Spring 2015 President's Letter
Dear MCRA Member,
Seated alongside MCRA director Megan Castro on the flight home to Boston from NCRA’s Leadership Conference in Denver, Colorado I reflect upon all that NCRA’s staff and board members have laid out for us over the last few days. This semi-annual event challenges state leaders from across the US to equip themselves with tools needed to bolster our profession. Participating in the events of the past few days was educational, encouraging and empowering, leaving me feeling more invested in the future of the profession of court reporting.
MCRA's bi-annual one-day seminar held at the DoubleTree Hotel in Danvers on March 28 was a huge success with 75 attendees. It was very exciting as your president to see so many of you in attendance, especially in a world where social media has become so prevalent in our networking.
We were informed by Alicia Williams about social networking. It appeared as though Alicia was born with the knowledge of the intricacies of Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter, etc. She had some great tips. Now to implement all those ideas...
We heard from Ellen O’Hara and Pam Herbert about ways we can squeeze stretching and strengthening exercises into our daily work routines in order to keep our bodies healthy and strong.
Nancy Varallo, Rob Diezel and Peter Dennis informed us on HIPAA and marketing skills.
I would be very pleased to hear that on your drive home from Danvers you felt educated, encouraged and empowered in the same way I am feeling at this moment on my journey home from leadership.
We are so fortunate this year that the NCRA's annual convention is in our backyard -- well, at least in the same neighborhood. MCRA is considering chartering a bus to NYC with door-to-door service to the Hilton Hotel. The bus would depart Boston/Framingham at 12 noon on Thursday, July 30th (drop at Hilton NYC at 4pm), and then leave Hilton NYC at 1pm on Sunday, August 2nd (return to Boston/Framingham at 5pm). The cost per person will be $125 roundtrip. When you consider the cost of traveling by train or plane and adding your ground transportation, the MCRA bus will not only be convenient but also economical, and will no doubt be a lot of fun! Please take a moment to respond to the survey you received earlier this week so we can make an informed decision whether there is enough interest to move forward. Contact Megan Castro, Membership Chair, atmeggwill@gmail.com with any questions.
Would you like to run with the MCRA team in the Lawyers Have Heart 5k Road Race on Tuesday, June 2, 2015, at 7:00 p.m.? Not a runner? Register a co-worker or friend for the event. We need a cheering section too! All proceeds benefit the American Heart Association. Sign up atwww.lhhboston.org and be sure to click “JOIN A TEAM” and select “MASS COURT REPORTERS.” Contact Megan Castro meggwill@gmail.com for more information.
Rosemary Grogan has recently reinstated the Pro Bono Committee. Thank you, Rosemary. We currently have one request for pro bono services. Rosemary will conduct an investigation of each pro bono request to determine eligibility. Are you interested in offering your services on a pro bono basis? This may not necessarily be free-of-charge services. It more likely will be at a discounted rate. If you are interested in volunteering or just would like to hear more about the program, contact Rosemary at rfgrogan4@verizon.net.
MCRA has received inquiries from court reporters and lawyers regarding our anti-contracting law. Our anti-contracting law, MGL Chapter 221, Section 91D, can be found under the ”About Us” tab on MCRA's website. It has become apparent to us that there is a lack of knowledge as to the existence of this law. MCRA would like to put forth an effort to inform the Bar, insurance companies and court reporters of the existence of this law. If you are interested in contributing to this effort financially, please mail a check to MCRA, ℅ Legal Fund, PO Box 377, Westwood, MA 02090. If you would like to pay by credit card, please call the MCRA office for a PayPal invoice at 888.522.6272. If you would like to volunteer your time, please contact Lisa Phipps at samandjimsmom@hotmail.com.
By participating in MCRA events, you benefit from the wisdom of those reporters around you who share your career path. Our strength comes from our common knowledge, collegiality and familiarity. Together we share in the future of the profession of court reporting.
Regards,
Kathy Silva, President, MCRA