Legal professionals, whether they are working independently or within a larger firm, deal with a large amount of unstructured data. Artificial intelligence generates automated transcripts that automatically organize by speaker and annotate with timestamps. Using automated transcripts makes finding specific words and phrases much easier for legal professionals.
According to the report ‘U.S. Transcription Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis’ published by Grand View Research, the Bureau of Labour Statistics predicts a nearly ten percent increase in the use of transcription in legal settings over the next decade.
The 5 steps to get an automated transcription software for legal purposes are listed below.
- Choose the Right Legal Transcription Software : Select transcription software that aligns with needs, considering accuracy, features, data security, and storage options.
- Record the Legal Proceeding : Record the legal proceedings with high quality by using an external microphone or recording device.
- Upload the Recording : Use the software's 'import' feature or 'drag and drop' functionality to upload the recording.
- Review and Edit : Even with high transcription accuracy, it's vital to review the completed transcript for errors, omissions, or misinterpretations of legal terminology.
- Export and Save : Choose the appropriate file format for your needs, such as Word documents, PDF files, or TXT files. Consider software that integrates with case management systems or collaboration platforms for seamless workflow integration. Saving and sharing the transcript in a suitable format ensures it can be effectively used in legal processes.
1. Choose the Right Legal Transcription Software
It is essential for legal professionals to choose a transcription software which suits their needs, in terms of the program’s accuracy, the specific features available, data security and flexible storage options. Users have to consider the size of their transcription project, the required turnaround time or deadline and their budget when choosing the right legal transcription software. Budget is a crucial factor, because users have to balance the cost of the software and the necessary features.
Legal transcription software typically offer features like automated timestamping and speaker to make it easier for the user to pinpoint specific information, as well as collaborative tools which allow multiple team members to access one transcript at the same time. Transkriptor is the ideal transcription software for legal professionals because it offers collaborative tools for teams spread across different cities, as well as cloud storage allowing users to increase their storage according to their courseload without having to purchase additional hardware.
Transkriptor guarantees top-tier data privacy, via password-protection and end-to-end data encryption, which is important for industries like law which deal in sensitive information. Transkriptor offers a free trial for your transcription, making it a cost-effective option for both large law firms and independent legal professionals.
2. Record the Legal Proceeding
The next step is to record the legal proceedings once legal professionals have chosen a transcription software. The same rules which guarantee high-quality transcription apply to all types of recordings including recordings of legal proceedings. Users have to do three main things to ensure the recording of the legal proceeding is accurate including using an external microphone or recording device, positioning it close to all speakers and reducing ambient noise.
Background music, other conversations happening at the same time and participants speaking over each other all pose a risk to the quality of legal transcription, because the microphone is picking up other sounds.
The court of law accepts both video and audio recordings, but making a video recording requires extra considerations, such as the backdrop of the person or people speaking and the camera angle. Audio recordings of legal proceedings made using a laptop or mobile device are acceptable, but it is always better to use a specialized device like a digital voice recorder or external microphone.
3. Upload the Recording
The exact steps to upload the recording to the legal transcription software vary, but most programs have an ‘import’ button allowing the user to open the recording directly in the editor, or they are able to ‘drag and drop’ it from their device’s file browser. It is important to check which file formats the transcription software supports before uploading the recording, as between PCM, WAV, MP3, WMA, AAC, FLAC and ALC there are a lot of different types.
The user has to spend additional time and energy converting it to a suitable format before uploading it, in cases where the transcription software doesn’t support the format. Transkriptor eliminates this problem by allowing users to directly record the deposition, witness statement or client meeting in real-time using the platform.
4. Review and Edit
Legal transcription is highly accurate, but not 100% perfect. It is crucial that users review the completed transcript to check for any mistakes, missing words or misinterpreted legal jargon. Legal language is complex and incredibly precise, so any differences between what is said in the recording and how it is written down in the text must be avoided.
Transkriptor provides 99% accurate transcriptions and allows users to edit the transcription in the platform.
5. Export and Save
The user must select the format that suits their project, as the most common file formats for saving legal transcriptions are Word documents, PDF files, and TXT files. Some legal transcription software supports integration with other tools, like case management systems or collaboration platforms to which users are able to send the transcript directly.
What is an Automated Transcription in a Legal Context?
An automated transcription in a legal context uses artificial intelligence (AI) and speech recognition software to convert spoken language from legal proceedings into written text, through a technology-driven process.
