Sustainable Legal Tech Practices

Going Paperless: The Future of the Legal Industry

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In recent years, the legal industry has seen a significant shift towards digitization and the adoption of paperless practices.  Covid protocols and the rising trend of hybrid and remote work have certainly sped up that trend.

Advancements made in the fast digital distribution of files — through encrypted hyperlinks — have become the more superior, more sustainable, and more secure solutions for transcript and exhibit delivery.  With paperless legal services, law firms and courts can significantly reduce their paper consumption and the associated costs, such as printing, storage, and secure disposal. 

It will come as no surprise that the legal industry is a significant consumer of paper.  From bankers’ boxes full of files to legal binders and correspondence… the list goes on. By adopting paperless practices and utilizing digital technologies, legal services can reduce their environmental impact and improve the efficiency and accessibility of the legal industry.  The benefits of going paperless in the legal sector are many.  First and foremost, it is a more sustainable and eco-friendly approach.  According to the American Bar Association, an average case with a duration of a year can generate between 20,000 to 100,000 sheets of paper including motions, discoveries, transcripts, exhibits, and other legal documents. The statistics in Canada will no doubt be similar.  That’s a lot of trees.  

Another advantage of going paperless is improving access to justice.  Today we can ensure that legal documents and information are easily accessible to authorized parties while maintaining a high level of security and confidentiality.  In 2019, the Ministry of the Attorney General of BC published a ‘roadmap’ to their digital transformation.   You can read the report here.  The comprehensive report looks at the inevitable transformation of the legal industry into a digital model and how that impacts our legal system. BC and Court systems across Canada – including the Supreme Court – and the United States have developed comprehensive electronic filing systems that allow users to upload multiple documents per case to be used for all filings (with some exceptions).

Veritext has a long-standing commitment to sustainability. Our technological orientation is central to mitigating our environmental impact and we invite you to read more about our sustainability practices and strategies to lessen our own environmental impact in this comprehensive report.

Our commitment to building a more sustainable industry is why our standard transcript deliverables are via secure and encrypted electronic hyperlinks — however, we understand the needs of our clients — and hard copies of all your proceedings will continue to be available upon request.  We are dedicated to customizing your experience with our client services, providing cutting-edge solutions, and capturing your desired preferences to deliver the best service tailored to your needs.

Bringing in the New Year

A Look to 2023 and Beyond

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As we wrap up 2022 and look to a fresh new year, we wanted to take this moment to thank you for supporting us throughout this period of national integration and adjustment in 2022.

2022 gave us many exciting things – the expansion of the Veritext brand across Canada, a streamlined new website bringing all our offices together, and a glimpse of the services and opportunities to come with this transition.

Despite a new logo (and lots of blue), you will have noticed that you are still working with the same great people you are familiar with, and we are so grateful to all our staff and partners for riding this rollercoaster with us and making sure you – our clients – have experienced the exceptional service you have grown to expect from all of us in each location (Reportex, All-Star, Island, Richards, Mainland, Ace, Amicus, Royal and Neesons) over the past many years.

Relationships matter and we hope that we are more than just a voice at the end of the phone or a name at the bottom of an email. Veritext has always focused on the unique needs of our clients and strives to provide access to innovative technology, remote solutions, and state-of-the-art meeting space with the highest quality network of reporters and transcriptionists.

In 2023 we vow to continue to innovate and build our network of support for your legal service needs and remain your top provider of legal solutions and services in Canada and beyond.

Thank you for staying with us.

Have a Happy New Year.

Face-to-Face with Leanne Kowalyk

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Our very own Leanne Kowalyk, RCR, Director of Court Reporting, Canada, is heading out on the road to take the opportunity to meet you – our favourite court reporters starting with Kamloops on Monday, September 26th. 

After visiting Kamloops, Leanne will be heading across the country and will be hosting reporter events as follows:

Edmonton:  Tuesday, September 27

Calgary: Thursday, September 29

Regina: Monday, October 3

Saskatoon: Tuesday, October 4

Toronto:  Wednesday, October 5 and Thursday, October 6

Vancouver:  Wednesday, October 12

Victoria:  Monday, October 17

The visit to Calgary ties in with the ASRA  Conference in Calgary, September 30-October 2, 2022.  You still have time to register to attend. 

Check your inbox for information about locations and times to meet up with Leanne.

Watch Your Inbox!

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Christy Pratt, Regional Vice President, Veritext Canada

The last year and a half have brought enormous changes for our team.   Our new partnership with Veritext Legal Solutions (Canada) has given us the opportunity to meet the regional teams in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Ontario, who were already part of the Veritext Canada organization.  As we undertake our national integration, my vision for what the future of court reporting in Canada will look like is starting to take shape. 

