Announcing Trial Calendar’s™ New Customized Pricing & Itemized Case Billing!

Trial Calendar™ is PohlmanUSA’s custom-built web application designed for the organization and management of trial dates associated with Madison County’s Asbestos docket is now affordable for all firms.

You asked and we listened- New!! Itemized Case Billing
On the last business day of each month, PohlmanUSA will track all cases for your firm to ensure they meet both billing requirements as listed below.
 The case is currently in first “Set” status for a future trial docket according to the Madison County, IL asbestos docket and
 The case contains your firm’s active entry of appearance on file with the court

New Billing Structure! Starting in May 2016 your firm will be billed a monthly per case fee of $0.50/case or $2.00/case based on the access level selected by your firm. For all cases meeting both requirements above, in addition to the monthly invoice, your firm will receive the itemized Trial Calendar™ statement containing the cases/clients your firm represents in these future “Set” cases on the docket. As requested, this itemized statement will provide your firm with details allowing you to allocate appropriate costs to each client.

For more information or to get started
Simply log into the MyCase™ system and click the Trial Calendar™ tab to subscribe, or contact our Litigation Support Technology Team at (877) 421-0099 or [email protected] or your trusted account representative.

To attend our upcoming Trial Calendar Webinar on Thursday, April 14th at 12:00pm CST, please contact [email protected]
We’re Always Listening.®

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How to Choose a Vendor: Part 1: General Questions to Ask

Whether you are an attorney or staff member in a litigation firm, your job has a lot of moving parts with limited time to accomplish all that needs to be done each day. When choosing a business partner to support you it is important, and can save a lot of time on the back end, if you know what questions to ask upfront.

Below is a list of questions to consider when selecting a court reporting agency:

What is your confirmation process?

When working with a vendor, you want to be sure the item you’ve checked off your to-do list will get done without requiring you to follow up repeatedly.  A company should confirm receipt of your notice of deposition within an hour and begin working to schedule the best court reporter and videographer for your needs.  On the day before your deposition, the scheduling department should email the individual who scheduled the deposition by 9:00 am to confirm the deposition is going forward.  By the afternoon, if there has yet to be a confirmation, the company should call that scheduler in your office and receive confirmation from either the scheduler or someone else with the team.

How can I reach your staff after hours?

It is important to know whether you can get in touch with your vendor after hours for last-minute scheduling or cancellations or urgent production needs.  Ask your vendor where their after-hours phone calls are routed.  Do they go to a third-party answering service?  A voicemail box that gets checked the next day?  The scheduling, production and video departments should be available 24/7 for any last minute requests that need to be made.

What is your cancellation policy?

Did you know that more than 40% of depositions get cancelled?  If you don’t know already, be sure to find out your vendor’s cancellation policy and discuss any extenuating circumstances in advance.  Keeping the line of communication open and discussing case-specific needs will help your vendor understand your expectations and, ultimately, give you better service.  A quick conversation can help you avoid footing the bill for a cancellation fee.

 When will you bill me?

With some vendors it may depend on the service line or product you are purchasing. It is important to know whether your invoice is coming by mail or electronically. It is good for a company to offer both options out of consideration for the client who has his or her own preferences and processes for payment. You should also know when the bills are sent out. A company should invoice you approximately 3 weeks from the date of service. However, there are always exceptions, such as immediate pass-through costs, in which case billing may be different.

When and how do you expect payment?

It is also good to know when payment is due. To avoid unnecessary confusion, it is best that payment is due upon receipt.  To assist clients and ease the burden placed on their accounting departments, it is also good to consider different payment options, such as check or ACH.

Can you assist in some of the planning details?

If your to-do list is growing and certain tasks are taking up too much of your time, check with your vendor to see how they can help.  Ask if they can handle some of the small details that take up so much time, or if they offer services to make your job easier.

What territory or venues do you cover? 

Some litigation firms are only local, and some are nationwide. Nationwide firms can have an advantage, working with numerous court reporters and videographers across the United States who are available to cover even last minute depositions. A company with an established network can relieve you of having to deal with multiple court reporting companies and their diverse internal processes. Also, if you work across state lines, having a centralized scheduling, production, and billing department provides you with consistent service and a timely response no matter where your depositions occur.  When someone from your team is out of the office, having your transcripts available at one reporting firm will allow you to always know where to find them.

Can you find and book the conference room for me?

Whether a deposition is local or across the country, calling hotels and conference facilities for rates, taking notes, negotiating, and handling the contract can be very time consuming.  An established company will know where to call, where not to call, and what questions to ask. They can get you the best rate by booking rooms by volume.   This allows you to focus on other priorities without all the hassle of returning calls and hunting down answers to unnecessary questions.

