Esquire Deposition Solutions Launches Mentorship Program to Help Strengthen Court Reporting Industry in Texas

ATLANTA, June 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- To help strengthen and grow the court reporting industry in Texas, which currently faces a critical shortage of Certified Shorthand Reporters (CSRs), Esquire Deposition Solutions LLC (Esquire) today announced it has launched a mentorship program for newly certified court reporters in the state.

Esquire's Texas mentorship program, which supports both stenographers and voice writers, connects experienced Texas CSRs with new Texas CSRs to provide guidance and support.

"Our expanded Texas mentorship program helps new Texas CSRs refine their skills and advance in their careers," said Esquire Chief Executive Officer Barry Dark. "We also believe that offering more opportunities for professional growth will help address the critical shortage of court reporters in Texas, which is vital for maintaining a fully functioning court and justice system in the state."

Texas has experienced a 22% reduction in CSRs since 2005 as the number of new courts of record has continued to grow, according to the Judicial Branch Certification Commission (JBCC), which oversees the certification, registration, and licensing of court reporters and court reporting firms throughout Texas. While the number of newly certified reporters has increased since 2021, that increase has been offset by the profession's attrition, primarily from baby-boomer retirees.

Esquire's new mentorship program is an evolution of a pilot mentorship program started in Texas by Terri Hill, CSR, RPR, and Cindy Romero, CSR, founders of McAllen, Texas-based Hill & Romero Certified Court Reporters, which was acquired by Esquire in December 2023.

"We are passionate about our industry and believe that mentors can be instrumental in helping new court reporters succeed and thrive," said Hill. "We are thrilled that Esquire appreciates the value of our initiative by launching its own, more robust mentorship program to enhance and help grow the court reporting industry throughout Texas."

Esquire pairs the newly certified Texas reporter with an experienced Texas CSR mentor, who provides one-on-one support, constructive feedback on transcript preparation, and advice on unique proceeding scenarios, transcript dilemmas, and handling workloads. This valuable guidance ensures that the professional in the room is properly trained to capture the proceeding and create an unimpeachable transcript, which delivers impeccable client experiences.

Esquire also will continue to support the Texas Apprentice Court Reporter licensing program, which was created by the Texas Supreme Court to allow partially certified Texas CSR candidates to report for up to two years – typically while the apprentice's final certification is still pending.

In combination, Esquire's mentorship program and Esquire's support for the Texas apprenticeship program drives overall growth of the court reporting profession. Building the relationship between the experienced court reporters and the new Texas-certified reporters keeps veteran or retired court reporters engaged in the field while supporting the next generation of reporters. 

For more information about Esquire's Texas mentorship program, contact Esquire's Director of Reporter Recruitment & Retention, Lauren Grupper, at [email protected].

Esquire Deposition Solutions is a leading national provider of remote and in-person court reporting, video, translation, transcription, interpreting services, and deposition summaries for law firms, insurance companies, and corporate legal departments, supporting more than 200,000 depositions annually.

SOURCE Esquire Deposition Solutions LLC