American Association of Electronic Reporters and Transcribers

What American Association of Electronic Reporters and Transcribers does

The American Association of Electronic Reporters and Transcribers (AAERT) is a non-profit professional membership and certifying body founded in March 1994 in Las Vegas. It certifies and serves digital court reporters, legal transcribers, scopists, and related professionals who create the verbatim record in U.S. legal proceedings. AAERT offers three core credentials — the Certified Electronic Reporter (CER), Certified Deposition Reporter (CDR), and Certified Electronic Transcriber (CET) — and supports them with the proprietary AAERT Knowledge Exam Platform (launched March 26, 2026, replacing RealTime Coach) and a 274-page Best Practices Guide now in revision for a 2026 edition. Membership provides access to CEU tracking, a mentorship program, a Career Center, four standing committees, and a public Certificant Search directory; over 2,500 individuals have earned AAERT certifications to date.

AAERT generates revenue through five streams: recurring annual membership dues, one-time certification and exam fees (CER, CDR, CET knowledge and practical), sale of the Best Practices Guide ($50 members / $75 non-members), event and webinar fees (webinars $35 members / $50 non-members), and multi-tiered sponsorship packages (Platinum/Gold/Silver/Bronze) sold to industry vendors at the annual conference and the joint AAERT-STAR Unity Summit. Distribution is direct-to-consumer via aaert.org (CiviCRM event platform) and through approved schools, with no reseller or retail channel. In May 2024, AAERT hired Matt Riley, CAE, as Executive Director; in 2025 it secured VA approval for its certification pathway; and in April 2026 it announced a unanimous merger with STAR (Society for the Technological Advancement of Reporting) to form CAPTUR, the first unified association for all court reporting capture methods, with the merger set to culminate at the 2026 Unity Summit (May 14-17, Nashville).

Name

American Association of Electronic Reporters and Transcribers

Legal name

American Association of Electronic Reporters and Transcribers

Website

https://www.aaert.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

AAERT is a U.S. non-profit professional association that certifies digital court reporters and legal transcribers through its CER, CDR, and CET credentials, serving over 2,500 certified professionals and pursuing a merger with STAR to form CAPTUR.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Certification Services

NAICS

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (54)

akta.pro primary industry

Continuing Education (CE/CPD) & Provider Accreditation Bodies (EDADACAF)

Keywords

• Court reporting certification
• Digital transcription training
• Professional certification programs
• Electronic reporter credentials
• Legal transcription services

Headquarters

HQ city

Albany

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: AAERT generates revenue from annual membership dues paid by digital court reporters, legal transcribers, and related professionals. Members receive access to certification, the Career Center, mentorship programs, advocacy resources, and member pricing on AAERT products and events.
2. Certification and Examination Fees: AAERT charges fees for certification exams (CER, CDR, CET knowledge and practical exams). Exam registration is handled through the AAERT website and events platform. Revenue is generated per exam attempt, with renewal and CEU maintenance fees also contributing.
3. Publications and Products: AAERT sells its Best Practices Guide (274-page PDF) for $50 for members and $75 for non-members. This digital product is a reference guide covering professional standards for reporters and transcribers.
4. Conference and Webinar Revenue: AAERT generates revenue through event registration fees for annual conferences (including live certification exam sessions), the Unity Summit, Leadership Summit, and webinars. Webinar fees are $35 for members and $50 for non-members.
5. Sponsorship and Exhibitor Fees: AAERT sells sponsorship and exhibitor packages at its annual conference and Unity Summit events. The 2026 Unity Summit prospectus lists Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze, and additional sponsorship tiers with multiple vendors. Revenue is earned from industry companies seeking access to AAERT's professional audience.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

AAERT provides professional certification (CER, CDR, CET) for digital court reporters, legal transcribers, and scopists, along with continuing education, industry standards (Best Practices Guide), membership services, advocacy, and networking through annual conferences including the Unity Summit (co-hosted with STAR). The association sells the Best Practices Guide as a digital publication and operates the AAERT Knowledge Exam Platform for delivering certification exams.

