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Not every practice is the same. We recognize that. Not every court reporting company is the same. Amicus Court Reporters, Inc. has forged successful relationships with the world's premier law firms for more than two decades. Those partnerships continue to prosper as we provide services here and in remote locations across this country, in Europe, and in Southeast Asia.
We began as Talamo Court Reporters, Inc. before laptops and Blackberries were the norm and when steno writing machines still spit out streams of paper to be deciphered and transcribed on a typewriter. The industry has changed dramatically in the last twenty years and so have we. Real-time reporting, online scheduling, electronic archival storage, and video services are now a norm for legal support firms. We have evolved with those expectations. But every substantial court reporting company offers multiple products. At some agencies, reporters are interchangeable and clients are numbers on a balance sheet. That's not how we operate. Getting to know your practice and preferences is part of our commitment. We work with your legal team to assure you the services of the best reporter for your needs. That's why our clients keep coming back. They say it best.
It is relationships that remain at the core of what we do and what sets us apart from other agencies. As your service provider we make accountability, accuracy and ethics our priority.
We know your profession. We are a part of it. Owners include a former litigator with more than twenty years of experience in high profile and global cases and a Chicago journalist with editorial and management experience in deadline oriented environments. Our office staff has nearly fifty collective years in this business. Our reporters have a minimum of five years of experience and many of them are requested by name by the top lawyers in Chicago.
Our main office is located in the Chicago Loop, in the heart of its legal community and steps away from Federal and State Courts. We are surrounded by the offices of the best law firms in the country.
We are a family owned business. We care about all of our clients. We recognize that each person's work is unique. Our clients include managing partners at some of the biggest firms in the world and sole practitioners with hometown practices. We are proud that we get to know your practice and your preferences and can tailor our services to meet your specific needs. Our clients agree with us.
Our Owners
Stewart W. Karge is an Owner of Amicus Court Reporters, Inc. A licensed attorney, Stewart has over 29 years experience as a trial litigator involved in major, complex lawsuits. As a partner at a major Chicago law firm from 1978 to 2001, he handled litigation matters and appeared in courts in Washington, Florida, Ohio, Indiana, Connecticut, Minnesota, Texas, New Jersey and Illinois. He is a member of the bar of the United States Supreme Court, the U. S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois (Trial Bar), the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin and the Supreme Court of Illinois.
Diana T. Karge is an Owner and President of Amicus Court Reporters, Inc. A longtime Journalist in the Chicago area with television, radio, and newspaper chains, Diana is familiar with the demands of a fast paced environment where accuracy is paramount. In addition to her career as a reporter and writer, she has served on volunteer boards and as an elected member of a school board for a 5,000 pupil district.
Our Office Staff
We are proud to say that we have the friendliest office staff in the business and we will prove it to you. But the professionals who work for Amicus Court Reporters, Inc. are also veterans of scheduling, production, accounting and customer service. Under the guidance of Office Manager Susan Stewart and with decades of experience in the local legal community and court reporting business, they understand the kind of service they need to deliver. Our clients say it best.
Meet Some of Our Reporters
Lisa Breiter, C.S.R., R.P.R., C.R.R., has been a court reporter for over twenty years, is nationally certified in real-time reporting and specializes in technical depositions and patent cases. Her skills have taken her as far away as Japan and to such interesting local places as Statesville Prison. Highlights of her career include reporting for the Wilson vs. Clark trial, which defined Illinois law on expert witnesses. Lisa particularly enjoys experimenting with new computer technology and working with I.T. departments to solve connectivity issues.
Marguerite Cimms, C.S.R., has traveled extensively around the world with clients to work on major cases demanding rapid transcription services. She is completing her certification in real-time reporting and has been based in Chicago for twenty two years. Her specialty is medical malpractice, but she is well versed in virtually every type of litigation support. On the side, Maggie has done voice-over work, with her most unusual assignment as the voice of E.T. in a children's audio book.
David Demski, C.S.R.
Amy M. Englund, C.S.R., is certified to work in multiple states and has been working fulltime since obtaining her reporting license in 1993. She attended Triton College, the Chicago College of Commerce, and the Jacksonville Stenotype Institute. She has many years of expertise in highly technical cases, along with medical malpractice and securities litigation. This business is a family affair for Amy, whose sister is also court reporter.
Laurie Kogen, C.S.R., R.P.R., has worked as a court reporter for the last eleven years in New York, Paris, Arizona, Nevada and Chicago. She started her career as a proofreader before moving on to report in complex civil litigation cases, particularly patent and securities matters. While working fulltime, she is also studying for an advanced degree in nursing and has been dedicated to mentoring students in this field.
Kay Levine, C.S.R., has a Master's Degree in Clinical Social Work from the University of Chicago and an undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan. With her medical background and experience working at several hospitals, Kay has special expertise in med mal litigation. She also enjoys reporting in patent cases, securities, and contract matters when she is not busy cheering for the Michigan Wolverines.
Tanya Mikolajczyk, C.S.R., has been a court reporter for almost twenty years and boasts a reporting resume that includes virtually every type of legal matter. Her experience includes trial, deposition, arbitration and meeting work, and her profession has taken her to locations across the Midwest. When she is not busy in a courtroom or law office, Tanya can be found turning puppies into well behaved pets in her second career as a dog trainer.
Michelle Paoletti, R.P.R., has worked on such high profile matters such as priest abuse cases and school district lawsuits. She also enjoys reporting in matters involving Intellectual Property and construction. Hailing from the south suburban region, she often travels outside of the metropolitan area to assist our clients. Michelle was the reporter on a trial that yielded the highest award in Illinois history in a wrongful death suit of its kind.
Teresa Volpentesta, C.S.R., specializes in reporting for construction litigation, medical malpractice, and arbitrations. During her 23 years of experience in Chicago she has covered high profile cases such as the CNA insurance litigation, the scaffolding collapse on the John Hancock tower, Oprah Winfrey vs. the Beef Council, and lawsuits following the derailment of the City of New Orleans. Her extensive portfolio will soon include real-time certification.