Benjamin Jaffe
Benjamin Jaffe is a seasoned court reporting industry professional with extensive expertise in technology. Currently, as an industry consultant, he collaborates with court reporting firms and software developers to foster industry growth, develop training, and enhance court reporting technology. Prior to this, Benjamin served as the Manager of Digital Training and Development at BlueLedge, an AAERT approved online training company specializing in digital court reporting and legal transcription.
His leadership journey spans almost 20 years in various industries including legal, media, education, and government. From 2014 to 2018, Benjamin led the legal technology team at Orange Legal where he managed digital court reporting, legal videography, trial technology, and e-discovery. During his tenure, he obtained approval to teach Continuing Legal Education classes in Florida, Georgia, and for the National Association of Legal Assistants.
Currently, Benjamin holds the position of Vice President on the AAERT Board of Directors. He played a crucial role in expanding membership, advocating for the industry, and successfully launching the Leadership Summit. Benjamin currently serves as the chair of the AAERT Leadership Summit Committee and contributes as a member of the Advocacy Committee and Communications Committee.
Benjamin’s academic background includes an MBA from Rollins College and a BA in Communications from the University of Central Florida. He is known for his advocacy efforts, starting with the 2018 article “Two Truths and a Lie.” In 2023, his article “5 Innovative Legal Support Careers” was featured in the Association of Legal Administrators Legal Management Magazine, and he writes regularly for BlueLedge’s blog, “Ledger,” for which he covers topics such as e- learning, career transitioning, court reporting equipment, and professionalism. In December 2023, he was quoted in Part 2 of Government Technology Magazine’s 3- part series, “More Than Stenography: Exploring Court Record Options.” Benjamin also shares his passion for the industry and technology through AAERT’s Facebook groups and other court reporting groups.
Your Business/Occupation
In one or two sentences, explain your services or products.
I am a Certified Electronic Reporter (CER) and Certified Deposition Reporter (CDR) who for the past two years has provided consulting services to well known companies in the legal sector, such as TransAtlantic International Legal Solutions, SpeedType, and Advantage Software. I have also been an extremely active member of AAERT serving as Vice President, Chair of the Leadership Summit, Former Chair and member of the Advocacy Committee, and Former Chair and member of the Communication Committee.
Our Industry
A. How would you describe the challenges and opportunities that our industry faces (in the Court, Agency, and Deposition markets)?
B. What do you see as the challenges and opportunities?
Our industry is undergoing monumental transformations with the emergence of new technologies such as artificial intelligence, automatic speech recognition, and remote technology, and the growth of digital reporting and legal transcription. We are seeing a reshaping of the landscape of court rooms, agencies, and the market as a whole. Members of AAERT are not only witnessing but driving a fundamental shift in how the record is being captured and produced. We are now seeing AAERT's membership spanning from major court reporting agencies to smaller firms across the nation. Moving forward, our primary challenges lies in ensuring that AAERT to uphold the highest standards and fosters collaboration and unity within the industry, no matter the method of capture.
Reason(s) To Run
A. What is/are the reason(s) you decided to run for the board?
B. Whom and what do you want to impact?
The decision to run for the board of AAERT was prompted by the nomination from several esteemed members, which I gratefully accepted. Having dedicated the past three years to serving on the board, I'm deeply proud of our collective achievements during that time. Looking ahead, I see immense potential for both AAERT and the industry as a whole. We stand at a pivotal moment in our growth and evolution, and I am enthusiastic about the opportunity to continue contributing to shaping that future. My aim is to leverage my experience, passion, and commitment to drive meaningful impact, fostering growth, innovation, and excellence within AAERT and beyond
Your Goal
A. If you had a mandate—board authorization, financial resources, member support—what do you want to do?
B. How would you improve the capabilities of our members (reporters, transcribers, proofreaders, videographers, business owners and executives)?
If given the mandate, I envision transforming AAERT into an all-encompassing organization that embraces and champions diverse methods of court reporting and legal support services, including stenography, voice writing, digital court reporting, AI court reporting, videography, translation, interpreting, and the various supporting roles within these disciplines. Strengthening our ties with court systems and key industry stakeholders would be a priority, facilitating collaboration and mutual growth. Furthermore, I would focus on enriching our heritage by expanding certification programs and educational offerings, with the goal of achieving broader recognition and adoption of these certifications across states. My commitment remains steadfast in enhancing member experiences through robust workforce development, comprehensive training initiatives, exclusive benefits, and extensive networking opportunities, thereby continually elevating the value proposition of AAERT for all its members.
Involvement
A. How long have you been a member?
B. How many conferences have you attended? If you have not attended conferences, would you explain why not?
C. Do you plan to attend this year’s conference?
I proudly joined AAERT in 2018 and had the privilege of attending my first conference in Orlando, Florida, for the Executive Forum in 2019. Since then, I've participated in a total of two Annual Conferences, two Executive Forums, and one virtual conference, contributing as a speaker or panelist at each event. I greatly value the opportunities for networking and knowledge sharing that these conferences offer. In addition, I have hosted several Career Showcases for AAERT over the last few years and been an active member in planning Digital Court Reporter and Transcriber (DCRT) Day/Week. As for the upcoming 2024 Annual Conference and Leadership Summit, I am not only planning to attend but also serving as the Chair of the Leadership Summit committee. Additionally, I've been actively involved in planning the annual conference and am scheduled to speak at the event
Experience
A. What has been your leadership experience?
B. Do you have experience as a board member of a non-profit organization?
C. Please list the organizations, your positions, and duties.
My leadership experience includes serving on the AAERT Board of Directors for the past three years, with my current role being Vice President. Within AAERT, I've chaired various committees such as Advocacy, Communications, and Leadership Summit. Beyond AAERT, I've held management positions in several companies inside and outside the court reporting industry. Additionally, I serve as a board member and Vice President to my homeowners association.