What Global Court Reporters Do: Career Paths That Change History
Court reporting includes a stenographer who sits behind a stenography machine or computer, typing out court events and the things said. It can get a little dry and boring at times, especially since there are only so many directions you can take your career. However, you may be interested in global court reporting, which is something altogether very different.
International Courts Need Stenographers Too
There are international courts, such as those used by the United Nations for extremely important trials. One such example that immediately comes to mind is the Nuremberg Trials, which took place after WWII. During these trials, all the Nazis that were caught and charged with heinous crimes against the Jews had to stand and be heard. Court records of these trials exist because they were recorded by stenographers and because they were some of the first international court hearings that were recorded both for audio and visual viewing.
Who You Would Work For
International stenographers work for major branches of government and international unions, such as the U.N. and for W.H.O. Your number is called up for work when a trial is about to take place and a stenographer is needed. If you can speak and understand more than one language, and you are also able to use international stenography symbols to record the hearing, your number may come up more than once.
You may also have to type up legal depositions. This is where it becomes really important that you know another language and can type it into stenography notes. Usually, these depositions are taken at a bedside of a confessing war criminal, or in a room absent of a judge.
What You Gain by This Career Move
Besides an amazing salary, you gain notoriety and prestige. You are present when some of the most incredible moments and judicial decisions in history are made. You are also immortalized as the person who recorded historical moments in international courts. It is a lot like being an internationally well-known author; your work is known and recorded as part of time immemorial.
Working Your Way Up
To get into these positions, you have to have several years' experience as a stenographer. You should also try to advance your career quickly by going up the food chain of courts, from county court to federal court and Supreme Court, if possible. Then you can take these experiences to an international court or international group that frequently requires the aid of a stenographer. Apply to this court or organization, and then hope for the best.