Kamloops by Reportex

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The (R)evolution continues …introducing our latest partnership!

As you know, at Reportex our focus is always collaboration and innovation. 

With that comes a duty to evolve. 

In order to remain firmly on the leading edge of our industry, we are committed to building a strong, resilient community in our home province of BC and all across the nation. Identifying partnerships to support the continued development of our legal industry only serves to make us all stronger. 

With that in mind we are delighted to announce our merger with Kamloops Reporting Services to create Kamloops by Reportex!

Kamloops is a pretty amazing place. Its name comes from the Secwepemc (pronounced “SHWEP-muhc,” a.k.a. Shuswap) word Tk’emlúps, which means “where the rivers meet,” and this collaboration is reflected in that image.

Marina Hopkins is a familiar face in the Interior. She has built a strong presence based on community-driven values and excellent, high-quality work. Kamloops Reporting Services is known for their integrated approach to full-service litigation, their dedicated team and the beautiful meeting space at Centrepoint that Marina helped design through her valued input, which ensured this high-end meeting space would cater to the distinct needs of a court reporting firm.       

Teaming up will provide the necessary support for continued growth in the Kamloops legal community, with additional resources and an extended team of court reporters, technicians and like-minded professionals.

We are thrilled to join forces with such a strong team, and we look forward to our future together!

Fun Fact: Kamloops is on the traditional unceded land of the Tk’emlúps te Secwe̓pemc, and the annual Kamloopa Powwow is one of the largest indigenous cultural events in Western Canada, welcoming over 20,000 spectators during the August long weekend! More fun facts to come!

West Coast LEAF: Using our stories to create a new future

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By Kerry Sauriol, Marketing Coordinator

I am one of the new “kids” here, and part of my role is to understand not just the excellent services that Reportex provides the legal community but also why. It’s important that I understand what drives the people here and what is important to them. Thus I was honoured and excited to represent Reportex at the 2021 Breakfast for Dinner virtual event hosted by West Coast LEAF on the evening of March 23rd.

I haven’t attended a lot of virtual events, so I found the whole process fascinating and was in awe to be online with almost 400 women and men who were showing their support of this organization and the work they do. The words of Raji Mangat, executive director of West Coast LEAF, were enough to convince me I was in the company of amazing and inspiring people who feel the same way about equality, injustice, and fighting for a better world, especially when she said:

“We know that returning to what was ‘normal’ is neither possible nor is it desirable. … It wasn’t good enough then, and it isn’t good enough now.”

And that is why the (R)evolution concept here at Reportex resonates so well with me: moving forward, seeing new opportunities and new ways to do better and be better.

Gloria Macarenko led an amazing panel discussion that included El Jones, Jules Arita Koostachin and Kali Spitzer that revolved around the concept storytelling that they do through film, poetry, writing and photography. They spoke of how they used their mediums to weave a new future based on the histories (therestories) of us all, using that past experience to teach us all how to reframe the so-called “norms” that have shaped our culture and society for good and, tragically, for bad.

In her opening speech Gloria read a quote from Arundhati Roy. However, I think another section of that essay fits the way we need to move forward politically, economically and culturally:


“Whatever it is, coronavirus has made the mighty kneel and brought the world to a halt like nothing else could. Our minds are still racing back and forth, longing for a return to ‘normality’, trying to stitch our future to our past and refusing to acknowledge the rupture. But the rupture exists. And in the midst of this terrible despair, it offers us a chance to rethink the doomsday machine we have built for ourselves. Nothing could be worse than a return to normality.”

The way forward for us all is in change and innovation. The way forward for us all means taking all that is good and giving space for that to grow into something better than what existed before. Reportex, believes that.

That is why we focus on our values of team, mentorship, equality, community, and industry. This is why we are excited about our new space that has been created downtown to serve our community. We can’t wait for you to see it. Reportex keeps looking for new ways to build upon our services not just to the legal community but to the community that we work and live with, and that is why I am excited to be part of this team we look to the future.

If you want to learn more about what West Coast LEAF does, do visit their website and donate if you can.

