Are you looking for the best legal transcription training on the market?
Perhaps you’re looking to go into the legal transcribing field, or are keen to take this on as a side hustle, but it’s been difficult to find a course that is good, comprehensive, and fully online.
Attending the right training for legal transcription online and upskilling can undeniably add value to the work that you produce.
More importantly, being a properly trained legal transcriptionist allows you to charge premium rates for your work.
We save you the trouble of scouring the web for the best legal transcription training online courses and share our top picks to help you enhance your legal transcription skills.
Top Pick For The Best Legal Transcription Training Course:
Quick Summary of the Best Online General Transcription Courses:
- Transcribe Anywhere’s General Transcription Course
- How to Become A Transcriptionist
- Step-By-Step Transcription from Home
- Learn Online Transcription from Scratch
Some of the links on here are affiliate links and I may earn if you click on them, AT NO EXTRA cost to you. Hope you find the information here useful! Thanks.
Best Legal Transcription Training Online
Top Pick for The Best Legal Transcription Training – 1. Transcribe Anywhere
Transcribe Anywhere’s Legal Transcription: Theory & Practice Course gives you all the resources and skills you need to become a legal transcriptionist.
This course is one of the best legal transcription training courses online.
As with their general transcription course, there is a pay-as-you-go option.
The best part is if you sign up for both their General and Legal Transcription Courses, you are entitled to an exclusive discount.
This course, which provides a legal transcription certification online is the only online transcription school currently approved by the American Association of Electronic Reporters and Transcribers.
What you will get from the course:
- Typing drills
- Legal transcription style guide
- Where to source the best deals for transcription equipment
- Legal terminologies, definitions of different types of law, and the legal processes
- Abbreviations, capitalization, and punctuations you need to know as a legal transcriptionist
- Lifetime access to the course, support forum, and printable cheatsheets
2. Learn Legal Transcription
Learn Legal Transcription is an all-encompassing online legal transcription course.
It is a paid course but it is well worth the money spent compared to just taking free legal transcription training.
With the skills that you learn throughout the course, you will make that money back in no time.
What you will get from the course:
- Legal terms
- The mechanics of the court system
- How to deal with clients
- How to increase the value of your work so that you can charge more
As you can see, this course is not just confined to the theoretical aspects of transcription.
It also equips you with the necessary business acumen to get your legal transcription career soaring from the ground up.
If you want an idea of what the paid Learn Legal Transcription course entails, they also offer a free transcription boot camp for those looking for legal transcription training online free.
3. Ed2Go
The online legal transcriptionist training course from Ed2Go also appears to be one of the best legal transcription training courses out there.
This is an 80-hour course that you will have access to over 6 months.
It also teaches you everything you need to know to sit for and pass the American Association of Electronic Reporters and Transcribers (AAERT) Certified Electronic Transcriber Exam.
What you will get from the course:
- Formalities of language required
- Court transcription training
- Proper formatting for legal transcription
- Duties of confidentiality that must be maintained by a legal transcriptionist.
Other Online General Transcription Training Courses
If you want to get started on a career as a legal transcriptionist but you have zero transcription experience, then there is only one place to start – with the basic foundations of transcription.
There are plenty of platforms that offer general transcription training courses online that are both paid and offered for free.
1. Transcribe Anywhere
Transcribe Anywhere is an excellent transcription training platform.
They provide an incredibly detailed course that is bound to set you up for transcription success. They also have a pay-as-you-go option so you don’t have to fork out a chunk of money at one go.
More importantly, Transcribe Anywhere is approved by the American Association of Electronic Reporters and Transcribers. So you know for certain that this course is excellent value for money.
If you feel that you aren’t ready to pay for their general transcription training online, Transcribe Anywhere also gives you the option to enroll in their free transcription training.
Even though it is a free course, it will give you the foundational aspects you need to become a transcriptionist.
From this mini-course alone you will see that there is so much you can learn from their legal transcription training online for free.
