We Are Not Alone: Why Mental Health Matters

/in , , , , /by

To merely say that Covid-19 has added a fresh layer of stress over whatever else we all deal with daily is probably an enormous understatement.

The last couple of years have been hard on all of us.   We have all been trying to manage our work, our families, and our lives in a constant state of worry.   This goes for everyone – those lucky to have not gotten sick, for those who have battled the illness or frankly for ANYONE who has known ANYONE afflicted by this virus.   The effects of this crisis run deep. Deeper than we may even yet realize.

With the lifting of many mandates and rules across the country, many of us have simply decided that we have had enough of worrying.   However, is it enough to decide? Does it matter? The infection rates are still high – I have three of my family sick with it right now.   The worry is still warranted. 

The term ‘selfcare’ has been thrown around a lot but still seems to be connected mostly to spa days and mediation.   A nice bath, while relaxing, is probably not going to help you very much as you plunge into the next day of worry, compounded by the previous day of worry.   

The theme of this year’s Canadian Mental Health Week is Empathy.   Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of others, and sadly according to a recent study our empathy for others is at an all time low.   As they say, crisis can breed contempt. Out of necessity, we go inward and we tend to focus on our own. The survey conducted by the CMHA found that only 13 per cent of Canadians were feeling empathetic.  This is a drop of 10% since the beginning of the pandemic.

This is not hard to understand.  It is hard to feel for others when we ourselves are struggling.   But empathy does indeed start with us.  It must. If we can truly understand and respect what is happening within ourselves, we can indeed see that same struggle within others.

The first thing to remember is, you do not have to do this alone.  Due to the pandemic, many of us have felt isolated and cut off from our friends and family, even our neighbours and co-workers.  Reach out.  Reach out. Reach out.

If you are fortunate enough that your employee benefit plan may have mental health resources available… use them.  The CMHA website is filled with valuable resources too, like this Mental Health Meter.

Other resources include:

We are not alone and there is nothing shameful about the challenge of mental health issues.   Now, more than ever, be empathetic with yourself – when you take care of yourself first, that care will reflect upon those around you who perhaps are also struggling.

Connect Series: Meet Victoria Joosten, Operations Manager

/in , , , , /by

We love connecting and learning about our new-found team across the country. Victoria Joosten is the operations manager at Neesons and our connection to the east side of our operations. She has her finger firmly on the pulse of the needs for legal services in Ontario, and we value her insight and are excited to be working with her as part of the Veritext Canada team.

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

I started in the scheduling department at Neesons back in 2016 and had the pleasure of building that role into more of a client/marketing-focused position for four years. I was lucky enough to work closely with Kim Neeson and Dani McCoy to learn the ebbs and flows of the business, preparing me to step into the operations role that I am in today. I love that every single day is different — new problems to solve and a huge team to support, collaborate with and lead. I am learning something new every single day, and I could not imagine working for a more supportive company.

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

We have a really great opportunity to become the undeniable leaders in the legal support industry in Canada right now. Our reach is far and wide, led by a team of hard-working, driven and like-minded individuals across the country. We now have access to court reporters and transcriptionists in almost every province nationwide and a support team that is available 24 hours a day. There is nothing we can’t do!

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?

I would be lying if I said I thought one of those values is more important than the others, but I do have to say working collaboratively and holding people accountable resonate with me the most. I strongly believe in collaborative leadership, focusing on open conversation and organic solutions that will benefit and grow the business. Veritext is full of individuals with creative, innovative ideas, and it is important that we not only hold our team accountable to drive results but also hold ourselves accountable as well. Be the leader you would follow.

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 or any tips for staying healthy mentally and physically both at work and home?

I am a huge health nut! I love the standing desk option for both the office and my home, and I keep a huge water bottle by my side. I also make it a priority to take a break from the screen every half hour or so to readjust my eyes for a few minutes. I do intense HIIT workouts every day after work to de-stress, and I am a strong believer that connecting with people will always boost your mood. My tips would include drinking at least 2 litres of water every day, getting your 10K steps in and going outside in the sun! Vitamin D is everything.  

Welcome to International Women’s Day 2022

/in , , , , , , , , , /by

by Kerry Sauriol, Marketing Coordinator

March 8 is International Women’s Day, and the Government of Canada’s theme for 2022 is Women Inspiring Women.

It also marks my one-year anniversary with the company. There have been massive changes since then — Reportex is now Veritext Canada — but the one constant has remained: each of our offices across Canada (Reportex, Ace, Royal, Amicus and Neesons) is run by an empowered and largely female-led team, and it is always exciting to see such strong roles continuing to develop and influence this industry for everyone involved.

Over the last few decades the job market has seen drastic changes to the types of employment available. According to Statistics Canada over 2.6 million people describe themselves as self-employed, and approximately 40 percent of them are women. 95 percent of court reporters and transcriptionists in Canada are female. 