The (R)evolution – The Evolution of Space

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Where we work is as important as how we work. This year has certainly shaken things up for everyone. As we continue to evolve as a business, we have taken that perspective as an opportunity to reimagine a beautiful space for our clients when we re-enter the workplace full-time. In one short month, we will be unveiling our brand new HQ office space on the 7th and 8th floors of our building, Cathedral Place, in downtown Vancouver and we couldn’t be more excited to share it with you!

This project has been a labour of love for our team – full of thoughtful extras and mindfully chosen elements aimed to create a well-crafted space for all of our litigation proceedings and client services. Not only is the new office decked out with leading edge technology in every boardroom, we have also given profound consideration to our design choices. We are building a place that is more than just walls and boardrooms and we are cultivating as much dimension in the space as we do with our carefully selected team and with our excellent services.

As you step off the elevator you will be greeted by a striking mural, created by our artist-in-residence, Shari Pratt. Shari has been commissioned to create unique art for each of our boardrooms and common areas to aid in designing a warm, welcome, stylish space that will be full of colour and life – just like us.

Here is a conversation that our Business Development Coordinator Kiran Deol had with Shari about her art, her approach to this project and the work you will find when you visit us after April 1st.

We see you find a lot of inspiration from your surroundings. What inspires your art the most?

Anything old, decaying, chipping, cracking — my travel photos are full of these types of images that I use to inspire texture in my art. There is a quote I like to refer to often:

“Ruin is a gift. Ruin is the road to transformation.” — Elizabeth Gilbert

This makes me consider that anything can be manipulated or can undergo change and come out the other side with great beauty, curiosity and wonder.

What makes the work you have created for Reportex unique from the other work you have done?

My current art practice identifies the relationship between art and my environment. Growing up in the Lower Mainland, I spent hours discovering the uniqueness of the BC forests, creeks, rivers and inlets. I found comfort spending most of my days outside in the wet climate collecting rocks from any shore I visited. In my current series for Reportex I have collected sands from the beaches of British Columbia: Crescent Beach in White Rock, Britannia Beach in Squamish and Chesterman Beach in Tofino are just a few of the beaches I use minerals from in my work. My process is to grind the sands into a fine powder and disperse the pigment into an acrylic binder. I use this paint to create the neutral colours for my paintings. Each piece incorporates a circular form symbolizing the rocks found along the shores. Rocks represent the steadiness, permanence and strength found in the people we surround ourselves with.

Other than creating your unique pieces, you also teach via in-person and online workshops. What is your best advice for any rookie artists out there?

Don’t sit around and question everything you do. Just get into the studio and create daily. Great ideas come from doing the work, not from waiting for inspiration to strike.

What is your most memorable work you have done as an artist? 

Many of the series I paint become the catalyst for the succeeding series. I often write an artist statement for the subsequent series as I am creating the current one.

My most memorable work was a series called Lost and Found, inspired by the notion that companionship and a sense of belonging are vital to human happiness. In these paintings I addressed themes of aloneness and finding meaning and truth beneath the surface. I believe that what lies beneath the surface of the canvas is often the true story of self. My work explored the nature of my personal life within the context of my exposure to photos, material items and the architectural heritage of the early 1900s. I began by building up the surface of the canvas with a portrait; then I found objects and peeled back the layers through physical deconstruction by sanding, carving and detaching.

Your new studio is located at Reportex and overlooks the Vancouver Art Gallery. What are you most excited about with your new space?

In 1793 the Louvre Museum opened its doors to the public, and days were set aside for artists to study and learn the methods of the masters. Artists such as Degas, Picasso and Singer Sargent found inspiration by emulating the works of others to improve and discover new ways to approach their work. For me, being able to see the Vancouver Art Gallery from my studio at Reportex will be incredibly inspirational and hopefully provoke some exciting transformative concepts.

E-Trial Reflections: A Look Back on 151 Days

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In late January after 151 days of trial, the last day of evidence was in on the Saik’uz/Stellat’en First Nations claim, giving our (truly) fearless leader, Christy, a break from court until closing argument in April.