2. Udemy
Udemy is well-known for offering affordable courses spanning different subject matters, and their transcription courses are no exception. Here are just some of the transcription courses that they offer:
How To Become A Transcriptionist
Step-By-Step Transcription from Home
Learn Online Transcription From Scratch
All of the above courses cater to those to have no experience in transcription at all.
The courses guide you in a detailed manner to more advanced modules, skills, and techniques to give you the best possible shot at launching your transcription career.
They are paid courses but you can get great discounts if you keep a regular lookout on the Udemy site.
What Is Transcription?
The process of transcription or transcribing something is essentially that of taking spoken words and reducing them into a written, typed, or printed format.
Usually, this is done by listening to an audio recording of the subject matter, and typing out what is being said in as detailed a manner as possible.
At this point, you may be wondering about what circumstances one would need spoken words to be transcribed.
There can be many areas where transcription of a spoken word is required, namely:
- General transcription
- Medical transcription
- Legal transcription
What Is A Legal Transcriber?
A legal transcriber is one who transcribes:
- legal proceedings
- lawyer’s notes
- meetings with clients, and
- other relevant legal conversations
When it comes to legal transcription, especially transcription of trial proceedings, it is of paramount importance that everything is as accurate as possible.
This is because it is the transcribed version of events at a trial that is deemed to be the documentary version of what occurred in court during the trial.
The transcribed version of the trial is what is referred to when lawyers are preparing their submissions or when the matter is being appealed to a higher court.
As such, the role of a legal transcriptionist is undeniably vital.
Other than in these areas, legal transcribers are also sought after by insurance companies, academicians, and research institutions.
Fun Fact – According to CourtReporterEDU.org, Hillary Clinton, Amal Clooney, and John Grisham all used to be legal transcriptionists at the very beginning of their careers!
What Are The Skills Required To Be A Legal Transcriptionist?
Contrary to popular belief, it is not entirely necessary for you to have a law degree or to be legally qualified in any way for you to become a legal transcriptionist.
That being said, there are some core skills that you must have if you decide that the path of a legal transcriptionist is one that you want to embark on:
- Typing
This might seem like an obvious requirement but we are not just talking about ordinary administrative typing skills here.
You need to be able to listen to the audio recording and ideally, type out the words as they are spoken.
As such, speed, dexterity, and efficiency are just some of the basic typing skills that you must have as a legal transcriptionist.
- Attention To Detail
A legal transcriptionist must be able to catch all the words that are being spoken.
Sometimes, during legal proceedings, the parties who are speaking may stutter, swallow their words, or become muffled for some reason.
A legal transcriptionist must have a keen ear to pick up these nuances as the primary goal of legal transcription is to reproduce the events of the proceedings exactly as they happened.
- Good Language
Again, this is an important skill for a legal transcriptionist to have to properly put into writing the spoken words that occur at legal proceedings.
Having good language skills will allow for a quicker pick-up of what is being said during the proceedings.
- Familiarity with Legal Terminology
Legal terminology can be tricky and complex.
Being familiar with the common terms that are used by lawyers, judges, and court staff will make the legal transcription process more efficient.
Knowing the terms means you would not need to stop to look up the meaning of the words or the context in which they were used.
- Patience
This probably goes without saying!
But as a reminder, legal transcription does require time, effort, and patience. It is not one of those things that you can rush through.
This is because accuracy is essential to the role of a legal transcriptionist.
As you can see, if you are considering taking on the role of a legal transcriptionist, it is best to arm yourself with the necessary by taking a legal transcription course.
Is a Certificate in Legal Transcription Necessary?
The short answer to this is no.
You are not required to be certified to become a legal transcriptionist.
You do not even need to have a diploma or a degree, although if you do, it allows you to charge higher legal transcription rates.
This is especially so if you are offering your legal transcription services remotely or via an online service.
There are some legal transcription training courses online (like the ones on Udemy and other similar platforms) that give you a certificate of completion.
These certificates are certainly useful to enhance your portfolio to show that you have been properly trained in the area of legal transcription and transcription in general.