Born in 1860, Georgina Alexandrina Fraser was Canada’s first female journalistic stenographer. She also taught young women to do the same. However, it took a lot longer for women to enter the legal services in Canada, and their struggle is aptly described in this Maclean’s article from 1954:

“SEVEN years ago, two energetic but penniless young women freshly out of His Majesty’s services were suddenly faced with the sobering [a]nd dismaying realization that they were once [a]gain living in a man’s world.

Ethel Zatyko and Rena Pettypiece had taken a twelve-month course in the hope of becoming court stenographers. They decided to pursue their chosen vocation in Alberta, which they regarded as a province of oil booms and millionaires. They wrote letters of application to court officials. But when the answers came, their hopes were dashed: the RCAF might recruit women wireless operators, but Alberta doesn’t allow women court reporters.

The girls were stunned and indignant, but never tearful.

They decided to go to Alberta anyway and show what women can do.”

Things have changed in Alberta and the rest of Canada. 

The passion and belief in what we do has not changed. It is what pushes the people here to evolve and continue to look to the future of court reporting in Canada as we connect with like-minded people and organizations across the country. 

The passion and belief in what we do also drives us to encourage and support court reporters to be the best in their field. We are excited to be planning more workshops and continuing education opportunities across Canada.  

The passion and belief in what we do drives us to ensure the best technologically relevant services for our clients. Legal services are evolving quickly, thanks to many outside forces, and we are here to make sure you are ready to face them all. 

Our name and logo may have changed, but our core values and commitment to this industry have not changed. Today we support many women-focused initiatives across Canada, including West Coast LEAF, Dress for Success, TLABC Women Lawyers Retreat and ACTLA Women’s Legal Forum. Our commitment to the future is to continue to inspire and support women (and men) to be the best they can be and to always dream big.  

Meet NAIT Student Karen Collis

/in , , , /by

Because we are passionate about court reporting and its crucial role in the legal industry, we have long supported NAIT and their excellent Captioning and Court Reporting program. Leanne Kowalyk, realtime court reporter and director of court reporting, will be speaking to NAIT students on February 15th  about her experiences and career, and she also managed to interview a current student about their experience with the program.  

What drew you to the industry of court reporting and brought you to the Captioning and Court Reporting program at NAIT in the first place?

My mom has been in the industry for over 40 years, so I’ve been surrounded by court reporters my entire life. To be honest, I had no interest in pursuing it myself. It wasn’t until my sister decided to go to NAIT for Captioning and Court Reporting that it became a possibility. At some point I started scoping for them and saw how fun of a job it was. I saw how every day is different and how there are always opportunities to learn something new. I decided to take the A to Z program, and the rest is history. I’ve been loving learning this new skill and can’t wait to start.

What is your dream job within the industry that you hope to work towards?

I think once I’ve built up my experience and have confidence in my writing ability, I would love to do court work. I’ve always had an interest in criminal cases and true crime, so knowing I’m in an industry that could get me in the room is super cool. One of the reasons I knew court reporting was something I would love to do is because you get to help people. Everyone deserves their voice to be heard and their day in court. Having the ability to be that neutral party in the room that writes it all down would be amazing.

Which part of the program have you enjoyed the most so far?

I loved our law classes with Janice Plomp. I had a general curiosity and a very basic understanding of our law system going into the class from high school. It is so beneficial to know what someone is talking about within a dictation. It was a great opportunity to hear some incredible stories from Janice. Hopefully, one day I can use my knowledge from that class to avoid jury duty!

Conversely, what has been the most challenging piece of reporting school, and how did you overcome it?

The transition from theory into speed-building was probably the hardest thing to overcome. I put so much time into practicing theory, but it wasn’t clicking for me as fast as I had hoped it would. Then suddenly I had to switch my practice from drills to trusting that the theory was there. Those first few speed tests were terrifying.

The amount of pressure I put on myself to do well did not help me to do well. It took me a few months to calm down and trust that I knew what I was doing.

What is the best piece of advice you’ve been given along your journey?

Much like when I was younger, I continue to be surrounded by court reporters, and they are always so quick to share tips and tricks to get through the program. One that stands out is that each test is an opportunity. An opportunity to learn new vocabulary, new briefs and new ways to write. It helped change the way I looked at tests. Whenever I failed one — which continues to be quite often — it was crushing. I put so much onto those tests that when I failed, it was a direct reflection of myself. Once I was able to find the positives in every opportunity, a failure meant another chance to learn more.

What advice do you have for anyone looking for a new career?

Don’t think about how long it takes to get into a new career. My granny gave the best advice about this. When my uncle wanted to go back to university for teaching, he said he would be 30 years old by the time he graduated. In response she said, either way you’ll turn 30; it’s up to you if you turn 30 with a degree or without one. This is something that I’ve applied to all aspects of my life. I’m going to be turning 28 in March, and even though I’m one year past when I was hoping to graduate, I’m always going to be ahead of the version of myself that chose not to go back to school. The best thing to do is to change your perspective and take the plunge.