Do I have to order every time or can I set up a standing order?

Whether you’re working on a large case with many depositions or many cases involving a similar matter, if you find yourself consistently placing the same order, then setting up a standing order might be useful.  If your vendor offers this service, you can tell them exactly what you want after each deposition and your order will automatically be filled.  A standing order should be offered at no charge to you.  Companies should allow you to specify details of your standing order down to specific attorneys, county, or case.  For example, if attorney John Smith always wants a hard copy, e-transcript, e-exhibits, and not the video, with the invoice sent to co-counsel after his depositions in Madison County, IL cases only a standing order will help to be sure all requests are fulfilled. Another example is attorney Jackie Scott orders a rough, e-transcript, and synched video after her depositions in St. Louis City, Cook County, IL, Los Angeles, CA and New York, NY but not in cases in other locations.

Do you offer online scheduling?

Online scheduling can be a useful tool that can save you time. Companies that are keeping up with the available technologies should be able to offer this service to you. At PohlmanUSA we offer scheduling via phone, email, fax or through our proprietary website.

What features does your website offer to help save me time?  The agency’s website should be more than just a billboard for their  company; it should also be an interactive medium that receives information from clients. For example, at PohlmanUSA.com  you can upload 10 notices at one time, sign up to receive deposition alerts regarding detail changes, and even access a searchable repository of your firm’s past orders.

Want to learn more about how PohlmanUSA can be your partner in reducing costs associated with discovery in your litigation? Call our sales & marketing department at 1-877-421-0099 or email us at [email protected].  And remember, “We’re always listening®.”

 

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National Court Reporting & Captioning Week Part 5: What is your professional goal for 2016?

National Court Reporting and Captioning Week is being celebrated February 14-20.  The week-long event is designed to celebrate the court reporting and captioning professions and to help raise public awareness about the growing number of employment opportunities the career offers.  In recognition of the outstanding court reporters PohlmanUSA has the opportunity to work with each and every day, we wanted to highlight their responses to questions we posed surrounding their profession.

Today’s question was, “What is your professional goal for 2016?” Here’s how they answered:

To write cleaner than I ever have, and to be able to turnaround quicker. Also to learn as much as I can this year about my software and what it can do. – Julie H

To earn my RPR and CRR. – Maria S

At least one more certification, and also trying to get non-members to join the Missouri Court Reporters Association so we can stay alive and well.  Every reporter should be a member! – Deborah M

I’m working on improving my writing.  It’s very hard to train your fingers and brain to write differently on the fly when you’ve been writing a certain way for going on 17 years.  I now bring a 4-page cheat sheet on jobs and lay it on my laptop to refer to.  It’s words and briefs I’m trying to improve on.  Once I get them down, I add more to my list!  It’s a never-ending daunting task! – Dawn B

My goal for 2016 is geared more towards my future.  I’m very interested in the captioning field further down the road, so my plan is to learn more about that, take a seminar, maybe seek out people in that field to hear more about it. – Kathy O

For more information about court reporting, visit http://www.ncra.org/. For more information about starting a career in court reporting, please visit us at http://pohlmanusa.com/.

 

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National Court Reporting & Captioning Week Part 4: What advice would you give to court reporting students?

National Court Reporting and Captioning Week is being celebrated February 14-20.  The week-long event is designed to celebrate the court reporting and captioning professions and to help raise public awareness about the growing number of employment opportunities the career offers.  In recognition of the outstanding court reporters PohlmanUSA has the opportunity to work with each and every day, we wanted to highlight their responses to questions we posed surrounding their profession.

Today’s question was, “What advice would you give to court reporting students?” Here’s how they answered:

I would advise reporting students to fine-tune their vocabulary and punctuation skills and to read a variety of things in order to broaden their overall knowledge base.  Reader’s Digest is a wonderful, easy-to-read periodical that includes vocabulary, stories, and news from many different fields.  Finger drills are also important to build dexterity. – Mary G

Practice well (don’t just bang on the machine), read back to yourself and be disciplined in your practice sessions.  Practice, practice, practice. – Bo K

I would tell court reporting students to keep practicing and never give up! – Julia B

My advice to students would be to learn the time-saving steps your software can do for you, and practice, practice, practice. – Jean P

Practice, practice, practice!  Give it your all so you can get out of school and into the field.  We need you, and we want you! – Deborah M

Know your dictionary. And, practice, practice, practice. – Dianna H

Stick with it.  It’s very challenging.  There will always be certain speed levels where you just can’t seem to get past, but once you finally break through it, you will see that all things are possible.  It just takes time and dedication to practicing as much as you possibly can while going through school. – Dawn B

For more information about court reporting, visit http://www.ncra.org/. For more information about starting a career in court reporting, please visit us at http://pohlmanusa.com/.

