bn the WORKSH.DEP file that fees range from 80 cents a page
starting out new to $2.00 per page when you work through a paralegal firm; and,
that fees can be from $2.50 to $4.00 per page when working directly with a law
firm.
In your case I would check in your area and see if there are independentparalegal firms doing this and ask what they charge a client, and what they pay a subcontractor. There are some people here on the forum that may be able to offer fee scales from their locale. I am speaking from a Los Angeles point of view. But to me the above amounts seem reasonable no matter where you are
because it averages out to be from $8 to $40 per hour, which is still cheaper than an attorney's or in-house paralegals time to do the same thing. In Los Angeles, in the larger firms, a paralegal's time is billed to a client at $65 an hour and up. So like I said, you are still being very reasonable using the
above amounts.(continued next message)
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#: 41080 S7/Type, DTP & Words
25-Nov-87 09:26:45
Sb: Depo. Digesting (con't)
Fm: Valerie Hood 74736,2513
To: Bill Mouser 73720,3352 (X)
WHO HAS THE GREATEST POTENTIAL AS A CLIENT?: Well, any attorney or firm that handles litigation in general is the target client.
In all honesty, I go directly through paralegal firms. These paralegal firms usually have a president or executive director that has worked at a firm in the past and has maintained a relationship. The firm knows these people and can trust them with confidentiality. Meanwhile, I know the paralegal through networking and association, who in turn trusts me and gives me the depositions to digest. The paralegal firm makes a profit off of me, because they bill the firm at the $4 amount and pay me $2 (hmmmmm, no wonder they stay friendly with me...not shabby on their part). I've been trying to get a law firm account,
but as only one person, I don't look like I could handle a serious load. However, my paralegal firm friends have staff, and a stable of people like me which looks better to a law firm. The only referrals I get from my paralegal friends are for computer consulting. The market is competitive and I work for
about 5 paralegal firms in town.
HAVE YOU EVER ACQUIRED LONG-DISTANCE CLIENTS? This one is simple, the answer is no. Because confidentiality is a BIG issue and they would not want their depos floating around across the US. The confidentiality issue is very important.
Some of this is covered in the WORKSHOP.DEP file, but here is some more information which may help you when dealing with clients:
1. How do they want colloguy and objections handled?
2. Is there any testimony they are not concerned with?
3. Is a dot matrix final product acceptible?
4. What format would the client like: 2 or 3 column format?
Abbreviated or full sentences?
5. Is the final product going to be OCR'd (Optical Character Read/scanned)? If so, will the OCR software support a laser or daisywheel font? (I had one client whose software could not read the laser or daisywheel font, only dot matrix. So it is important to ask.)
6. Are contractions acceptable?
7. Does the client mind widow and orphan lines (in other words can a paragraph be split at the bottom of the page and continue on the next page)? Also, for those clients wanting ASCII disk copies of summaries, they should be told that there will be no underlining since the underlining code gets stripped in an ASCII conversion of a software program text file. In my opinion, the issue of 10 pages of testimony to one page of summary should be put to rest. This may be fine on some smaller routine type cases. However, when the court transcripts start on these technical cases with hundreds of exhibits this is unrealistic. I'll call clients and say I've got 45 pages of summary to 220 pages of testimony. There is thud on the other end of the phone (as in falling out of the chair and a few seconds of silence). So I say, "Hello? Are you there?", and then continue to explain the 50 exhibits, all having to be noted and explained by the witness. At least I was getting a bit less than a page per exhibit....sheese!
Now, I have written many technical manuals for software and
hardware and I feel in certain cases the use of "white space" is to be forgiven, and considered an exception. I had one exhibit with about 27 different components to it. Instead of clumping it all together in one large paragraph, I separated each component with a line and semicolon (as shown in my last example above). The eye reads much faster this way, and information is much easier to comprehend.
As for my soapbox:
1) The eye reads from right to left, and anyone who right
justifies anything is not doing a service to their client. Justification causes what are called "rivers" in the text and takes away from the eye being able to concentrate.
2) My opinion of making deposition summaries abbreviated is that you are slowed down time wise in the long run. When
having to try and read between the omitted words, eyes get
whiplash from abrupt stops. The reader is able to work much
faster when sentences flow and have smooth transitions.
I still average 5 to 7 pages of testimony per page using
complete sentences. This would be a good opportunity to start a discussion, and see if some standards can finally be hashed out. I know that formats drives everyone crazy, and now is the time to start speaking up. In no way do I claim to be an expert digester, I am always open to new methods and improving my skills.
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^R#: 41313 S7/Type, DTP & Words
03-Dec-87 18:35:55
Sb: #41273-Depo (cont)
Fm: Valerie Hood 74736,2513
To: SCOTT DOUGLAS 72140,227 (X)
Ok, Scott, I'll try to answer your idea as best as I can, but remember I am in a different geographical area. If anyone else can contribute to what I am about to say, please do.
In your message you say, "I would attempt to match them with attorneys in the general area or to the town...I would have them type up the depo and have have them print it out to a dot matrix printer so as to review it in draft form if needed."
Whheelll, you are asking for an administrative headache. First of all, deposition transcripts are hard copies and it's the pits shelling them out all over the place (unless your digester's pick up from you). Second of all, it should be the digester's responsibility to know the product is correct. I spend 4 to 6 hours proofing my work which is not included in the 10 page per
hour figure I quoted. If you do that, maken depend on. Well, when I was trained, I had the fear of God instilled into me. "Don't leave out anything","Proof", "No typo's allowed", "No spelling errors allowed", "If your depo is sent back, you're fired." In other words, the training must be intense, and you should make interested parties prove themselves on several samples, which meet your standards. If they want the work, the investment will be made on their part. Additionally, firms here that I work with require you already have your own equipment. It is not supplied, nor is laser quality printing offered on their
end. I make them look good, and I get compensated at the highest rate and get the work because of that. It is worth it to me to let them (the paralegal firms) deal with the billings to the law firms, because I know I get paid within 14 days and get more work. Sure, I'd like the additional money, but after marketing, other overhead, etc. I feel very comfortable. If you have some people interested who are ready to go, then start small and
see how it fairs. Temp part-time in firms to build a relationship, if needed. Your job is NOT to proof depo summaries against transcripts, but to find the work and market the service because you have a competent group. Did I catch everything? Again, I am only speaking from what I have experienced, and this is not intended to steer you away from your visions, which could work out.