Product overview

AAERT (American Association of Electronic Reporters and Transcribers) is a professional certification and membership organization, not a software product company. Its core offerings consist of professional certifications for the court reporting and transcription industry: CER (Certified Electronic Reporter), CDR (Certified Deposition Reporter), and CET (Certified Electronic Transcriber) certifications. Supporting offerings include the AAERT Knowledge Exam Platform (launched March 2026), the Best Practices Guide (274-page professional standards manual), the annual Unity Summit conference (jointly with STAR), and the Soundbytes Newsletter. AAERT is pursuing a merger with STAR to form CAPTUR, a unified association for all court reporting professionals. Membership also provides access to a member dashboard, mentorship program, career center, approved schools directory, and a searchable certificant directory. Over 2,500 individuals have earned AAERT certifications, which are recognized as leading certifications for courts and businesses throughout the United States.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• CER (Certified Electronic Reporter) Certification The Certified Electronic Reporter (CER) certification validates proficiency in electronic court reporting. Candidates complete a knowledge exam and a forthcoming practical exam component. The certification is recognized by courts and businesses throughout the United States.
• CDR (Certified Deposition Reporter) Certification The Certified Deposition Reporter (CDR) certification validates expertise in deposition reporting. The certification is recognized as a leading credential for deposition reporters, with in-person exam sessions available at annual conferences.
• CET (Certified Electronic Transcriber) Certification

Quantifiable outcome

• 2,500+ AAERT certifications earned by professionals; AAERT certifications recognized by courts and businesses throughout the U.S.
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability1 record

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship/ core, core and minor.

• STAR (Society for the Technological Advancement of Reporting)flagship/ coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 April 2026AAERT and STAR have announced unanimous board votes to pursue a merger forming CAPTUR (The Council for the Advancement of Professionals, Technology, and Unbiased Reporting). The combined entity will be the first association uniting all professionals who create, support, and protect the legal record — stenographers, digital court reporters, voice writers, legal transcribers, videographers, and related roles. The merger will culminate at the 2026 Unity Summit in Nashville, Tennessee (May 14-17). Matt Riley will serve as CAPTUR's first Executive Director, and Andrea Wecker will serve as CAPTUR's inaugural president.
• BlueLedgecoreOthersBlueLedge is an AAERT-approved online training company specializing in digital court reporting and legal transcription. It is listed as a sponsor and approved school partner, offering AAERT-aligned curriculum for candidates preparing for CER, CDR, and CET certification exams.
• The Court Reporting AcademycoreOthersThe Court Reporting Academy is listed as a sponsor and approved school for AAERT certification preparation. It provides curriculum aligned with AAERT exam blueprints for aspiring digital court reporters and legal transcriptionists.
• Learn to TranscribeminorOthersLearn to Transcribe is a sponsor of AAERT, offering transcription training courses. Listed as an educational sponsor on the AAERT website.
• StenographcoreOthersStenograph is a Platinum/Gold sponsor of the 2026 Unity Summit and a long-standing vendor sponsor of AAERT. Stenograph is a leading manufacturer of stenotype machines and court reporting technology. Gold sponsor of Unity Summit 2026.
• VeritextcoreOthersVeritext is a Platinum/Gold sponsor of AAERT events. Veritext is a major court reporting firm offering digital reporting, transcription, and legal technology services. Silver sponsor of Unity Summit 2026.
• Planet DeposcoreOthersPlanet Depos is a Gold sponsor of AAERT and Unity Summit 2026. It provides digital court reporting, legal videography, and trial technology services to the legal industry.
• U.S. Legal SupportcoreOthersU.S. Legal Support is a Gold sponsor of AAERT events. It provides court reporting, legal transcription, and litigation support services across the United States.
• RevcoreOthersRev is a Platinum sponsor of AAERT and Unity Summit 2026. Rev provides transcription, captioning, and legal support services, leveraging AI and human transcriptionists. Rev also offers related services to AAERT members.
• VerbitcoreOthersVerbit is a Silver sponsor of Unity Summit 2026. Verbit provides AI-powered transcription and captioning solutions for legal, government, and education markets. Listed as a sponsor offering technology solutions to AAERT's professional community.
• SoniClearminorOthersSoniClear is a sponsor of AAERT. SoniClear develops audio recording and management software for court reporting and legal proceedings. Listed as a vendor sponsor on the AAERT website.
• ScribieminorOthersScribie is a sponsor of AAERT. Scribie offers human-verified transcription services and is listed as a vendor partner supporting the AAERT community.
• VoiceScriptminorOthersVoiceScript is a Gold sponsor of Unity Summit 2026. VoiceScript provides AI-powered voice writing and speech-to-text technology for legal proceedings.
• Loom AnalyticsminorOthersLoom Analytics is a Gold sponsor of Unity Summit 2026. It provides analytics and business intelligence tools for court reporting firms.
• DepoDashminorOthersDepoDash is an additional sponsor and exhibitor of Unity Summit 2026. DepoDash provides scheduling and workflow management tools for deposition and court reporting services.
• SpeedTypeminorOthersSpeedType (CEO Betsy Ertel, AAERT former Director) is a universal Windows text expander system for court reporters and transcriptionists. SpeedType is a sponsor of AAERT and Unity Summit 2026, and Betsy Ertel has served as AAERT Education Chair and created the LMS/CEU library program.
• National Court Reporters Association (NCRA)minorOthersNCRA is mentioned as an industry peer organization. AAERT Executive Director Matt Riley previously served in senior leadership positions at NCRA. CEUs at AAERT events are offered in partnership with NCRA, NVRA, and other recognized bodies.
• National Verbatim Reporters Association (NVRA)minorOthersNVRA is an industry peer association. CEUs at AAERT events are cross-recognized with NVRA, NCRA, and AAERT. NVRA is listed on the Unity Summit sponsor prospectus.
• National Center for State Courts (NCSC)minorOthersNCSC's Court Statistics Project (SCO) provides authoritative data on how state trial and appellate courts are organized. AAERT's State Courts Information page links to NCSC data showing which court reporting methods are used in each state's court system.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Rev: Rev is a major AI- and human-powered transcription and captioning company and a Platinum sponsor of AAERT. It overlaps with AAERT's transcription segment and is a key technology-enabled competitor for certified transcriber services.
• Verbit: Verbit is an AI-powered transcription and captioning provider and a Silver sponsor of AAERT. It serves the same legal, government, and education transcription markets as AAERT-certified CET professionals, representing an AI-driven competitive vector.