Moving forward, clients will be able to access our services and solutions from anywhere in the country and around the globe, and they will continue to enjoy working with the same local teams of talented professionals they know and trust.  The national scale of our resources supports the regional experience and provides our Canadian client base with seamless access to best-in-class reporting and transcription services and to unparalleled virtual and technical solutions. 

Litigation technology is heavily focused on innovating practical, easy-to-use tools that allow lawyers to prepare for and present their cases as efficiently and effectively as possible, and the court reporting industry is rapidly evolving to complement this objective. 

By partnering with Veritext we now have access to leading IT experts who are continually developing products and services that are specifically designed for lawyers.  This collaborative effort perfectly positions us to lead the effort in sustaining our industry and in shaping its trajectory, which is an incredibly inspiring and satisfying experience. 

Keep an eye on your inbox over the coming weeks for information and updates about new ways to access Veritext Canada online tools, transcripts and other exciting services and solutions. 

But don’t forget – it’s still us, the same local teams who have always supported you and your unique litigation needs.

digital court reporting

Introducing Digital Reporter, Elizabeth Pilbrow!

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Looking for new career ideas? We took a moment to ask Toronto-based digital reporter, Elizabeth Pilbrow about her experience as a ‘DR’ with Veritext. Click below to read the whole article.

Partner Interview | Elizabeth Pilbrow

Welcome back, Toronto

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It’s been a long road to get here, but on Tuesday, August 2nd, we are officially re-opening our Toronto office for in-person proceedings.

Same great team (and a fantastic candy bar) that you know and love!

Things may have changed slightly, but you’ll see many of the same faces from Neesons you have missed over the past two and a half years ready to help. While we will continue to offer remote and hybrid services, we couldn’t be more excited to see some of you again in real life.

All of our offices across Canada adhere to the best practices set out by provincial and federal health authorities. We are committed to ensuring our staff and clients always feel safe and fully supported. 

Book now! 

For more information, please contact us or call 416-413-7755

April Showers Bring May Flowers

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April has been a busy month.  Spring is springing, blossoms are blossoming and things are going full tilt at Veritext Canada.

With everything going on, the people in our world keep mentioning that time feels like an illusion right now. Where are the days going?

For our team, the focus continues to be on expanding our presence and client resources across Canada. Our days and weeks have been spent honing in on growth and development, on connecting with our clients and on fostering our team in order to provide a best-in-class experience from coast to coast.

Last weekend, our Director of Reporting, Leanne Kowalyk hosted a webinar with NAIT’s own Janice Plomp on how to use AccelerWriters and Power Defines.  Finding ways to support the professional growth of our reporters is key. A supported team is a successful team, so mentorship and learning are always on our minds. Watch this space for information on upcoming webinars for Reporters in the next few months.

We also want to congratulate Leanne for her new role as a member of the Captioning & Court Reporting Program Advisory Committee at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT).  This position enables her to collaborate with the NAIT program leadership and provide input, advice and guidance in the development of their Captioning and Court Reporting Program.

Speaking of NAIT, congratulations to first-year court reporting student Myung Kyu Kim and second-year court reporting student Desislava Kancheva, recipients of the annual Veritext Legal Solutions Court Reporting Student Scholarship for 2022. We can’t wait to see what you achieve in your budding careers!

With restrictions loosening across the country, Megan Ejack, Director of Marketing & Communications, Canada, took the opportunity to head to Alberta this week to meet the teams in Calgary and Edmonton.  She also attended the Advocates Society Annual Gala in Calgary last night with our Regional VP, Christ Pratt and we were proud to be a sponsor of this event.  

Learning the particular nuances of each market across the nation is an important factor in driving how we approach new, innovative solutions for clients and truly understand the needs of each respective region. We’re looking forward to meeting all of our clients over the coming months so we can properly assess the direction we need to go. If you have thoughts, comments or suggestions, please reach out to anyone on our team.

On that note, we want to thank you for your ongoing support of our exciting path forward as we continue to forge a sustainable future for our industry. Though the days may be racing along, we know we’re not alone in wanting to affect change and delve deeper into the needs of our colleagues, associates and clients.

“Community over competition” has become a bit of a mantra for us as we navigate the past, present and future…. Together.

Connect Series: Meet Dayna Canning

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We love getting to know our new teammates from across the country. Dayna is the scheduling associate at Ace Reporting Services in Edmonton, and we asked her to tell us more about herself and her life with Veritext Canada.

Can you tell us what led you to your current role and what you love about working there?

I went to NAIT for the Captioning and Court Reporting program; however, it was not in the cards. The mum of one of my fellow classmates suggested to me that I apply for the job. To assist in my future success, my background also includes eight months as a QB court clerk and ten months as a legal assistant.

