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Certification of Trial Technicians has become the hot topic du jour on the Trial Technology group of LinkedIn. There are at least two organizations currently working on developing this, the National Court Reporters Association and the Organization of Legal Professionals.

Here is my recent comment on the topic:

Additional key items to consider in this are who is providing the certification, what are their qualifications with this topic, and what is their motive. If it is simply an opportunity to profit by slapping together a quick test and possibly some training, and then sell a certification, I would be against it.

If, however, it is demonstrated that they are indeed qualified to offer the testing, verification of qualifications AND actual trial experience, perhaps even requiring a recommendation from an attorney or legal professional whom they have worked with in trial, then it may be worth the paper it is printed on.

As with any other profession, going to school, taking a test, and gettting certified, while all helpful, do not make you a qualified expert in your field. You must also serve some time in your craft, working to perfect the art.