This e-trial has been nothing short of revolutionary for Reportex, not only in terms of the custom e-trial platform that Brandan and his team so successfully implemented and that Jake facilitated but also in terms of the incorporation of virtual elements made necessary as a result of the pandemic.

We recently caught up with Brandan and Jake to ask them a few questions as they reflected on 151 days of the first-ever fully supported e-trial in British Columbia!

151 days of a fully supported e-trial sounds intense. How are you feeling?

Brandan: Relieved and excited but mostly extremely proud. This must be the feeling that parents have when their kids win an award or take their first steps. A ton of work was put into this solution, and I am thrilled that it performed so well and was embraced by so many.

Jake: In one word — satisfied! Given the amount of technological solutions we had to implement — from the computer setup to the shared document repository for exhibits and other documents to hosting remote witnesses and having Christy provide realtime reporting remotely — I’m very happy it went so smoothly.

Prior to this trial a 100 percent fully supported e-trial was unheard of in British Columbia. How did you prepare for such a feat?

Brandan: Well, the clients were very clear about what they wanted this platform to do, but since we didn’t have an existing prototype, I had to take counsel’s ideas and make them a reality. I spent weeks — months, actually — researching, developing and testing various tech options, followed by sourcing, building and installing the entire platform in the courtroom. So my final solution for this trial was actually more of an invention!

Jake: I just tried to come into it with an open mind. When I joined Reportex, the trial was already underway but paused due to the pandemic. When it resumed, all the systems were already in place, so for me it was merely a matter of settling into the existing workflow, determining what was working and identifying what needed improvement.

What were the unique challenges of the e-trial, and how were they solved?

Brandan: The Vancouver courthouse does not currently have an established protocol for marking and managing exhibits in a fully digital manner; therefore the biggest challenge was creating a solution for digital exhibits that meshed with the existing systems and workflow of the court. We had to identify best practices for naming, indexing and storing the digital data for both the clerk and the registry, and through this process we developed and refined (and refined and refined) procedures that allow digital exhibits to be preserved with the same integrity as physical exhibits. This was a collaborative effort that involved some very creative (and patient!) court clerks and exhibit managers, and we ultimately developed a very simple, streamlined process that I hope will be the gold standard for e-trials until the Vancouver courthouse has the capacity to manage digital exhibits.

Jake: One of the unique challenges of the trial was that due to the pandemic some of the witnesses had to testify virtually. While the courthouse has videoconferencing equipment available, it doesn’t integrate seamlessly with our platform, which was designed to run independently of the courthouse network, for security purposes. So we repurposed the e-trial SMART Board (a 65-inch touch-sensitive LCD screen that witnesses use to mark up exhibits), patched into the DARS audio and voila! The witness could be seen and heard by everyone in the courtroom, and their testimony was captured directly on DARS. With a few more refinements this setup also allowed Christy to provide remote realtime to everyone in the courtroom, which has never been done before in British Columbia. It was truly revolutionary. 

Another challenge was determining how best to handle the thousands of digital trial documents that would be used (we ultimately marked roughly 770 exhibits). The parties required private folders for their own team’s use as well as shared folders so they could access the exhibits and other common trial materials. The clerk and the court required a separate silo for accessing their copies of the documents. Plus all the data needed to be physically stored in Canada, and we needed offline access in the (unlikely) event of an internet outage. I’m sure there were some bumps in the road in the early days, but by the time I joined the trial, the court and all parties were comfortable with the system, and it worked like a well-oiled machine.

What are your top three takeaways from this e-trial?

Brandan:

  1. Clients want an experience they can relate to. The so-called “smoke and mirrors” and fancy tech is distracting and cumbersome for experienced trial counsel who, understandably, don’t want to overhaul the workflow and style they’ve spent years crafting.
  2. Never underestimate the ability of a very determined judge to learn, embrace and ultimately thrive in an e-trial environment. Our self-proclaimed pen and paper judge was provided with virtually no paper in this trial, and while there was the odd technical glitch over the course of 151 days, the downtime was minimal, and he rallied like a total pro.
  3. The fact that we were able to integrate virtual services into this e-trial with minimal downtime shows just how much potential and flexibility the right tech has to truly connect people in litigation.

