Legal transcriptions are featuring more and more in the legal industry. Legal professionals do recognize the influence and efficiency of the service to their profession. The paralegals, researchers and attorneys do not have to work long hours themselves to listen to pleadings, court hearings, interrogations and testimonies. The legal transcriptionists do the job for them, turning the recordings into written records that are easier to sort, read and scan. Legal transcriptionists specialize on the subject; therefore, they provide accurate transcriptions.
How Legal Transcription Works
Legal transcriptionists listen to the audio files or views video files of legal proceedings. They transcribe (type) what they see and hear to produce a written document of the files. The document is prepared in a specific format that allows the lawyers and other legal professionals to locate the information they need easily.
The transcriptionists type out everything they hear and see from the audio and video files. In legal transcription, verbatim transcription is the most essential. It includes the following requirements:
· It is vital not to correct grammar when doing legal transcription.
· The legal transcription must include all background noise and non-verbal communication.
· Include filler words, such as ah, err, uh, um, etc. when doing legal transcription.
· The transcription should include all the stutters and false starts from the recording.
The growth of the legal transcription industry is rapid. Legal transcription services include transcriptions of legal correspondence, legal briefs, client letters, interrogations, official court hearings, testimonies and depositions. Recordings may consist of videos, digital files and physical tapes.
With the large volume of information that lawyers need to read and review at different times, legal transcription becomes vital to their legal practice.
Investing in Legal Transcription
Many laws firms now realize that investing in legal transcription is beneficial to their practice. They realize the amount of time they save when using a legal transcription service. They use the time they save for other things they need for the cases they are handling. And they can easily find the information they need in the written transcripts that legal transcriptionists provide.
A law firm does not have to hire a person to do the transcription. It is easier and more economical to outsource the service. Since the service provider focuses on the task, the delivery of the transcription is faster and more accurate. The law firm’s workflow improves because it can focus on the more essential functions that require their expertise.
Outsourcing the transcription service saves money as well. The law firm pays only for the specific work assignment. Moreover, the cost of transcription is cheaper than hiring a permanent assistant to do transcription work. The turnaround time is faster as well because legal transcriptionists are experts in their job. They understand legal terminology. Their typing speed is excellent, and they produce the documents in the format your law firm requires.
Critical to the success of outsourcing your law firm’s legal transcription requirements is working with a company that specializes in legal transcription. They have experienced transcriptionists, the right tools and the security measures in place to ensure the confidentiality of all legal files.
The Process of Legal Transcription
When you outsource your legal transcription, you should know that the process of legal transcription is quite simple.
1. The agency receives the audio/video file from the client
Most legal transcription agencies accept audio/video files in a wide variety of formats. So it is best to check with the agency if they can take your file which is in a specific format. Likewise, you should tell the legal transcription agency the submission dates you require.
The legal transcriptionist listens to the recording carefully and types it exactly, following the format that you require. The transcriptionist will also take into account the source material.
If the file is about a court proceeding or an interrogation, the grammatical inconsistencies and nuances of the patterns of speech of all speakers should remain intact.
If the source material is a letter or legal document, the transcriptionists will correct the grammar, syntax, phrasing and wording of the final document, according to your instructions.
2. Document review
After the legal transcriptionist finishes the transcription, another person reviews and proofreads the document. This step ensures the grammatical integrity and accuracy of the transcription.
3. Document submission
After passing the review and proofreading process, the agency sends the document to the client. The agency can either send a printed or digital version of the transcription. The provider adheres to the requirement of the client. The agency archives the final transcription to ensure that the client can have additional copies of the file in case of damage or loss.
Turnaround Times of Legal Transcriptions
The speed of delivery of legal transcriptions varies. Typically, legal transcription is ready within 24 to 48 hours. Some rush projects can be available in about four hours. Other jobs that fall under rush rates can be available in one to two business days. Rush jobs are more expensive. Clients who are willing to wait for the transcriptions within six to ten working days receive a discount.
For bulk files or more substantial projects that need more transcriptionists, the job may take around one to two weeks.
Rates for legal transcription services are charged by the minute. Rates vary depending on the complexity of the project. Standard one-on-one interviews or single-person interviews enjoy the lowest prices. Audio files with four or more speakers or recording dealing with particular subjects such as panel discussions, focus groups or specific terminology will have higher rates.
There is also a cost that goes beyond for a transcription, translation or interpreting. A wrongfully translated document can damage your case in a court, bring doubt about your claims, and cost you the case. See our free guide on language services in the legal industry to know more.
Choosing the Right Legal Transcription Service Provider
You need to look at a few things to ensure that you are hiring the right legal transcription agency that fits the needs of your legal firm.
Here are the features of a transcription agency you should look for:
· The transcription agency should guarantee a high degree of accuracy. If they cannot assure you at least a 99 percent accuracy, look for another agency.
