Some court reporting companies, and most notably national conglomerates, are heavily promoting giveaways to increase their business. Whether they include coveted sports tickets, $25 gift cards, iPad, or sky miles, the effect is still the same: It cheapens the profession and degrades the achievements of the thousands of reporters who have worked hard for their credentials and continue to invest, at their own expense, in the state-of-the-art technology that allows them to continue to provide their indispensable services to the judicial system.
Not only does this practice fly in the face of the National Court Reporters Association Code of Professional Responsibility, but there are other concerns as well. According to the Internal Revenue Service, such incentives that are received by lawyers’ secretaries or assistants for bookings are in effect the property of the client of that law firm and are to be disclosed to said client.
Since court reporters are to remain neutral and impartial and are to avoid even the appearance of any impropriety, NCRA has found it necessary to state in their Code of Professional Responsibility that token gifts are not to exceed $100 annually to any one person or client.
Deposition Reporters Association of California, Inc., which is located in Santa Clara, has filed suit against US Legal after they refused to pay a fine imposed by the California Court Reporters Board for violating its regulation on kick-backs and gift-giving. The complaint alleges that US Legal provides a $200 gift card to lawyers when they book their first deposition with them.
We encourage law firms to hire court reporters based on their skills and professionalism without regard to the gifts they will receive. And shame on those reporting companies that are selling this great profession down the river and probably on the backs of the reporters they employ.
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