Jake:

  1. As the e-trial technician for the bulk of this trial, one of the most important things I learned early on was not to panic! With the amount of technology involved, things will inevitably go sideways now and then, but the solution is often a simple one. Fortunately, this e-trial had complete buy‑in from all counsel and the court, and they all understood that the minimal downtime we did experience was a drop in the bucket compared to the time that would have been spent preparing, locating and handling the boatload of binders that would have filled the courtroom and judge’s bench if this had been a paper trial. Plus I was in the courtroom every day to troubleshoot any issues that arose, and Brandan was even able to log in remotely, if needed. 
  2. E-trials really are the way of the future. As an attorney myself (I practised in New York), I can’t tell you how annoying it is to haul bankers boxes full of documents to and from court every day, shuffling through exhibits searching for the right cross-examination document and relying on temperamental photocopiers (and, let’s be honest, hard-working litigation staff who were understandably frustrated by temperamental photocopiers) to prepare six copies of a 700‑page document during the lunch recess. Simply placing everything on a computer eliminates these inefficiencies and allows counsel to focus more on strategy and less on logistics.
  3. Organization is key. Every e-trial is custom-designed to the needs of the parties and the court, but once the daily and weekly protocols are established, as long as you stay the course, there will be smooth sailing.

Looking to the future, what in your opinion does the type of technology you utilized for this e-trial mean for our legal system?

Brandan: I see the potential for complete courtroom/tech integration and maybe even new smaller spaces that are dedicated to virtual proceedings. Avoiding the need for witnesses and counsel to travel long distances to appear at trial will not only save money but also decrease delays and increase efficiency. This all adds up to an overall improvement in access to justice, which is at the forefront of everyone’s mind in this industry. 

Jake: I echo Brandan’s comments. In addition to managing a growing e-trial demand, Reportex is also facilitating a dramatically increased volume of remote witness connections to courthouses throughout British Columbia, and we are currently working with courthouses in Alberta to find solutions for our BC clients who also practise in Alberta. I sincerely hope that our legal system will continue to evolve and to embrace technology, which allows litigants to access flexible, cost-effective ways of adjudicating their disputes. It has been argued that e-trials can reduce trial times by up to half simply through implementing an electronic record, and the convenience of having all case materials available at their fingertips affords counsel greater focus on advocacy. Additionally I believe that many judges will come to prefer e-trials as it eliminates the binders and potential for misplaced documents and allows them more efficiency in preparing their reasons. All in all, it’s just a smarter way to litigate.

Connect Series: Meet Finance Assistant Chloe Do!

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Chloe was born in Vietnam and moved to Canada nine years ago to start her education and career in accounting. As a math teacher and business owner Chloe’s mother used to teach her lots of things about math and business finance when she was a kid. Her mother has been the biggest influence in her career choice.

Chloe has a passion for helping business owners and individuals to manage and grow their financial well‑being. She has great attention to detail and enjoys working with numbers and analyzing financial statements. After graduating from Simon Fraser University Chloe had a few years of experience as an accounting clerk. Her main duties were recording, processing and checking all financial transactions to ensure accuracy and transparency.

Chloe is not only passionate about the field she graduated from but also inclined towards creative activities. In her free time she enjoys singing, playing guitar and learning piano from her boyfriend. She also enjoys learning different languages and cooking on weekends.

We see you have a great passion for what you do in the financial world. What has been your biggest win in your career thus far?

So far my greatest achievement was when I was a treasurer for the Vietnamese Student Association at my college. I led my team in hosting a funding event where we sold Vietnamese sandwiches and coffee to students and staff on campus. We made a profit of $350 from selling and used this fund to host a traditional Lunar New Year event for our club members. I learned a lot from that funding event about how business theory applies to the real financial world, how to keep the product cost as low as possible and also how difficult it was to persuade the customers without being annoying.

