What I Wish I Knew My First Year out - Asking the attorney to slow down

[Kyung]

When a lot of reporters start out they are afraid to ask the attorney slow down. They end up with these truly horrendous transcripts. And then you go home and have to figure it out somehow.

DON'T BE AFRAID TO ASK THE ATTORNEY TO SLOW DOWN. And ask again if they don't.

If you're afraid the attorney won't call you back, so what!!!! Do you really want to go back for a second day to take down the hell that is this deposition if it's so fast and he won't slow down. I'm talking about the speeds where you're blowing chunks.

If you're afraid the attorney will think you're a newbie who's on her first job, he won't. The only way anyone is going to tell if you're a newbie is if you say, "Hi, this is my first job." You have gone to school. You have passed the test. You have been taking the spoken word down for at least 2-3 years or even more.. In fact, it is more likely the newibe who does not ask the attorney to slow down than the seasoned reporter.

The attorney says to you, "No one else ever asked me to slow down." He's either lying or some reporter is not doing their job. I hear a lot of reporters say that some of the older attorneys are the greatest to work with bec. they respect us and control the record and make sure the witness controls the record and they DON'T speak too fast. They're happy to repeat if we ask for clarifications. They don't get upset w/us and threaten to complain to the agency. Do you know why these attorneys are great and we all love to work with them? Number 1, they're not asses. But number two, some reporter, when they were first starting out told them to slow down!!! They've been trained by reporters. I know new attorneys who go at the speed of light. If you don't tell them they're talking too fast, they'll continue to do it.

If you're afraid they'll complain to the agency, what are they going to say? The reporter interrupted too much. Don't send her back. The agency will call you. All you have to say is he spoke too fast and I asked him a couple of times to slow down. Most agencies will be fine w/that. But they probably won't send you back to that attorney. But is that such a bad thing? Will they never use again, doubtful. They will use you again. If an agency tells you to never interrupt, then I would hesitate to work for the agency. The agency needs to back you up in the job that you do.

Here's a secret. It's a little bit like reverse psychology. I think the majority of the attorneys will respect you more if you speak up. They'll ask for you back (you may not want to go). Why is that? Bec. you've proven that you're in control. You're doing the best you can to get everything down. That you'll have a good clean record, and the attorney will get a good readable transcript in a timely manner. And really, I think that's what they want.

Finally, sure as shooting that hellacious depo you've been in all day long that you've haven't been asking them to slow down when they're talking at 300 wpm, you've haven't been asking clarifications when they mumble, you haven't been asking them not to speak over each other, the one where they throw in the random words in another language, the one that they're talking to each other on the record when they should be going off the record - those are the ones they'll want a rough draft or a next day expedite.

So if you notice your depo is going south and starting to get really crazy, and only every third word is translating and you are "blowing chunks", for the love of your sanity, tell them to slow down, speak up, stop talking over each other, whatever you need to do. It will save you many tears.

[Sharla Preciado]

Good tip about asking them to speak up. I hadn't thought of that.

I've been reporting for a little over a year now, and I could really use some help in this area. If a witness is mumbling or speaking too fast, I don't have a problem speaking up. If someone is reading at lightning speed, I've learned to repeat the last few words of what I got down and that prompts them to back up to that point and then continue more slowly. And if everyone is talking at once, "One at a time, please" just seems to come out of my mouth automatically. But for some reason, I haven't been able to "find my voice" when it comes to an attorney who is simply speaking too fast.

I think the problem is I'm just not sure how I should say it or exactly what words I should use. Please tell me exactly what you say. This could change my depo life! :)

And Kyung, thanks for all the topics you've covered in "What I wish I knew my first year out." Very helpful.

[Charlene Friedman]

i do what tricia does a lot at first, i ask them to speak louder.

[Diane Hickman]

It's really wierd, but I found that when I started working I had to push myself to ask them to slow down. I think it comes from being in school and not being able to tell the teacher (during a test) to "slow down." Heh-heh! Old habits really do die hard! But now that I'm in the professional world, I can say that now, yipee!

[Kyung]

Oh, yeah. I forgot to mention that they'll most definitely ask you to read back, especially when you're not getting it. I think they're talking faster than their brain is working and they forget what they're saying.

[Judy]

Kyung is completely correct. If you're not "getting" it and are going to rely on your audio to piece the transcript together, what happens when you get home and there's no audio? It's happened. CYAes and get it completely and correctly the first time around, even if you have to ask them to slow down or repeat.

A trick I've learned is to ask them to speak UP also. If they try to speak up, they usually slow down.