Legal transcripts are text-based summaries of legal proceedings like depositions, witness statements and client meetings. Automated transcription uses artificial intelligence to generate transcripts, unlike human typists who must listen to a recording and manually write down.
Automated transcription is an incredibly helpful tool for legal professionals because it provides a reliable record of legal proceedings which is fully searchable, organized by speaker and annotated with timestamps. Transcribers transcribe other legal proceedings such as emergency calls, interrogations, and witness interviews to use as evidence in court.
Why is Transcription Accuracy in Law Vital?
Accuracy is of the utmost importance in legal transcription because legal language is incredibly precise, small errors in the text have the potential to lead to significant misunderstandings or misinterpretations. Legal transcription software must meet very high standards of accuracy because every word in legal definitions, terms, laws, and contracts matters, to prevent any miscommunication or legal disputes.
General transcription software, not trained to recognize legal jargon, frequently causes errors in the transcript when used during hearings, trials, or other legal proceedings. Transcription software designed for legal professionals takes the complexity of legal language into account, ensuring it makes no errors that could risk changing the meaning of the transcribed text.
Legal transcription software is pre-programmed to recognise legal terms, abbreviations and industry-specific phrasing, in much less time than it would take a human transcriptionist to reach the same level of expertise.
What are the Advantages of Automated Transcriptions in Law?
Automated transcription in law reduces the turnaround time for large projects and the cost of hiring transcriptionists, amongst other benefits.
The main advantages of automated transcriptions in law are listed below.
Increased Efficiency for Lawyers
The purpose of legal transcription software is to save legal professionals time and energy, allowing them to focus on completing other tasks. Another element of legal transcription software which guarantees efficiency is its interface, which has to be intuitive and straightforward to use so lawyers are easily able to get to grips with and start using it.
Improved Accessibility for Legal Services
Accessibility is essential in every industry, meaning companies have to be proactive about ensuring their workplaces are inclusive beyond the legal requirements. Inclusivity for the deaf community is particularly important because of the necessity of spoken language in major workplace activities like video calls and in-person meetings, as described in the article ‘Is Your Organization Inclusive of Deaf Employees?’ published in the Harvard Business Review in October 2022.
Automated transcriptions make legal services more accessible for ‘deaf’ people, regardless of if they have minor hearing loss , use an assistive device like a hearing aid or exclusively rely on sign language. Automated transcriptions provide textual summaries of legal proceedings, typically long and information-dense.
Streamlined Legal Documentation
Legal professionals, whether they work independently or as part of a larger firm, deal with a vast amount of information. Legal transcription software stores the information in a central location, organized by case, where all team members are able to access it. Automated transcriptions simplify legal documentation because all of the texts are saved in one place, annotated with individual speakers and timestamps, as well as organized by case.
The Main Uses of Automated Transcripts in Legal Procedures
The main legal procedures for which automated transcription is used are listed below.
- Depositions: Automated transcripts ensure proper documentation of the extensive information covered in depositions for future references or appeals.
- Witness Statements: Automated transcription for witness statements is one example of the enhanced accuracy and efficiency that artificial intelligence brings to the legal industry, according to the article ‘Barrister launches automated system to transcribe witness statements’ published on the Mercia Asset Management website in 2022. Legal transcription software eliminates the need for witnesses to give their statement to a police officer.
- Client Meetings: Client meetings cover a variety of topics from the nuances of specific cases to logistical expectations management, so automated transcriptions allow legal professionals to find specific information much faster and easier than listening back to hours of recording. Transcribing client meetings enhances legal practice because lawyers are able to concentrate on ‘core tasks’ like analyzing cases by identifying the legal issues involved and researching support for their arguments.
Elevate Legal Transcription with Transkriptor
Transkriptor stands out as the premier transcription software for legal experts, providing unparalleled data privacy, outstanding accuracy, and innovative collaboration features. Recognizing that confidentiality is paramount for legal practitioners, Transkriptor ensures the utmost protection of sensitive information, offering a platform where privacy isn't just a feature—it's a cornerstone.
With its commitment to exceptional accuracy and user-friendly design, Transkriptor eliminates the learning curve, allowing legal professionals to harness its benefits instantly. This efficiency enables users to focus on their critical work, secure in the knowledge that Transkriptor is handling their transcription needs with precision and care. Try it for free!
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