Many people dislike looking into their finances and try to avoid it until they absolutely have to! What advice can you give to people preparing for the upcoming tax season?

A lot of things have changed recently due to the pandemic, including taxes. Here are some tips that I can share to prepare for the upcoming tax season:

  1. Make sure you report CERB or CRB payments when you file your personal income tax return.
  2. Look into the simplified home office expenses deduction. As many of us worked remotely in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the government has made it easier to claim a deduction for home office expenses this year. If you were working from home for more than 50 percent of your usual work hours over at least four consecutive weeks in 2020, you can deduct $2 from your taxable income for every day you worked at home due to the pandemic (up to a maximum of $400). This new method is called the temporary flat rate method.
  3. Make tax-efficient deduction decisions. If you expect to have a significantly higher income in the coming years, you can defer taking the tax deduction this year. You can make an RRSP contribution now and not claim the deduction until you are in a higher tax bracket. For example, a $10,000 contribution deducted at a 29 percent rate will generate $2,900 in tax savings. A $10,000 contribution deducted at a 45 percent tax rate will generate $4,500 in tax savings. You’ll still benefit from the tax deferral for any income generated by investments in your RRSP in the meantime, even if you have not taken the deduction.

Finance isn’t your whole life, and we see that you have many other hobbies, such as playing instruments, singing and other creative outlets. Have these hobbies played a part in navigating you through this pandemic? If so, how?

Picking up hobbies is the key to managing mental health. Back in March when I was staying at home all day long, I watched some videos of people around the world making music during their lockdown — from Italians singing “Bella Ciao” from their apartment balconies to policemen in Spain playing guitar while on patrol. I found music to be a cheap and effective way to distract myself and a buffer against stress. Then I started to think of some hobbies that I could do at home and decided to learn to play the piano. Sometimes my boyfriend, my housemate and I play guitar and sing our favourite song — “Lemon Tree” by the Beatles — together on Friday nights. I also tried several singing apps on my phone, such as Smule and WeSing, to sing with my friends online. This has maintained our connection and reduced loneliness during the quarantine. I’ve realized staying at home is not that bad. Staying at home not only protects us and other people from the virus but also enhances our social bonding and gives us a chance to learn some new skills. Music, like so many art forms, can help us process our emotions and feel like we are not alone. The virus might be keeping people apart, but music can help bring them together.

At Reportex our core values of team, mentorship, equality, community and industry are central to what we do. Which of these values resonates most strongly with you and why?

“Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress; working together is success.” — Henry Ford

Team resonates with me most strongly because I believe teamwork and collaboration can help solve difficult problems and improve the organization’s success rate. I love working in teams where team members are willing to contribute different perspectives and support each other. No one is perfect and can do all the work alone. Our teammates will help us recognize our strengths and weaknesses. They can also give us constructive feedback when we make mistakes because to me it is not about what mistake we made, but it is about what we learn from it and how we fix it so we are not repeating the same mistake in the future. Having a good relationship with our teammates can make us feel happy and productive at work. Each of us can spend around 40 hours a week and about 80 percent of our lives working. It is important that we spend most of our lives around people who we can connect with and be happy to work with.

We have been talking a bit about wellness on the blog and through our Slack channels. Do you have a favourite way to recharge or any tips for staying well?

Getting myself a manicure or pedicure is a great way to boost my mood and brighten my day. Years ago I worked in a nail spa, and I loved it. It was so fun to see new clients each day and watch them enjoy doing something nice for themselves. A lot of people would go to the salon to get a mani-pedi, but you can easily get a mini mani-pedi kit from Shoppers Drug Mart and do it at home. Spending a little time and paying a little attention can make you feel like you’re getting a mani-pedi in a spa. Here’s a tip for making nail polish dry faster: after you finish painting your nails, wait about two minutes and then dip your nails in cold water for about four minutes. After you remove your nails from the water, you should see water beading on top of the nail surface — this means your polish is completely dry.

The (R)evolution is Here – the A – Z in FAQs

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By Megan Ejack, Director of Marketing & Communications

We’ve entered a new age.

