Connect Series: Meet our Production Team!

Shishi & Talina with Larissa and Angel

While Reportex offers a wide range of services ranging from realtime reporting to boardrooms for mediations, our bread and butter has always been our transcripts. Including both discovery transcripts and transcripts from recorded audio, we produce thousands of transcript pages a week which need to be provided to the court and the ordering parties.

Our production team, directed by Shishi Fan with Talina Flores Vergara, is responsible for ensuring our printed transcripts meet Reportex’s high standards of quality.  Along with members of our office services team when needed, specifically Larissa Patlan and Angel Arena, this department works like a well-oiled machine. There are many different kinds of transcripts, each having special printing requirements and these experts make sure each and every transcript meets the stringent Rules of Court.  Excellence is our game!

We sat down with the team to learn a little more about them and their vital jobs:

First up, is Shishi Fan, our Production Director at at Reportex Headquarters, Vancouver.

What do you like most about being a production director at Reportex?

I get to be this evil-bringer of bad news, striking hearts with fear with every back-order email to our lovely group of reporters. The amount of trees production has used to make transcripts might be a small forest! Jokes aside, in my position I get the chance to speak to all sorts of people from our audio department to our medical transcript department.

What would you be if you weren’t a part of the Production Team at Reportex?

I see myself fitting in the scheduling department. I used to schedule discoveries in the past between printing, so I look back on those experiences fondly.

What is your top tip for staying organized?

I used to use sticky notes and printed papers. Now that I don’t have a printer at home, I’ve gone into the new age of unread emails in inboxes to annoy the heck out of myself and the (God-blessed) reminders from Slack.

How do you take your coffee?

Clearly the answer is to not take coffee. Why would you want coffee when you can have tea that has 100 different other flavours and has caffeine in it too? Come join the tea team with me.

What three things are on your bucket list?

Exercise, exercise, and some more exercise. Sadly, I don’t think I’m the only one who has gotten used to staying indoors to avoid crowds during the best hours of our beautiful summer weather.


Second, is Talina Flores Vergara, our Production Assistant at at Reportex Headquarters, Vancouver.

What do you like most about being a production assistant at Reportex?

I enjoy working as a part of an amazing team. I enjoy the daily challenges, and I am able to gain lots of new skill sets.

What would you be if you weren’t a part of the Production Team at Reportex?

I came to Canada three years ago hoping to work in the HR field because that’s what I love to do. But life took me to the hospitality industry, where I had worked for a while, and then I got hired on by Reportex. This was a life-changing opportunity for me. I believe that I can passionately work towards my goals and dreams.

What is your top tip for staying organized?

My organizational skills are not something that I was born with. Over the years I have made it a habit, which helps me stay organized.

How do you take your coffee?

Usually with milk and sugar, but my top one is when it comes with a shot of Baileys.

What three things are on your bucket list?

  1. One-month cruise trip.
  2. Start my own business.
  3. A train journey across Canada.

Third, is Larissa Patlan, our Office Services Coordinator at at Reportex Headquarters, Vancouver.

What do you like most about assisting the Production Team at Reportex?

I like working at production because the people around me train me well, and we are good at working together. Furthermore I like being part of it. My grandmother used to say a very well-known proverb: “If you want to go fast, go alone, but if you want to go further, go with others.” I am very grateful to this company because I really feel at home.

What would you be if you weren’t a part of the Production Team at Reportex?

If I wasn’t here, it would be hard to guess where I would be right now, but I would probably be studying some kind of masters degree related to biotechnology or biology, simply because that subject is my passion and my hobby.

What is your top tip for staying organized?

I am completely sure that most of the time I try to be organized not only at work but at home as well. One of the methods I usually practise (or at least try to practise) is the 5S. For example, if I don’t use something for a year, I keep it or throw it away or donate it. But if I use something daily (at least once), I put it within reach. This way I only keep what I need without losing efficiency.

How do you take your coffee?

I like the tea with cinnamon better, but if I had to choose a coffee, I would choose decaffeinated coffee without sugar and maybe with soy milk or oat milk.

What three things are on your bucket list?

  1. I would love to see a paradise bird dancing.
  2. It would be amazing to see the Northern Lights as well as a night of star rain.
  3. Swim in icy waters.

Last but not least, is Angel Arena our Receptionist at Island Reporters located in Victoria.

What do you like most about assisting the Production Team at Island Reporters?

It is the trust I have received from my direct superior and the management team, especially since I am the only one working in the office most of the time. The feeling of being valued and supported by the team. I may be alone, but I am connected!

What would you be if you weren’t a part of the Production Team at Island Reporters?

I would probably be in a production team or supply chain team of a manufacturing firm where I can intensively utilize my skills in production planning, scheduling, materials control, procurement and logistics.

What is your top tip for staying organized?

Whether on your desk, e-files, instructions, tools, etc., I find it the most basic system in order to be organized — the 5S: sort, set in order, shine, standardize and sustain.

How do you take your coffee?

If not for my sleep disorder and hyperacidity, I would take my coffee with one cream and half a sugar. I love coffee, but my body does not — no matter how little the amount is.

What three things are on your bucket list?

  1. Get (at least) a permanent residency in Canada.
  2. Build my dream house.
  3. Take a family vacation.

Connect Series: Meet Nancy Gratham, our Medicolegal Transcription QC Director!

At Reportex we do so much more than just court reporting!

