Drive Better Outcomes

Christine Willette, RDR, CRR, CRC, recently became Esquire Deposition Solutions’ Vice President of Acquisition Strategy after more than three decades in the court reporting business as a court reporter and an agency owner. She has volunteered and served as a board member and president of the Wisconsin Court Reporters Association and the National Court Reporters Association.

Vox audita perit, litera scripta manet* *The spoken word vanishes; the written word remains The responsibility of the court reporter is to preserve the record an attorney creates. You, the attorney, may have an excellent theory and a winning strategy, but your strategy is only as good as the record that supports it. This four-part…

Few in the legal community question the aphorism that “appearances matter.” They do. Rightly or wrongly, typos in a brief, tardiness, or other signs of inattention to detail are all impediments to successful representation of the client. A lawyer’s attire can also promote, or detract from, professional success. A neat and professional personal appearance projects…

Lawyer well-being is a fuzzy term for a distinct condition that determines a lawyer’s ability to effectively serve clients and thrive in the practice of law. Well-being, like health or happiness, describes a state of being: lawyers who are mentally sound, engaged, and physically able to meet the demands of their profession. Lawyers who lack…

One legacy of our experience with the COVID-19 pandemic has been the realization that the legal system can innovate with astonishing speed when necessary to maintain operations. Zoom hearings, e-filing, virtual closings, and drive-by estate planning are now widely accepted aspects of the practice of law in the United States. We’ve had a taste of…

The coronavirus pandemic has stimulated change throughout the legal community, whether it’s judges conducting videoconference trials and managing partners re-thinking office space needs, or lawyers innovating new ways of delivering legal services. The American Bar Association wants to be part of that change too—ideally on its leading edge. The Practice Forward Initiative On July 29,…