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National Court Reporting & Captioning Week Part 3: What would you tell non-reporters about the profession?

National Court Reporting and Captioning Week is being celebrated February 14-20.  The week-long event is designed to celebrate the court reporting and captioning professions and to help raise public awareness about the growing number of employment opportunities the career offers.  In recognition of the outstanding court reporters PohlmanUSA has the opportunity to work with each and every day, we wanted to highlight their responses to questions we posed surrounding their profession.

The third question we asked was, “What would you tell non-reporters about the profession?” Here’s what our reporters said:

If you crave a little variety in your professional life, would like to travel, work your own hours, have a lucrative career with the possibility of reinventing yourself (as a television captioner, recorder of veterans’ memoirs, official or freelance reporter), and work at varied venues regarding different subject matters, court reporting is for you. – Deralyn G

It’s the best kept career secret… an amazing financial opportunity, and the flexibility is outstanding.  It’s never boring. – Julie H

There is a lot of ability to change what you do within this profession, from the amount of hours you work to whether you are employed or self-employed to what kind of work you do (work with criminal or civil cases in a legal capacity or work with the hearing-impaired community or work for a television audience, and more) to where you work (in a courthouse, at home, traveling, etc.). – Kathy W

Don’t be intimidated.  If you have a true desire and will, anything is possible. – Maria S

I would tell non-reporters this profession can be very rewarding, but very stressful also. – Jean P

You will learn about a wide spectrum of topics. – Cindy R

In the freelance world, we have such a variety of cases and locations that your work day is never the same; always something new! – Dawn B

Trying to make your writing perfect is tedious; watch your steno come into your software, define mistakes you consistently make.  Always be positive and smile through mistakes; everyone is human.  Make time to laugh and spend time with important people in your life. Work is not everything. – Beth G

For more information about court reporting, visit http://www.ncra.org/. For more information about starting a career in court reporting, please visit us at http://pohlmanusa.com/.

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National Court Reporting & Captioning Week Part 2: What is your favorite tool for the trade of court reporting and why?

National Court Reporting and Captioning Week is being celebrated February 14-20.  The week-long event is designed to celebrate the court reporting and captioning professions and to help raise public awareness about the growing number of employment opportunities the career offers.  In recognition of the outstanding court reporters PohlmanUSA has the opportunity to work with each and every day, we wanted to highlight their responses to questions we posed surrounding their profession.

The second question we asked was, “What is your favorite tool for the trade of court reporting and why?” Here’s what they had to say:

My favorite tool is the reporting software I use, Stenograph’s Case CATalyst.  When I first began reporting, I would type from my notes on a word processor or dictate them for a typist.  Computer-aided transcription is much more efficient. – Mary G

The tool that I use constantly is Google Search.  Whether it’s a deposition of a forensic toxicologist, an orthopedic surgeon, a railroad worker, an employee of a recycling plant, an RN at a hospital, etc., I am always looking up unfamiliar words for the correct spellings and then reading what the definition is. – Laurie F

My favorite tool is wireless broadcasting of realtime to attorneys. I no longer make deposition/courtrooms look like Charlotte’s Web. – Deralyn G

There are two favorite tools for me.  My writer (stenographic machine) is fun to write on, and the computer-aided transcription (CAT) software I use is top-notch. – Kathy W

My favorite tool is the software and audio sync. – Laura L

I’m a bit old-school, but I love my Marantz digital recorder.   It works as a recorder and you can attach a foot pedal for transcription.  I still believe in having two sources of audio backup! – Kathy O

My favorite tool is “Brief It.”  It’s a window that pops up on the right-hand side of your screen that provides briefs as you are doing real time.  It is awesome.  – Julia B

For more information about court reporting, visit http://www.ncra.org/. For more information about starting a career in court reporting, please visit us at http://pohlmanusa.com/.

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National Court Reporting & Captioning Week Part 1: Why did you become a court reporter?

National Court Reporting and Captioning Week is being celebrated February 14-20.  The week-long event is designed to celebrate the court reporting and captioning professions and to help raise public awareness about the growing number of employment opportunities the career offers.  In recognition of the outstanding court reporters PohlmanUSA has the opportunity to work with each and every day, we wanted to highlight their responses to questions we posed surrounding their profession.