· See to it that their turnaround times fit your law firm’s requirements. The agency should be flexible as there will be times when you need some transcriptions within one or two days.
· Ensure that you choose a legal transcription company that operates in your country since the firm will be following the protocols and requirements for legal transcriptions of your country.
· The legal transcription agency should have transcriptionists in a variety of languages, especially the most widely used languages.
· Their standards for security and confidentiality should be very high. You should require the agency to tell you about their security and encryption practices.
· The agency should have insurance and transparent contracts. They need insurance to protect the agency and its clients. Their contract should itemize the scope of work, including the expectations of the client and the agency. It’s good to know if their insurance policies include general liability and cyber liability.
· See to it that the agency is fully established. Read testimonials and client reviews. Since the agency will be dealing with confidential documents, it is critical to choose the legal transcription firm that is licensed and trustworthy.
Services a legal transcription firm offers
A legal transcription firm provides a wide range of services. When looking for a company to handle your legal transcription needs, see to it that the agency offers the services that your law firm needs today and in the future.
· Administrative hearings
· Arbitration proceedings
· Client tapes
· Conference calls
· Client letters
· Correspondence
· Seminar proceedings
· Conference proceedings
· Court proceedings
· Court transcripts
· Court tapes
· Taped depositions
· Examinations under oath
· Evidence/legal argument
· Fire reports
· Federal agency investigations
· Interrogations
· Judgments
· Legal pleadings
· Legal examinations
· Jury instruction
· Interviews, speeches, lectures
· Legal briefs
· Mediation briefs
· Licensing appeals
· Mediation proceedings
· Minutes of meetings
· Memorandums
· Public hearings
· General correspondence
· Wiretaps
· Teleconferences and calls
· Telephone conversations
How do you use legal transcriptions?
Legal transcriptions are precise records of legal proceedings, such as what transpired during a court session. The records can be used by legal professionals and lawyers for different purposes, such as:
· Developing plans for trials
· Formulating the questions to ask the witnesses in a trial
· Developing a plan for appealing cases
· Using the transcriptions as evidence
· Understanding the decision of the judge or the jury
Moreover, law students can use legal transcriptions to study cases from the past.
Benefits of Legal Transcriptions
Millions of cases remain pending in the United States. Legal transcriptions held attorneys and legal professionals to become more organized.
· Legal transcriptions provide the best document format for attorneys. A legal transcription contains timestamps and identifies the speaker/s, allowing the attorneys to track the event’s timeline and flow of information. The information is vital in the formulation of a case or finding inconsistencies in witness testimonies.
· The legal transcription may help attorneys support the audio or video recordings presented as evidence. The transcription is very useful for jurors and other persons involved in the hearing or trial. It ensures that everyone receives the same information from the submitted evidence. It reduces the risk of misinterpretation.
· With the written transcription of audio files, it is easier to highlight the critical parts of the document. Likewise, it is faster to make notes using legal transcription. Attorneys will be able to find the right information quickly and immediately formulate questions using the transcription. Uploading and accessing a written document is easier. You can upload it in different file formats into various devices. A written document is handier to carry, as well. Sharing the file is likewise easier and quicker.
· Legal transcriptions are critical to attorneys handling complicated cases with conflicting reports from the police and several witnesses. A legal transcription helps the attorney to get a better view of all the evidence and information, which can lead to positive results for the client and the attorney.
· Family members who are unable to attend trials and hearings can follow the court proceedings through legal transcriptions. If they speak another language, legal transcriptions can be translated into the language they understand; allowing them to know what was spoken or asked during the court session. Those who are hard of hearing also benefit from legal transcriptions, allowing them to follow the trial proceedings as well.
· It is easier to organize, locate, search for and store information when you have legal transcriptions. Written documents are easier to store when your law firm wants to transition from paper to digital files.
· Legal transcriptions are critical when your client wants to appeal. Research is quicker when you have legal transcription and preparing a new strategy will be easier. In North Carolina and other jurisdictions in the U.S., the appellant is
responsible for providing the complete record of the previous trial to appeal, which makes legal transcriptions very critical.
Work processes in a law firm are time-consuming. Outsourcing the legal transcription task to a competent legal transcription provider will save you energy, money and time. The service provider understands the requirements of the legal industry, helping you to perform the necessary tasks to ensure that your law firm and your clients get all the benefits.
We Provide High Quality Legal Transcription Services Day Translations, Inc. ensures that our clients receive the highest quality legal transcription services every time. Our legal transcription experts are native speakers and have long years of experience in the field. We offer the most competitive rates, and our turnaround time is one of the fastest in the industry. When you need accurate and high quality professional legal transcription services, give us call at 1-800-969-6853 or send us an email at Contact us. We are open 24/7, 365 days of the year.