Hello, I’m Janna Szeto with Janice S. Baker & Associates. I handle all of the production and sales for the firm. I just wanted to take the time to jot down a few things I’ve learned along the way in the court reporting business. So I will go first and in the weeks to come you will hear from Rich, Janice, Karen and even the amazing court reporters that are a part of this successful family-owned court reporting operation.
Four years ago, I joined my family business full-time as the office manager handling all matters of production and disposition scheduling. My family graciously took me in after being burned out by a hard 15-year stint in the grueling profession of running emergency shelters and homeless prevention agencies. Seizing the opportunity, I thought nothing could be as difficult as trying to find a place for a person to sleep or prepare a fifty-page federal grant proposal in a month’s time. I was determined to learn this business on my own with limited input from anyone.
As the initial weeks progressed, I would get frustrated with the process of wondering why reporters were not grateful to take a hearing at 5:30pm in downtown Atlanta on a Friday afternoon or equally as happy to hear me inquire about their availability for the same day three times over a two-day period. I didn’t understand why reporters and clients preferred talking with my brother and mother. Sure, they were certified court reporters with fifty years of experience between them but I was a professional too. I knew how to work with subcontractors, huge companies, and create a ton of services that were accessible to the masses. Wringing my hands, I looked to Rich one afternoon and complained how I didn’t understand the business. Exasperated I said,
“This business should be run like a temp agency where employers were happy to have a solution to their hiring needs and employees should be happy to have a job.”
Immediately, Rich stopped what he was doing, sighed heavily and explained patiently that I could not continue to fight the principles that the business was founded on. He also gave me a quick education on the differences between an employee and a subcontractor. This was a business built on working with other small business owners. I thought I would pass the same principles along so that you could also know what Janice S. Baker & Associates is all about…
Locally Owned & Personal Service- We have clients that have worked with our firm close to 33 years. We have clients that we have seen move up from the ranks of the district attorney’s office to becoming leading practitioners with their own firms. We hand deliver transcripts to clients so that we can catch up with the attorney on their grandchildren and keep the business open late into the evening to make sure a client can go over his transcript after a day in trial. We also spend time with each reporter helping them to understand our systems and serve as a technical advisor and sounding board on the trickiest of depositions, examinations or hearings. See our locations HERE.
Skilled Professionals- We employ court reporters who have the highest level of training and expertise. Our reporters not only produce quality transcript but stay on the cutting edge of technology and continue to education themselves on the standards of the profession. We try to align our reporters with the best jobs at the best location that matches their skill level and desire to make their own geographic parameters for work. Schedule a Deposition HERE.
Respect for the Profession- We take the work seriously. We know that a client experience goes beyond a paper transcript but also includes easy scheduling, bringing in additional professionals where needed such as a videographer or translator and giving clients a host of locations in which to hold their jobs. We also know that reporters appreciate when firms are easy to work with and don’t get in the way of their ability to provide a quality transcript. Looking for Employment? Check us out HERE.