Attorneys denying that they ordered realtime

[Kelli Combs (admin)]

I know, you all are going to tell me that I should have the attorneys sign for realtime and copies, etc.  To me, it is a given that if you receive realtime, you are "automatically" ordering a copy.  I've only started having a problem I'd say the last year where three months down the road the paralegal calls/emails the office denying the attorney ordered/used realtime. 

Well, what I've started to do is I take a picture with my iPhone of the table and who has my netooks in front of them.  That way, when so-and-so denies that they had realtime, I'm just going to forward a picture of them sitting there with my computer right in front of them. 

As they say, a picture tells a thousand words!!

[Deborah M.]

Good idea!  Any comments from the attys?

[Kelli Combs (admin)]

They haven't even noticed that I have done it.  It just looks like I'm reading email on my phone because the phone faces you when you hit the camera button.  No one is the wiser. 

[Ann Medis]

That's one heck of a good idea. 

I had an atty once refuse to pay for realtime because I could not get a connection with LiveNote.  So I provided a laptop with Bridge.  He was very interactive with Bridge, marked testimony, quoted witness' previous answers.  But he would not pay for the realtime because it was not LN.  Ya gotta love 'em.

[Kelli Combs (admin)]

Unbelievable!!   I even had an attorney after I had him "sign for his order," he told the office that wasn't his signature.  It was forged.  Really??

[Janet]

Unreal!  How do you think they'd react if someone tried to rip them off? 

[Janiece Young]

Excellent idea.  

[Kelli Combs (admin)]

I'd post the picture I took on Tuesday here but I thought better of it for privacy reasons.  Probably not the best idea since these are high profile firms and their faces would be plastered on the Internet.  See, I'm starting to get some discretion in my old age!!

[Mary Ann Payonk]

Great idea taking the pic.  I've started to do that at a certain very high-profile law firm here who's getting the reputation for signing for RT but then saying, oh, but we didn't understand what it was.  WTF?  Then why get it?  Everyone knows what realtime is nowadays, that's no excuse.  Love the pic idea, but definitely use discretion.  I did it in a large arbitration where I had 11 hooks and was afraid someone might say later, oh, we never used that many.  Really?  Here's your paralegal sitting at her RT terminal provided by me.  Here's your technician sitting by his.  Oh, and here's YOU.  Wow, has it really come to this?  I guess answer, yes.

M.A.