a combination of learning a foreign language and an instrument at the same time,” . I am a strong pianist and can hold my own in Italian (in both the cooking and the language) so absolutely agree with this line. It is difficult. But it is also worth it.I love what I do and hope there is a resurgence in interest in the profession. I love Lake Mary and Longwood and hope to pass the mantle on someday. But for now, I will continue to do what I love and love what I do.

If you are interested in court reporting, please feel free to contact me to discuss your background.

Until Next Time,

Donna Cimino, President
SEMINOLE REPORTING INC.