Complex Cases Simplified: Gaining Logistical Control From Calendaring to Courtroom (Revisited)

We are pleased to rebroadcast this webinar for those who missed it in December. Join us on February 9 at 12:00 p.m. PT for a FREE one-hour webinar.

This informative webinar will give you the opportunity to earn one hour of CPD credits and learn about the tools and practices available to you when taking on a complex case in today’s technology-filled world.

Courts, lawyers and mediators have been using digital tools to enhance the entire legal system from discovery all the way through to hearings and trials. The ability to expand access to court proceedings that were once hampered by distance or scale is now encouraging more people to embrace a wider use of technology across the legal industry. Our team is here to help you navigate the process of adopting this innovative technology.

This one-hour webinar will take you through the key areas of managing a large or complex case with the latest in legal technology. The webinar will take a dive into the tools and services available for managing document production and examinations for discovery as well as other e-solutions for complex proceedings.  

This includes the following:

  • What IS a Complex Case?
  • Security concerns
  • Document depositories
  • Virtual discoveries
  • Paperless exhibits
  • Virtual trials

Space is limited, so please register here to secure your spot.

Watch This Space for Our Vision of the Future

2022 is off and running, and despite the seemingly unending gloom from COVID restrictions and fears, we are going full steam ahead with our vision for the future of our new national branding as we transform into Veritext (Canada). 

Our vision includes a few improvements to our blog and the type of content we share with you. Over the next few months you will see news and updates about legal services and legal technology, not just for our clients’ benefit but for our partners and court reporters across Canada.

We want this site to be your go-to for all your needs when it comes to staying on the cutting edge of legal tech and how it is influencing the world of court reporting.

Watch this space for information about our partners across Canada and the specialized services they offer.

Watch this space to learn more about the highly trained court reporters that work with us.

Watch this space to see more learning opportunities for our clients and court reporters.

We welcome any input about what you need to know more about when it comes to our services and how we can help you.

Going Paperless: An Introduction to E-Discoveries and Transcript Bundles

“Going paperless” in the legal world has been a challenge that many of us have been facing head on for many years now. In an industry that has been nearly built on documents, files and bankers boxes, it can be a terrifying endeavour.

Clearly the adaptation of virtual and digital technology into the legal justice system is not based on jumping on the latest bandwagon and grabbing the shiny new toy. In fact we already have a working model here in BC: the Civil Resolution Tribunal combines proven technology with flexibility and case management to resolve small-value property and land disputes. Applicants can avoid a pricey trip to the supreme court, where legal costs could easily end up higher than the original sums in dispute.

The main goal is access to justice for all people, no matter where they are or what their circumstances are. Our commitment is to develop and provide tech that connects, and we want the use of technology to enhance rather than hinder people’s experiences.

At the heart of all legal proceedings is the record — official and supportive documentation in all forms. For many the idea of going paperless seems to contravene everything that we envision when we think about the world of law and immediately picture stacks of documents and piles of bankers boxes filled with files. How do we truly manage all of that digitally?

Going paperless needs to be cost-effective, easily managed and accessible to all involved. With advanced planning and cooperation between counsel and the court, paperless trials will not only save time but also significantly reduce legal fees, eliminate the costs of reproducing and handling paper, streamline the presentation of evidence and lead to better trial outcomes.

E-discoveries and transcript bundles are here, and we can help.

Digital technology can allow the sharing of court information (such as disclosures and discovery data) between participants effectively and with privacy and security requirements in place.

Our transcript bundles allow you to unlock the power of your cross-examination by placing both the oral testimony and the documents you put to the witness right at your fingertips, directly where they are referenced in the transcript. Judges love the convenience of reviewing witness testimony, trial exhibits, closing argument and case law with the click of a hyperlink, particularly since our bundles are fully searchable, with excerpts from the proceedings easily copied/pasted directly into the judge’s reasons for judgment.

You can see a sample of a transcript bundle here.

“We remain in an era of threat, with risks of barely functioning court systems, greatly reduced access to justice, and, in turn, a potential weakening of the rule of law. We are also in an era of opportunity — the chance to build boldly on the shift of attitude and on demonstrable recent successes with technology, and to put in place improved, sustainable court services that are much more accessible than today’s.”

 — Richard Susskind, “The Future of Courts”

Going paperless is not just part of the new digital court system; it can also better accommodate remote working arrangements in your law offices while keeping documents more organized and secure. By going paperless, you can also make a positive environmental impact by leading the change towards protecting the environment.

Contact us today to learn more.

Envisioning the Path Forward

A Letter From Christy Pratt, Regional Vice President, Canada-West – Veritext (Canada)

With 2021 firmly in the rear-view mirror, it’s time to step into this new year with a fresh perspective! We’ve all become somewhat of virtual experts in this new virtual world, and this way of living and working isn’t just an interim solution — it has taken on a life of its own. 

The legal and court reporting communities pivoted in record time back in 2020, and we spent 2021 ironing out the kinks and building and improving connections — both literally and figuratively — because we needed to. In fact connection was our team’s mantra for the year.

I see 2022 as the year where we get to choose how we work and live, where we get to celebrate our ability to make decisions without restriction. 2022 will afford us the freedom to work from home or from somewhere else because we want to and we can. The world we left behind in 2020 is long gone, but what it gives us is the opportunity to shape our future.

The vision I hold for our industry is that the technology and virtual opportunities that we have firmly embraced are going to serve us extremely well into the future, and the opportunities to utilize smart, effective tech connections are only going to get bigger and better. We’ve all seen what is possible — what can happen — when we are inspired to get creative and find new ways to connect. Now it’s time to build on this powerful foundation, to continue to adapt and shift and to see what other extraordinary court reporting initiatives and flexible e-solutions we can bring to the Canadian market — and to the world.