I love that moment when a client calls in a panic, and you can come through with a reporter. Knowing that you have just relieved a huge amount of stress — words cannot express how satisfying it is. Above all, I really love working with the reporters. They are the job, and without them I would not have this opportunity.

How do you think this new unified national team will help better service the legal industry across Canada?

Veritext has survived a pandemic and has come out even stronger. Since joining forces with British Columbia, Veritext Canada is now a company that can provide services for any matter, regardless of the province. We have adapted to a situation no one thought would happen in their lifetime. Everyone’s efforts are leading to a seamless experience, whether it be booking a matter or ordering transcripts.

Veritext’s mission and corporate values aim to be respectful, ethical, collaborative, accountable and professional. Can you tell us which of these values resonates most strongly with you and why?

The two values that I see exemplified the most are accountability and collaboration.

We all work together to help each other. It could be from scheduling demands that arise, to training new associates, to finding new ways to do things. If it was not collaborated on, we would not be where we are now.

Speaking from experience, we are accountable to each other and to our clients. Our associates leave no stone unturned. We must work together so we can continue to have happy clients.

Wellness and self-care are important to our team. Do you have a favourite way to recharge or any tips for staying healthy mentally and physically, both at work and at home?

Working from home was a challenge that I did not anticipate for my career, ever. Going from an office every day to working at my kitchen table was not something I had ever considered. I found it is helpful to have a specific workspace where you can close the door at the end of the day and leave work in the room. It is key to separate your work life and your home life — something that took a long time to achieve for me, personally. I also found it helpful to have a supportive partner. I started making it a rule to ask them if they have the mental space to listen to me. If all else fails, cats and corny movies are also important parts of my self-care.

Reporter Series: Workshop Announcement

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Mark your calendars for April 23! We are pleased to have Janice Plomp present a new workshop for our reporter team.

We have a two and a half hour powerhouse session with Janice Plomp, Case Catalyst trainer extraordinaire, to guide us through AccelerWriters and Power Defines. This workshop will include a short break and a Q&A session at the end.

This workshop is open to all reporters across Canada and will cover the following:

  • Macros and AccelerWriters
  • Power Defines
  • Scan Defines
  • Speaker Defines

There will be plenty of time for a Q&A session with Janice and co-host Leanne Kowalyk, RCR, our director of court reporting (Canada).

Join us on April 23, 10:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. PDT on Zoom. Please register here as space is limited.

About Janice Plomp, RDR, CRR, CRC, CRI

After 28 years as an official reporter and CART captioner, Janice joined the NAIT Captioning and Court Reporting program in 2010 as a full-time instructor. There she has the privilege of sharing her experience and passion for the profession with the next generation of reporters. She is a member of the Alberta Shorthand Reporters Association, the British Columbia Shorthand Reporters Association and the National Court Reporters Association, and she currently serves on the NCRA Test Advisory Committee.

As a Stenograph certified independent training agent, Janice enjoys helping reporters discover the latest and greatest features that Case Catalyst has to offer. She believes in fun, friendly and relaxed workshops that allow reporters to get hands-on. 

“I want you to feel confident applying the skills you learn today to the job you take tomorrow.”
— Janice

Getting to Know Us

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If you have been connecting with the firms across our Canadian division, you may have noticed a new link when you visited the Amicus, Ace, Neesons or Royal websites. We are happy to welcome you to our new Veritext Canada blog!

The Reportex team has used this blog not only to highlight our innovative services and solutions but also to help people understand the vision and passion that has driven the company to where it is today. Many of these posts fall under our (R)evolution series and use the hashtag #shapingthefuture — and these are more than catchphrases. We have been committed to being the driving force of change and advancement when it comes to legal services and court reporting in Canada. It is our goal to support a sustainable future for our industry.

It is why we are now proud to be a part of Veritext Legal Solutions. We know we can do great things together.

Through the profiles in our Connect Series, our blogging platform has also been used to showcase the many talented people who are key parts of the engine that keeps this amazing machine running. We hope to keep this initiative going and highlight the many outstanding people across our teams in Canada and the US. We are all in this together now.

The blog is here to keep you — our clients and colleagues — informed of any changes or updates to our services. We also want to communicate more with and about the incredible reporters and other independent contractors — editors, proofers, scopers, technicians and everyone else that makes up the organization. Also watch this space for information about webinars and seminars that we are hosting or sponsoring.  

And we want to make sure we stay relevant to meet your needs in your own legal community. If you have stories or suggestions to share, please do not hesitate to reach out to me – Kerry Sauriol – at [email protected].

Enjoy.