As the world continues to change and evolve, so do we. With everything going on around us, there is a glimmer of light at the end of this long, dark 2020 tunnel, and with that comes a shift in perspective. We have been offered a remarkable opportunity to redesign our lives, not only in how we work but also in how we continue to connect. What was born out of necessity has shifted, giving us a new vision of how we could thrive in our day to day — even in court. This is a chance to really evaluate the virtual and hybrid tools that have become so readily available to us and consider how to continue to integrate them as we move forward.

There is possibility everywhere. But where to begin?

We recently introduced you to the Reportex (R)evolution — a new perspective on connection through technology. When you join us in the (R)evolution, you will find yourself opening up to these new ways of working, with access to personalized tech support to enhance your evolving practice. You will be able to choose to continue to conduct virtual or hybrid proceedings, to enhance your in-person options with new tools and to learn to use practical solutions that will help you to appear in the office or in court safely and remotely.

Whether you want to continue to work fully remotely or you miss that in-person connection, the Reportex team will help facilitate a solution for you through our flexible and supportive options. We will be highlighting each of our e-services over the coming weeks and months, with continued updates on new developments as they arise.

Reportex has always been a tech-forward company on the forefront of innovation, but our goal is to ensure that the way we adopt tech doesn’t leave our clients in the dust. No matter your comfort level with technology, Reportex can get you up and running on your schedule.

When we first said that we are in this together, we meant it. Now as our legal community moves boldly into this new era, our team is committed to providing you with the information and tools to successfully navigate the terrain and remain effective and connected along the way.

Click on the above image to read our FAQs

The Reportex (R)evolution

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By Megan Ejack, Director of Marketing & Communications

Welcome to 2021

A new landscape of legal tech is before us, bridging virtual services and hybrid options with simple, accessible solutions for your litigation practice at discovery, trial and appeal.

We invite you to join the Reportex tech revolution — tech that truly connects.

Evolution Revolution

Much can be said about the industrial revolutions, about their unique impacts on society and their progressive (though sometimes problematic) natures as they pertain to the human condition. But one truth remains — through simple shifts in means and perspective, often profound in their relative simplicity, these movements altered the very fabric and future of civilization.

Since the dawn of time our world has gone through an endless series of evolutions, and as we look at what has come out of this incredible past year, it is clear we are smack in the middle of another. Was it the most transformative year of all time? Who’s to compare? We are evolving at a different pace and in radically different ways than, say, the hunter-gatherers and farmers of yore or the textile workers and the machinists in the first waves of the mid 1700s.

What is true is that evolution breeds progress and that innovation will always be at the forefront of the human experience. The incredible shift in innovation that we are currently facing is the collective acknowledgement of our deep need to connect.

As we evolve, we challenge ourselves to take great leaps forward in thought, perspective and action. Evolution is an opportunity to rethink the way we do things and to evaluate the potential for new and better circumstances for our world. We find ourselves in such a place now, not necessarily with machinery or technology per se, but with how we approach the tools and systems we already have in place.


Evolve Your Practice with Reportex This Year

The First Industrial Revolution brought with it the machinery and tools that allowed a new kind of productivity to emerge. The Second Industrial Revolution developed the means to share that productivity across oceans, to discover and create commerce with new lands and people, to bridge a gap across the world. As information technology began to emerge in the late 1900s, a new landscape began to develop. That third revolution is characterized by an almost mystical digitization and automation inherent to electronic technology.

Progress. Productivity. The birth of the hustle.

The Fourth Industrial Revolution (a.k.a. Industry 4.0) has had us leveraging that technology in new and innovative ways, creating platform-sharing systems and artificial intelligence to aid in the development, production and distribution of products and commodities, goods and services, with a near unlimited potential for continued growth.

Each of the four phases of industrial revolution has marked a major social and economic turning point for civilization, leading to the one we find ourselves in now — or rather where we found ourselves until now.

