“I first met Ana when I was conducting a deposition skills workshop at a law firm in 2008, and she provided court reporters to report and later transcribe the participants’ mock depositions. I then was fortunate enough to have her agree to provide student court reporters to report and transcribe the mock depositions of my law students at the University of California, Berkeley, BerkeleyLaw (Boalt Hall).
Ana has arranged for at least three student reporters to appear at my Law School class on four different dates each semester, with each reporter transcribing six depositions per session. She then supervises the provision to my students of rough (aka “dirty ASCII”) transcripts, and her efforts have given my students a valuable, additional opportunity to learn. The most important benefit to my students of working with Ana and her team is because one of the best ways to improve deposition skills is to review your own transcript. Ana’s support makes this possible.
Throughout, Ana has been professional, knowledgeable, and hard working, with an attention to detail that is unusual. Her ability to manage a number of ‘moving parts’ with grace has made the entire process a smooth one.”
— Henry L. Hecht
Author, Effective Depositions, 2nd ed. (ABA 2010)
University of California, Berkeley
BerkeleyLaw (Boalt Hall)
“As a court reporting student, I can empathize with all of us who have to take the CSR exam. It is an incredible test of will and determination to even get that far, but the CSR, like most tests, has its fair share of stress that goes with it. I have taken this test twice. The first time, I failed, but on my second attempt, I was able to pass, thanks to Ana’s coaching. She helped me find peace and let the stress that would otherwise ensure my failure crumble. Now, the stress and anxiety that once controlled my ability to do well no longer exists. I owe all my success to her!“
— Sarah Maksim, CSR No. 14053
“With years of experience in the field, Ana is a fountain of information and sage advice. She has seen the gamut of court reporting brilliance and blunders and has made it her mission to bestow her knowledge onto court reporting students. As an advocate for court reporters, Ana instills in her mentees a sense of pride in and awareness about the profession and is shaping the newest members of the workforce to be capable, professional, and informed.”
— Katherine Schilling, RPR, CSR No. 14163
“As a court reporting student, I understood the constant pressure to write faster and pass more tests. Working with my coach Ana Costa taught me to not only focus on speed but also to work on accuracy and endurance. Having a CSR review and analyze your raw steno notes was at first terrifying, but once I got past the initial fear, I realized how amazing an opportunity this was. Working with Ana helped me become more committed, more focused, more enthusiastic, and more confident in my ability to take down the record and speak up when necessary. If you are looking to really dissect yourself and your writing, I would recommend working with Ana. Her love and devotion to stenography is apparent immediately, and I do believe she truly loves the art of reporting.”
— Erika Espinoza, CSR 14250
“I have been in a court reporting program for approximately seven years. I was reluctant to intern until I met Ana. I heard about her mock trial opportunities while attending the College of Marin. I decided to go for it, and I found her to be an amazing coach. She guided me through the entire process with one-on-one coaching on how to prepare rough drafts, breathing techniques, and the art of interrupting. Also, the process helped me to build speed. But it was due to Ana’s training that I gained the confidence to interrupt, as needed, with no hesitation. It was during a mock trial at Berkeley Law where I practiced all of these techniques. Two days later, I passed my 200 word-per-minute jury charge speed test that I had been attempting to pass for months. I am very thankful for the opportunity I had to intern with Ana. I believe that all court reporting students could benefit from her training because she is professional, knowledgeable, and persistent. She is a dream to work with, and it will give students the confidence they will need for the real world of court reporting.”
— Michelle Brassell, Reporting Student
Before I passed the qualifier to take the CSR, I read back part of a 4-voice in class, and it was clean!! I was so proud of myself. Ana’s techniques work! She has read my raw notes, so she knows this is an accomplishment for me.
These internship mocks are entirely different from the required internships in school. As the reporter, you are responsible for the record. There is no other court reporter in the room with you. You are not shadowing. You are the court reporter.
When I first signed up for Ana’s internship mocks, I was scared. I wasn’t confident. I didn’t believe I could be the reporter of record. However, after participating in a few mock depositions and mock trials, my confidence has soared! I’ve learned to walk into the room knowing that I have the skills of a professional court reporter. I’ve learned to speak up for the integrity of the record. And, most importantly, I believe in myself and my skill.
I could not have done this without Ana’s assistance. Ana has a calming spirit about her that will guide you from uncertainty to confident reporter. She understands the struggle of being a court reporting student and will put you at ease.
The experiences from these mock internships will teach you the necessary tools that go well beyond writing on your machine. This is something you cannot learn in school. This is something you must experience as a court reporting student.
This is also something that the law students must experience. There are actual working attorneys that do not know what a court reporter actually does. What a benefit for not only the court reporting students, but also for the law students who will be more consciously aware of what the court reporter does and how they are creating their record once they begin practicing law. So I strongly feel these internship mocks are teaching moments for everyone.
— Tricia Holmes, CSR Candidate
“From the very beginning of my court reporting school, I was taught to write something for every word, which frustrated me during read-back because I couldn’t read my sloppy notes. After interning with Ana, I have learned to write cleanly and drop, and I have seen a huge improvement. Now reading back and transcribing are a breeze.”
Tobiya Abhaya, Reporting Student
“Today is the first day of my practice based on your email. I now feel as if I have some type of plan to proceed and be successful. I just needed some guidance and structure for my practice. Thank you once again for your expertise and spending valuable time with me on the phone. Your advice was PRICELESS!!!”
— Barbara Sanders, Reporting Student
“I have spent the last few months being part of this apprenticeship group as a voicewriting student finishing her internship requirement. It has been invaluable to my future career! I came into it not knowing what to expect and learned so much more than I had anticipated.
Without these types of experiences, you might be able to go out and get a job, but you won’t feel comfortable. Throughout the process I have gained a confidence knowing the pieces of technology I need to be equipped with and learned so many lessons of what it might take to be a freelance reporter, especially learning the key to great work, which is to speak up for the record and interrupt if you need to!
The experiences I personally had in my time with the group came with missteps and mistakes on my part, but that only made me learn and grow, and Ana was always so supportive and understanding.
This group was worth every minute I put into it, and I would recommend it to any student who can get accepted into it in the future.”
Jackie Mann
Ft Myers, FL