We have many different departments offering all types of litigation support — from discoveries, mediations and other legal proceedings, to legal tech and editing services, to trial coordination and even a whole medicolegal section. Our medical transcribers transcribe expert reports, reference materials and other documents needed during the litigation process. Nancy Gratham (along with her colleague Louise Kennedy) leads a specialized team that is key to Reportex’s ongoing success.  

As the medicolegal transcription quality control director for Reportex, Nancy is responsible for managing our vast medicolegal transcription reference materials, overseeing the consistency of our medicolegal report style (including adherence to the Rules of Court) and training all of our new medicolegal team members.

#notjustcourtreporting


We recently asked Nancy a few questions. Here is what she had to say:

What do you like most about being a medicolegal transcription QC director at Reportex?

What’s not to love? I love my medicolegal team, which is made of the most dedicated, skilled, hard-working, unflappable women imaginable. The Reportex leadership team is cut from the very same cloth and has been an inspiration as they’ve faced down the unrivalled challenges 2020 has so far thrown their way. I’ve always loved working with words and with documents, so that’s a win. Our medical specialist clients are the best at what they do, and every day presents new language, new cases and new challenges. I also love being completely immersed in it all without having to commute to do so.


Did you find this career, or did it find you?

This career definitely found me. Teenage me only wanted to work at a magazine, so that’s what I set out to do. Years later I was managing editor at Western Living, and as much as I loved the work and the people who came with it, when I had my first baby, I knew I had to find a way to work closer to home. After a few years of freelance writing I came across an article with a picture of a woman who was sitting at her dining room table and waxing poetic about her work as a medical transcriber. I was hooked by the idea of a new challenge and by the prospect of never having to pitch an editor another story, so I went back to school, and 15 years later here we are.


Sushi or tacos?

Sushi! No explanation necessary.


What is your top tip for staying productive while working from home?

Work in a deadline-based business. Deadlines are the best motivators! 

More practically, I have a lovely office in my home where nothing happens but work. I “go to work” every morning and don’t leave the office until the job is done for the day. While I cherish the lack of commute, I treat my workday as though I’ve left my house behind entirely. Laundry and dishes and dust mites only exist outside of business hours. 


A genie gives you three wishes — what are they?

  1. A COVID-19 vaccine.
  2. Everyone who is able gets said vaccine.
  3. Chef Nye mysteriously moves into my house and is made exceptionally happy by plying me with his latest creations.

Zoom’s Latest Release: New Features & Enhancements

Zoom recently announced its latest release aimed at improving the overall meeting, webinar and chat experience for Zoom users.

Note: To access the below features you will need to update to the latest version of Zoom Client for Meetings.

Meetings & Webinars

  • Video filters: You can apply video filters to alter the look of your video with colour grading, foreground and frame filters. Filters can be turned off in your web settings at any time.
  • Touch Up My Appearance intensity: You now have the ability to adjust the level of skin smoothing applied with the Touch Up My Appearance feature.
  • Improved lighting capabilities: You can adjust the brightness of your video automatically or manually using a slider in your video settings. This feature is especially useful in low-light environments.
  • Enhanced background noise suppression: You can choose to have the background noise suppression applied by selecting low, medium, high or automatic background noise suppression.
  • Improved Waiting Room notifications: The meeting host now receives more notifications about attendees entering the waiting room, including during screen sharing and when Zoom is minimized/hidden.
  • Improved video and content sharing: There have been upgrades to video and content sharing to improve video quality, decrease bandwidth and CPU usage and improve text clarity.

Meetings Only

  • Additional meeting reactions: In addition to the clapping and thumbs up reactions you can now react with a heart, surprised face, laughing face or party emoji. Those receiving the reactions will also need to have the latest version of Zoom Client to see them.
  • Security section when scheduling a meeting: To allow easier access Passcode and Waiting Room settings are displayed under the security section when scheduling a new meeting.

Chat

  • Voice messages: You can now record and send voice messages to other users in a one-on-one chat or a channel.

For more information and how-to videos on these features check out the Zoom Blog post and YouTube video.


Important: Starting September 27th Zoom will require all meetings to have a Passcode or a Waiting Room enabled for paid accounts. Zoom has set up a support page with a comprehensive FAQ document to provide users with more information about this change.

Wellness Wednesday: Welcome Back, Chef Nye! Bonus: Breakfast Chia Chug Recipe

With our offices open again, we are excited to welcome Chef Nye back to work.

As part of our ‘Wellness Wednesday’ series Chef Nye has graciously shared with us his recipe for a delicious an nutritious Breakfast Chia Chug. This recipe can be blended into a smoothie or packed in a mason jar to enjoy.

We hope you give this recipe a try and share your results with us.

Breakfast Chia Chug

Yield:
5 cups of base pudding

Chia Base Pudding Recipe           

  • 1 cup black chia seeds
  • 2 cups coconut milk
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 cup sugar (optional)

Method:

  1. Combine all ingredients in a large container and whisk until mixed.
  2. Cover and chill in the fridge overnight. 
    Use base pudding to make Breakfast Chia Chug (see below).
  3. This base also goes great with fresh or dried fruit, granola, nuts, yogurt or a little honey.

Chia Chug Shaker Recipe

  • 1/2 cup chia base pudding
  • 1/2 cup oat milk (or other non-dairy milk)
  • 1/2 cup cereal granola
  • 1/2 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
  • Fresh mint to taste!

Method:

  1. Layer all ingredients in a mason jar.
  2. Store in the fridge until ready to eat.
  3. When ready to eat, stir and enjoy!