The first question we asked was, “Why did you become a court reporter?” Here’s what they said:

I knew someone who was a court reporter. I was intrigued with her steno machine along with all of its intricacies. I asked many questions to learn more, and I realized at that moment how important the job of a court reporter is in the legal profession and realized at that moment that this was my career path! It is very challenging but very rewarding. – Maria S

I became a court reporter because it’s where the action is. You’re there recording the news.  Final transcripts are sometimes quoted by periodicals and papers. – Deralyn G

I became a reporter because I have always been interested in the legal field, went to legal secretary school first, and came upon this amazing profession and knew I’d love it.  Plus the flexibility with a family is worth it all. – Julie H

Thought it would be an interesting career with rewarding income. – Bo K

I became a court reporter because I was always good at English and history/government classes but horrible at math and science.  When I read an article in my school newspaper about court reporters, I decided right then and there it was for me. – Kathy M

For more information about court reporting, visit http://www.ncra.org/. For more information about starting a career in court reporting, please visit us at http://pohlmanusa.com/.

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PohlmanUSA Welcomes Videographer Frank Holmes

Frank Holmes has joined St. Louis based national litigation support firm, PohlmanUSA Court Reporting and Litigation Services, as a Video and Trial Services Representative. Making the announcement was Debbie Walters, president and chief operating officer.

In his new position, Frank is assisting the other members of the Video and Trial Services department by shooting depositions, duplicating DVD’s, and syncing videos to transcripts. Frank brings expertise, technology skills, and a solid video background to the team. These skills will be used to enhance the already strong video, technology and marketing departments. Previously, Frank was contracted by CenturyLink’s technical training department as a video editor, and currently works as a camera operator at the St. Louis University Chaifetz Arena. He holds both a Bachelor of Science Degree in Digital Cinematography and an Associate of Science Degree in Film Production from Full Sail University.

Founded in 1990, PohlmanUSA provides law firms across the U.S. with court reporting and advanced litigation support services from offices in St. Louis, MO, and both Edwardsville and Chicago, IL. Its nearly 60 member staff is complemented by a nationwide network of over 400 partner-contractor court reporters. PohlmanUSA offers a proprietary, online case management program called MyCase™ and a custom solution to eFile and eServe, MyDocFileServe™. In 2012, PohlmanUSA launched a records collection, management and online distribution service called MyRecordsRetrieval™, and in 2013 began offering Desktop Video Conferencing (DVC) for use in depositions across the country and world-wide. Visit www.pohlmanusa.com for more information. We’re always listening. ®

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What can a Certified Realtime Reporter do for you?

A Certified Realtime Reporter (CRR) has become an indispensable tool in the deposition process. The CRR uses a combination of stenographic skills, technology, and high speed writing to provide an instantaneous translation of the deposition transcript onto an attorney’s laptop or tablet screen. The immediacy and accuracy of the colloquy that a CRR provides makes them a valuable asset to any attorney whether the case is a small personal injury matter, a multi-million dollar MDL, or an Intellectual Property case.

Here are eight reasons clients request a Certified Realtime Reporter from PohlmanUSA:

  1. Realtime reporting allows for online streaming  to offsite participants and provides a rough draft of the transcript immediately to all involved parties.
  2. Realtime reporting adds a layer of resources during the deposition by allowing for keyword searching and annotating, making it easier for attorneys to develop further questions during the deposition.
  3. In addition to the need to be in the top percentage of court reporters as it relates to both accuracy and speed, a Certified Realtime Reporter also must first become a real-time reporter by obtaining their Certified Realtime Reporter (CRR) certification and have the technology available to synch their stenographic machine to a laptop for producing the transcript as they write.
  4. Realtime court reporters can also be scheduled to produce real-time transcripts for hearings, trials, and company meetings.
  5. Realtime reporters are also used for traditional court reporting jobs where they do not have the need to bring in the additional technology but the attorney desires a clean rough draft on an expedited timeline, including the same day.
  6. Every court reporter we use is interviewed by PohlmanUSA, ensuring the client the very best reporters the industry has to offer.
  7. PohlmanUSA also has over 70,000 transcripts in our deposition repository, allowing for our court reporters to come to a deposition with a dictionary of not only common words but industry-specific terms suited for the deposition.
  8. PohlmanUSA has the experience and reputation established that only 25 years as a nationwide provider of technology-driven court reporting services can provide.

At PohlmanUSA we pride ourselves on the experience of our court reporters, many of whom are real-time certified and are available nationwide to provide you a realtime transcript at your next deposition. PohlmanUSA offers unparalleled nationwide court reporting services. Our extensive experience in organizing and attending thousands of depositions each year has allowed us to create a fluid, dynamic process that ensures our clients receive personalized service and flawless products. If you want to learn more about our real-time reporters or any other service we offer, please contact the sales and marketing team at [email protected] or check out our website at PohlmanUSA.com. We look forward to showing you why we have been relied on by so many firms coast to coast for the past 25 years.

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