Direct peers

• STAR (Society for the Technological Advancement of Reporting): STAR is a peer professional association for stenographic and voice writing reporters and is AAERT's announced merger partner to form CAPTUR. Both organizations certify court reporting professionals and co-host the Unity Summit.
• National Court Reporters Association (NCRA): NCRA is the largest U.S. professional association for stenographic court reporters and a direct peer to AAERT. Both certify court reporters, offer CEUs, run annual conferences, and AAERT's executive director previously held senior roles at NCRA.
• National Verbatim Reporters Association (NVRA): NVRA is a peer association representing verbatim reporters and a recognized CEU provider cross-listed with AAERT. Both compete for membership among legal reporting professionals and participate in the same advocacy and certification ecosystem.

Regional players

• Planet Depos: Planet Depos is a court reporting and legal technology services firm and a Gold sponsor of AAERT/Unity Summit. It offers digital court reporting, legal videography, and trial technology services that compete with AAERT-certified professionals in the U.S. market.

Others

• Stenograph: Stenograph is a leading manufacturer of stenotype machines and court reporting technology and a Platinum/Gold sponsor of AAERT events. It is a key equipment and technology supplier to the court reporting profession AAERT certifies.
• BlueLedge: BlueLedge is an AAERT-approved online training company that prepares candidates for AAERT's CER, CDR, and CET exams. It is both a sponsor and a key feeder channel for AAERT's certification pipeline, making it a closely aligned ecosystem partner.

Broad incumbents

• U.S. Legal Support: U.S. Legal Support is a large court reporting, legal transcription, and litigation support services firm and a Gold sponsor of AAERT. It competes in the same digital reporting and deposition services market that AAERT-certified professionals serve.
• Veritext Legal Solutions: Veritext is a major national court reporting and legal services firm and an AAERT Platinum/Gold sponsor. It competes broadly in the same market as AAERT-certified professionals by offering digital reporting, deposition, and transcription services at scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/AAERT1
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/american-association-of-electronic-reporters-and-transcribers-aaert
• Xx.com/AAERT

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A1 record

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about American Association of Electronic Reporters and Transcribers