That being said, the most important thing when you can do once you have decided to become a legal transcriptionist is to invest in training yourself and acquiring all the necessary skills.
The best legal transcription training courses will give you the skills, techniques, and nuances that will become invaluable to your work as a legal transcriptionist.
Legal Transcription Equipment To Get Started
Don’t let this throw you off! You truly do not need much to begin your legal transcription hustle. Some of the basic things you need are:
1. Good, Fast-Processing Computer
In the world of legal transcription, time is of the essence.
The faster you can complete and return the transcript, the higher you can charge your client.
As such, you don’t want to have a computer that is slow and lagging every few minutes. A good computer is a worthwhile investment in the world of legal transcription.
2. Latest Version Of Microsoft Word
It is important to ensure that you have the latest version of the word processing program so that you can have access to the latest features if your client has special requests.
It also makes the process of legal transcription more efficient and seamless.
3. Reliable Earphones Or Headphones
While you do not need the most expensive of these, if you can afford it, it is worth the money to purchase a pair of noise-canceling headphones.
Remember, your role as a legal transcriptionist is to pick every little word that is said on the audio recordings.
A good pair of headphones can certainly help you with that and make listening to the audio recordings easier.
4. Stable Internet Connection
This is important with any online or remote work.
You want to be available to receive and send out files as quickly as possible.
Audio recordings that require transcription are usually large files and you should have an internet connection that can download them quickly.
Optional Legal Transcription Equipment That Are Good To Have
1. A Foot Pedal
Legal transcription or any transcription for that matter requires you to listen to audio and type out what is being said. You will need your hands to move as quickly and as consistently as possible.
Having to use your hands to switch windows or to manually go to the audio file to pause the file and rewind to a particular point of the audio recording to confirm that you heard it correctly can be rather cumbersome.
That is where a foot pedal comes in handy.
A transcription foot pedal allows you to use your foot to pause, rewind, or fast-forward the audio file without having to take your hands off the keyboard.
This is so that you can work seamlessly and continue to type as you listen.
Most foot pedals can be connected to your computer’s USB port and they are easy to install and use.
You can find a list of some of the best foot pedals for legal transcription here.
They are not too expensive and will prove to be a worthy investment in your legal transcriptionist career.
2. Specialized Transcription Software such as Express Scribe
This is a great software for legal transcriptionists as it automates some of your tasks, thus resulting in better efficiency and quicker turnaround times in terms of work product.
There is a free version and a paid pro version.
Usually, the free version is sufficient and some legal transcription training courses even require that you have the free version at the very least to take the course.
It also comes with an option to purchase a foot pedal so that it is easy for you to get set up all in one place!
Where To Find Legal Transcription Jobs
So now that you are all set up for legal transcription success, you can start looking for legal transcription jobs!
There is no shortage of jobs for transcriptionists, especially for legal transcriptionists.
You can find plenty of legal transcription jobs in the links below:
- Best Transcription Jobs for Beginners
- 9 Best Online Transcription Jobs (And Secret Strategies to Succeed)
Do keep in mind that when you apply for legal transcription jobs, you will be required to be familiar with their internal transcription guidelines (each job may have its unique guidelines).
You may also be required to pass their transcription test before you can be considered for the job.
Some Tip To Succeed With Transcription Jobs
Practice, Practice, Practice!
Legal transcription is one of those jobs that you get better at with constant practice. As such, it is best to ensure that you do not get rusty in between jobs by engaging in audio transcription practice!
To keep you consistent, you can find plenty of practice transcription tests online if you’re looking out for transcription training online for free.
Express Scribe gives you a great variety of practice free transcription tests with some of them focusing on legal transcription
GoTranscript also has some great transcription tests online free available.
Their tests allow you to see exactly what mistakes you have made once you have completed the test.
Furthermore, they also guide you with the proofreading and editing of your transcription work to ensure that you deliver only the best quality transcription to your client.
FAQs On Legal Transcription Training
How Much Does A Legal Transcriber Make?
Glassdoor estimates that a legal transcriber can make upwards of $52,200 annually.