Reconnect

In 2020 we were faced with an entirely new challenge, seemingly overnight: how to continue to engage in commerce and productivity when the machine had been forced to slow down — and in some cases stop completely. For many it has not been possible to continue, but for some of us there has been an enlightened pivot (word of the year, apparently) that has taken place. As we all faced the challenges of this global event, the only relevant strategy was to regroup, reimagine and move into a different type of growth mindset: connection. Moreover connection through technology.

For Reportex this has meant stepping up our game in all of our e-services. Virtual litigation has become necessary to the justice system, and although we have always been developing leading-edge systems and technology, it has now become the key to our sustained success. Courts are adopting all sorts of new, innovative solutions, and we are at the forefront.

Join the (R)evolution

The new (R)evolution is all about connection. Over the coming months we will be highlighting all of our e-services and offering specialized guidance to help you evolve your practice. Our innovative solutions and hands-on technical team will fuel your work and connect you to the possibility inherent to this changing landscape.

Join us as we help to revolutionize the way you work. #techthatconnects

Wellness Wednesday: My First-Ever TLABC Women Lawyers Retreat

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Intro by Megan Ejack

When we think of bringing more wellness and balance into our lives, it’s common to head straight for the green juice and yoga schedule and call it a day. The effort to cultivate wellness can feel daunting. We’re inundated with options, and no matter where you land on the scale (so to speak), the basic physical aspects of wellness are obvious: eat well; drink all the water; move your body. But wait! There’s more. Don’t forget to also manage your stress, get enough sleep, keep your brain active, build in more rest, meditate, take your vitamins, just breathe, walk to work — why did you eat that?! The search for balance can feel exhausting and sometimes, well, pretty unbalanced.

In our do-it-all, everyday hustle mentality there is another element that can help bring it all together: connection.

Finding connection can be the saving grace in this hectic existence whether it’s with your friends and family, your colleagues or your community. Connection can ease the pressure of overwhelm and provide much-needed perspective and support as we navigate the hills and valleys of our lives. As we have seen especially during the course of this pandemic, connection is a crucial element to our mental, emotional and even physical health.

Recently our business development coordinator, Kiran Deol, had the opportunity to attend the TLABC’s 15th annual women lawyers retreat (WLR) on behalf of Reportex as a gold sponsor. The WLR is the premier women’s event for the BC legal community, and Reportex has been a proud and committed supporter since its inception. This event brings together every one of our core values: mentorship, industry, community, equality and team, and in each of these values there is an element of connection that strengthens the whole.

Here’s what Kiran had to say about her first WLR experience:

I had the honour of attending my first-ever Trial Lawyers Association of BC (TLABC) annual women lawyers mini retreat. This retreat would usually be held at a spa and/or out of town; however, the lovely ladies at TLABC put together a virtual mini retreat.

First, I was surprised with a treasure box filled with goodies. I mean, who doesn’t love mail! The box was filled with everything from a pen, to smores, to a boozy shrub treat. It is fair to say I knew I was in for an interesting weekend. The impatient person that I am opened everything quickly with excitement only to then read the card instructing me to keep the items wrapped until the retreat — oops! I’m sure I was not the only one who peeked! This event was a virtual two-day retreat filled with amazing talks, women and inspiration. With this being my first experience at this retreat I am super excited to share it with you.

On the Friday evening we had a chance to listen to Madame Justice Wendy A. Baker on “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly of COVID Advocacy,” and, to say the least, to get a judge’s perspective on how things have been moving along was extremely helpful and interesting to listen to. It was also interesting to find out that places like Nelson held a trial in their local movie theatre in order to follow social distancing regulations. The talk was followed by an hour of networking, allowing me to talk to lawyers outside of their Zoom EFD and mediations in a relaxed environment. To end the night we left off with making a special beverage together (mine was virgin of course!), making smores (using a barbeque lighter and fondue fork), sharing well wishes and saying goodnight.

