Tag Archives: whatistranscription

Legal Secretaries by Julia Wojdacz

Paralegal and Transcription

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I started as a legal secretary over eleven years ago. When I started in the law office it was part-time as a receptionist. Over a period of time, I worked my way up to being a legal secretary. Suddenly, the attorney came in and gave me a tape and said “here, please transcribe this and do whatever it is on there.” I thought to myself, “what?!” “What is a transcript?” “What do I do with it once I’m done?” I wish that someone back then would have been around to inform me of what transcription was, and what I was supposed to do with it.

As a graduate from a college with my Associate’s Degree in Paralegal Studies, I find that the college that I attended said nothing about a paralegal needing to know transcription. So, I have set out asking paralegal students if they knew they were supposed to know transcription. You would not believe how many of them look at me dumbfounded and asked “Transcription, what is that?” “How do you do transcription?” “What is the purpose of it?”

Even with the electronic age and quite a few attorneys creating their own work, there is still a need for transcription. Attorneys may interview a witness from a car accident, it needs to be transcribed into something that the attorney can use. Defense Attorneys may have to have a jail-house taped conversation of one inmate calling someone on the “outside” transcribed, or a transcript of something that went down on the inside from a recording.

There is a misconception that transcription is easy to do, that anyone can do it. I’m sorry but I disagree! I have set out to prepare paralegals and to teach individuals how to prepare concise, good quality transcripts.

Transcription is an “art form” not just anybody can do it. You have to be able to capture the context of what the person is saying, but still have correct punctuation and grammar. The School of Transcription is your continuing education to teach new paralegals and individuals the art form of transcription. Won’t you join us today to learn the “right way” to do transcription? Classes are starting soon. Seating is limited! Don’t wait! Start your membership today! Click on

Training Transcriptionists and Paralegals

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I have received numerous comments from clients who I have done transcription for that have told me that they were unhappy with how they were treated by the transcriptionist that they hired.  The transcriptionist either didn’t take out all of the ohh’s, um’s, ahhh’s etc, didn’t get back with them on a continual basis, took a week to do a one hour audio, or realized they didn’t charge enough and left the client high and dry.  To me this is very unacceptable behavior and not at all how a client should be treated.

I also just finished my Associate’s degree with a local college here in Missouri, and they didn’t even offer to teach the paralegals any form of transcription at all.  I realized after working with clients for over three years and the problems they were facing that people who want to get into transcription think that it is easy.  They think that anyone can do it.  Well that is NOT the case.

Transcription is an art form, as I see it. You have to be concise. You have to provide a good quality product. You have to undersell and over produce.  Yes, we do transcribe verbatim but that doesn’t mean put every ohhh, ahhh and ummmm in the transcript.

For these reasons I came up with the School of Transcription. If you are a paralegal just coming out of college, or someone who wants to start their own transcription business working from home, then you need to attend the School of Transcription. When you become a member of the School of Transcription you will have access to chat with other members via text chat and video chat, blogs, forums, and access to a monthly webinar with your three month paid subscription.

In the webinar members will learn:

?  The correct equipment to use, and how to use it;

? The proper way to format: letters, memos, pleadings (if you’re a paralegal), and the proper way to format interviews;

? Also you will transcribe an hour long audio that you can use as a sample product of your service.

All of this is included with your paid membership.  So, get your membership started TODAY! Space is limited! Click on to become a charter member of the School of Transcription!

If you have any questions please contact me at:

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