As with all jobs and salaries, there are many variables at play and this can include the level of skill, experience, and specialized training that the transcriptionist can bring to the table.
There are a few ways in which you can set out your charges as a legal transcriptionist:
- An hourly rate for every hour that you spend transcribing
- Lump-sum rates for the entire audio file
- A rate for every minute or hour of audio recording you are required to transcribe
- Based on the required turnaround time i.e. the more urgently the client requires it, the higher your rate can be
What Is Legal Transcription?
Legal transcription is the act of typing information from a dictated recording file, usually produced by legal professionals, into a legal document.
There is a slight difference between legal transcription and legal dictation. For legal transcription, it involves you typing into a legal document while, for legal dictation, you type what is being spoken into a recording software.
How To Become A Legal Transcriptionist?
To become a legal transcriptionist, you can take these steps:
- Have a high-school diploma or a degree
- Develop your legal transcribing skills by taking a course online or at a local school and get a legal training certification
- Hone your skillsets by practicing hard
- Apply for legal transcription jobs
- Get training whilst on the job
- Keep your skills sharp by continually learning about the latest practices, terminologies and tricks of the trade
What Free Online Legal Transcription Courses Are Available?
You can take free online legal transcription courses at Transcribe Anywhere though they also provide paid legal transcription training.
Taking free online legal transcription courses is a great way to get a sense of the legal transcription field and to decide if you want to invest more into your training later on.
Taking a free taster course also helps you decide if you want to specialize or go into court transcription courses, which are similar but involve transcribing live court hearings instead.
How Do I Become A Certified Transcriptionist?
While you don’t need a certificate to be a transcriptionist, here are the steps you can take to be a transcriptionist:
- Choose a transcription niche, like legal transcription or you can also choose to be a general transcriptionist
- Go for a transcription training course
- Chalk up experience either through job boards or an attachment
- Build up your network of contacts to get transcription jobs
- Apply for a full-time role as a transcriptionist or work as a freelance transcriptionist if that’s what you prefer
What Qualifications Do You Need To Be A Transcriptionist?
You don’t need formal qualifications to be a general transcriptionist or to take on a transcriptionist job, as long as you are able to prove that you can do the job.
However, some niches like medical or legal transcription may require higher qualifications because of the complexity of the terms used.
For example, if you work as a medical transcriptionist, which is in high demand, some companies may require you to prove that you have an associate degree in medical transcription.
Is Transcription Still In Demand?
Absolutely! Demand for transcription is still strong, particularly in the court transcription field, medical transcription, or those doing language-based transcription.
While speech recognition technology may appear to threaten the future of transcription, this technology still has some way to go.
Technology still has to be taught to recognize different speakers, punctuate, and understand the context and slang.
All these are skills that humans, not legal transcription software, can provide.
Is Transcription A High-Paying Job?
Transcription is a potentially high-paying job that provides many opportunities and job flexibility given the demand for transcribers around the world.
A transcriber can earn anything from $19 per hour to $30 per hour for those who are more experienced.
Niching down as a transcriber into the medical or legal fields would also help increase your salary or hourly rate.
Let’s Get Transcribing!
Now that you have everything you need to embark on your legal transcription career, go ahead and take the plunge.
As you can see, some of the best legal transcription training courses are available to you online.
Once you are trained and ready, there are tons of legal transcription opportunities for you out there!
Couple that with all the online transcription resources that you can find on the web and on my site right here, that should be good enough to keep you going and enhance your legal transcription career!
There are plenty Legal Transcription Training and legal transcription courses online to learn from!
Related Posts On Legal Transcription Training:
- How To Become A Transcriptionist: A Step By Step Guide
- Best Transcriptionist Courses That Will Skyrocket Your Income
- 9 Best Transcription Courses (Get Paid To Type In 2023!)
- Free Scopist Training: Increase Your Scopist Income Today!
- 9 Online Transcription Jobs Hiring Now
- Transcriptionist Tools That Will Save You Money And Time
- All You Need To Know About Legal Transcription Training