Since 1974 The College of Legal Arts (COLA) in Portland Oregon has been training individuals in Court Reporting, an in demand career that TIME Magazine now calls “Recession-
Court Reporters were already in high demand nationally due to what has been described by Senator Golden (New York State) and others as “a critical shortage.” In a time of widespread layoffs, with many people facing uncertain job security, current and future Court Reporters seem well-poised to weather the economic storm.
“The legal field is not tied to the economy in the same way other professions are,” says Joanna Russell, Campus President of COLA. “We’re maintaining our consistently high placement rate for successful Court Reporting graduates - even now.”
TIME magazine ranks Court Reporting 68th on its list of “150 Best Recession-Proof Jobs Overall.” The list ranks jobs using a scoring system based on pay, projected work growth and number of openings.
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) estimates that employment in Court Reporting will grow 25 percent between 2006 and 2016 — much faster than the average occupation. In addition to traditional Court Reporting, trained Court Reporters can work in Closed Captioning for Television as well as work with the hearing impaired.
So, Court Reporters are finding work during the recession – but what do professionals in this field earn?
CNNMoney.com recently profiled Court Reporting as a “Surprising 6-Figure Job.” According to BLS, the average wage range for trained Court Reporters is $45,610-$77,700 per year. With ample opportunities for overtime and freelance work, it’s not uncommon for an experienced Court Reporter to earn upwards of $100,000 annually.
While no career is truly impervious to the current economic landscape, experts maintain that Court Reporting comes close. Alex Gallo, owner of Alexander Gallo Holdings, the largest Court Reporting firm in the country, says “I think this is an industry that will feel the effects of a recession later and recover more quickly.”
“Everyone is uncomfortable with the recession” says Russell “but in some cases a layoff or a potential scare like that can provide the motivation someone needs to make a positive career change. A lot of our students are adult career-changers.”
The College of Legal Arts offers nationally accredited certification in Court Reporting including real-time reporting, writing for the hearing impaired, transcription production, note reading and scoping.
