LiveLitigation Certified Reporter Spotlight
Name: Lisa Mayo
Title: Freelance Reporter with Elite Reporting Services
Certifications: RMR, CRR
What is your background? I am a freelance reporter in Memphis, TN who began her career 20 years ago.
When did you begin your court reporting career? I went to court reporting school straight out of high school and graduated with an Associate’s Degree in 1996.
What sparked your interest in choosing court reporting as a profession?
Honestly, I’m not sure what it was exactly that sparked my interest in court reporting. I remember being in high school and seeing it on TV. I have always been a little nosy by nature and thought this was a career that would allow me to hear and see different things every day, which was right up my alley.
What advice would you give to students or those just entering the field of court reporting?
My advice to students as well as new reporters entering the field would be to keep practicing, keep working on improving your writing. The skills needed to be a great reporter aren’t only achieved in the classroom. It’s a constant process.
What is your favorite thing about being a court reporter?
My favorite thing about being a court reporter is just what brought me into the field 20 years ago, and that is, I get to hear and see something new every day. I meet someone new every day.
As a Court Reporter, what is your worst nightmare or biggest pet peeve?
My worst nightmare is that I will arrive at a job and all my equipment will fail and I have to pull out a pen and notepad and take down the record manually, which I am not trained at all to do.
Where is the strangest place you have taken a deposition?
The strangest place I have taken a deposition has been in an old country house out in the middle of nowhere. The house had no doors and no electricity to it. How we managed to get that deposition done in there is still beyond me. Thank goodness for charged batteries that day (and a flashlight).
What is the funniest thing you have heard during a deposition or in the courtroom?
In 20 years, I am sure I have heard it all, and people will often tell me that I’m sure you could write a book about all the things you’ve heard. If I could remember them from day to day, I guess that would be true. Sadly, I’m an in-the-ears-and-out-the-fingers kind of reporter and can’t even begin to remember all the things I’ve heard.
What has been your greatest achievement professionally, and why?
For me, I think my greatest achievement was taking and passing the Certified Realtime Reporter exam on the first try. I have worked really hard to make my realtime writing as clean as I can make it; and for me, taking and passing that test on the first try was validation for me that all the hard work I had put in to my writing had paid off and was being recognized.
When not court reporting, how do you spend your free time?
When I’m not reporting, you will probably find me running around somewhere with my husband and three kids or at the gym. We sit so long during the day, so by the time I get home, usually the last thing I want to do is sit down. Thankfully with a busy family, I’m not doing much sitting after work hours.
What do you like most about LiveLitigation?
LiveLitigation is fantastic! I like how easy the router is to use and set up. My clients have been very pleased with the software platform. On top of my clients being happy, I can’t say enough good things about the Support Staff at LiveLitigation. While getting my router set up, I made a couple troubleshooting phone calls to the office, all of which were answered right away.