The second day started at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, and although I was super excited to see what these ladies had in store, I was not expecting the day I had. I listened, I laughed and I cried! The lovely Vandana Sood from Rise Women’s Legal Centre introduced herself and the amazing foundation that she works for. That was followed by a strength in adversity presentation and workshop by Rose Keith, Kerri Priddle and Ashley Syer, which was the highlight of my day. They talked about being a woman in a world mainly dominated by men as well as challenges they have faced juggling home life and work life, which we can all relate to on some level. I listened to what they have gone through and are going through in their careers, the lowest points in their lives and how they never let those moments define them as women, as lawyers or as people. They are now thriving in their field and overcame their challenges, loss and doubt.  I can only speak for myself when I say that as a woman I can be way too hard on myself when I am not thriving in all avenues in life, but listening to these women gave me a lot of perspective. These ladies really did make lemonade out of their lemons! This was followed by us breaking into small groups and sharing a challenge in our own lives in a safe space, which, to say the least, was very empowering.

Our weekend appropriately ended with a talk about resiliency by Alyson Jones. She spoke about gratitude and the ability to bounce back from downfalls. What I took most from this talk is that we can continue to develop resiliency throughout our lives, no matter how young or old. This is a skill built over time and can only make you better as life goes on. If you don’t fall, you don’t have a chance to get back up and brush yourself off. In the words of the great Wayne Gretzky, “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.”

I was truly honoured to be able to attend (even virtually) this amazing event led by a group of amazing women. I learned a lot from this mini retreat but also felt that Reportex does exhibit all the values these ladies are pushing in the work world: community, industry, equality, team and mentorship.

I would like to end by expressing my gratitude not only for working with an amazing team but for having the honour of attending this event. Thank you!


Let’s Connect: A warm welcome to the Reportex Community (Blog Launch)

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By Megan Ejack, Marketing & Communications Director

Life begins and ends with connection.

To connect means to share something – an experience, a moment, a wifi password, a smile…

Whether we are living during a pandemic or not, connection is everything – it is a basic human need. Without it, we can become lost.

At Reportex we are always looking for new ways to connect with our clients, with our community and with our team. From the moment you call us to book a boardroom or a proceeding, to the smiling faces who greet you when you walk through our doors, we pride ourselves on the personal connections we make every day. When you are in our office, Chef Nye and the office services team aim to provide a seamless experience from beginning to end, full of special touches, and although we aren’t there right now to physically provide you with the thoughtful extras we are known for, our entire team is still working hard behind the scenes. 

As we have taken a step back from in-office life these past weeks, our tech team has stepped up to help us stay on the leading edge of our e-services so our clients can remain connected to their work. 

The legal community as a whole has really moved into a time of vast innovation, and as we look towards the future of our industry we will continue to provide workshops and training to help navigate these new platforms and tools.

In fact, these training workshops and platforms like Zoom, WebEx and Teams have allowed for a new kind of connection!  In a strange way, it has been nice to be able to see all of your faces out of your work attire, in your homes and kitchens, with children or pets lounging in the background.  Professional has become personal.

At Reportex our leadership is striving to keep our team connected through regular check-ins, social media and platforms like Zoom and Slack that allow us to move forward with our work.  We continue to host meetings, offer teambuilding workshops and even enjoy a few virtual happy hours together. We recently conducted all of our performance reviews online, which was a totally new and highly successful experience.

We have always had team members located all over North America – from the West Coast, through the Kootenays and Midwest to the East Coast – but we are suddenly tapping into all these fun ways to get to know each other a little better. This is especially important for our newest colleagues, having recently joined forces with Island Reporters and our new division, All-Star by Reportex!

We are all finding new ways to connect.

As our social media community continues to grow through Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn we have launched this blog as another means of sharing information and creating even more connection. Over the coming weeks we will be introducing you to various members of the Reportex team as they share their thoughts on connection, keeping you current with our regular ‘Security & Remote Services’ update and providing fresh, informative and entertaining content.

First up on the blog (next week) will be the face you see when you walk through the door, Nicole Riglietti, our Receptionist/Client Services ambassador!

We hope you continue to stay well during these challenging times. Please remember we are here to help, and we are only a quick call, click or email away.

Stay safe and connected. We are #inthistogether.