DRA bulletin - New CRB Regulations Clearly Embrace Fair Competition

[Martha R]

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/New-CRB-Regulations-Clearly-Embr...

[Amanda Leigh]

THANK GOODNESS, if that's the case.  That makes sense--$100 per person was a bit extravagant, IMO.

C'mon, Texas! :)

[Lisa Migliore Black]

I agree, Amanda.  It is important to avoid the appearance of impropriety, and if a court reporting firm has many reporters and staff sending gifts to an attorney, their paralegal, their legal secretary, and the CR firm has multiple clients within a firm, the amount of gifts can add up exponentially.  

Salesperson brings a $100 in gifts to the attorney and their two support staff ($300).  The firm owner sends a $100 gift basket to the same folks ($300).  Let's say a scheduler sends the same amount ($300).  Let's assume the court reporters brings in $100 of cookies in over the course of the year to everyone for the sake of easy math ($100).  That's $1,000.

If a CR firm has 10, 25, or 100 clients at a law firm, those figures can add up fast and certainly should raise eyebrows with the public and perhaps managing partners at law firms, the bar, and the IRS.

Georgia proposed changes last year to its gifting rules and regulations with a limit of $250 per entity.  I'm not sure if those were approved.  Good idea, in my opinion.

NCRA recently raised the aggregate amount to $150.  My understanding is there is no "entity" limit.  Maybe that's something that can be addressed as a concern to COPE or at the next NCSA meeting by a proposed resolution.