Envisioning the Path Forward

/in , , /by

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.   

Should Auld Acquaintance …

/in , , /by

On this eve of a special day for many and as the year rolls slowly to a close, many will reflect on what we have left behind. Sadly, thanks to this terrible pandemic this may be extremely painful for many. However, here at Reportex, 2021 did bring about many exciting developments and news, and thanks to that we now can look toward a new year with enthusiasm for what these developments will bring for us and for court reporting across Canada.

In this light, we asked some of our leadership team to look into their crystal balls and share their feelings on what 2022 will bring us.

Leanne Kowalyk, Director of Court Reporting

My thoughts are that as we glide into 2022, we will learn to collaborate across the country as one team, work through interprovincial designations and build communication structures between offices. I’m excited to integrate our teams of staff, reporters and editors and see those new relationships bud and grow into a strong nationwide team. I also hope that by the end of next year we will have streamlined some of our platforms and services across the country.

Kim Neeson, Regional VP, Eastern Canada

My 2022 crystal ball says more Zooming ahead! While we start to creep back into “normalcy,” the pandemic seems to have other plans for us, now with the Omicron variant. While we wait for people to get their booster shots on board — or maybe their first shots! — we’ll continue to provide services remotely for at least the winter months. The pandemic has had its silver linings for us — getting lawyers on the tech track much faster than any of us could have done trying to move them one at a time and having the ability to demonstrate that remote litigating does work, and works well! And that’s good news for all of us in the reporting world, where our reporters can spread their wings and provide services to a number of our clients in various regions. 

Look for more opportunities, especially in realtime as more clients become exposed to this technology and appreciate its value. If you’re a reporter who hasn’t made the realtime plunge yet, now’s the time! 2022 is your year!

Megan Ejack, Director of Marketing & Communications

My hope for 2022 is that we continue to align as a community, sharing our expertise, finding ways to provide mentorship and opportunities and especially helping to sustain this incredible industry for years to come. We continue to face challenges both in our legal system and in our world, but we’re also on the cusp of some exciting and innovative developments across the board. So in my opinion, now is the time to come together to work to create a better and more hopeful future for everyone.   

And from all of us to all of you, we wish you happy holidays and a safe and wonderful new year.

Community Building and the Future of Court Reporting in Canada

/in , , , , , , /by

No matter where you are located, as a court reporter you have likely experienced huge shifts in the industry. With COVID-19 rapidly transporting most legal services to virtual and hybrid systems, you have embraced navigating this new technology, from digital exhibit marking to document sharing.

At Reportex we have always tried to make the lives of our court reporters better with our thoughtful extras. We provide in-house training via workshops and one-on-one support to ensure comfort and proficiency in the latest court reporting technology and transcript editing practices. Our QC team is also integral in ensuring our consistently high standards as well as sharing useful tips along the way. We pride ourselves in continually fine-tuning our processes to provide reliable and seamless court proceedings for all our clients.

And now we want to do even more. We hope you will watch this space to see more news and stories that affect your life and what you do for a living. And more importantly, what we — now a Veritext company — can do for you as part of our expanding team. We are currently revamping our blog, developing a specialized newsletter, using LinkedIn to meaningfully connect as well as planning more events and workshops to speak to what is important to you, the heart of our business.

Meet Our Director of Court Reporting for Canada

You all know our realtime reporter Leanne Kowalyk. She was our operations director, and now Leanne is the director of court reporting for Canada. Leanne has walked in your shoes throughout her career and is now taking the lead in reporter relations. We asked Leanne for her thoughts on the changes we are experiencing at Reportex and throughout the industry at large across Canada.

If you had a crystal ball in front of you, what would you see lying ahead for the role of a court reporter in the future?

I believe there will always be exciting opportunities for court reporters across Canada. Will there be changes along the way? Of course. Evolution is a necessary part of sustainable opportunity.

I expect that we will lose a percentage of our workforce over the next five years as reporters retire faster than they are coming out of school, so I see a transition on the horizon in that regard. In the States as a whole they expect to be down a third of reporters five years from now. I expect a similar trend here, and the impact of that will be felt in different ways depending on which province you’re in and the current landscape.

In BC we anticipate the insurance caps and “no fault” will begin to impact us over approximately that same time frame, so in a perfect world those two issues will equalize to a certain extent. Having said that, I expect hybrid/virtual work is here to stay, so in joining the Veritext family, we will be opening up that national pool of work to all Veritext reporters across Canada, depending on the designations they hold. In the event that we do end up with a shortage of work here in BC, it will only serve as an opportunity to lend our neighbours a hand across Canada when they are running short (and vice versa).

And what do you envision as your role here in creating that vision?

My responsibility is to anticipate and help navigate these changes in the most smooth, inclusive and supportive way possible while trying to make it a fun experience along the way! The more doors that reporters have open before them, the more opportunities they will have, and there truly are so many. My role is to ensure those doors are open to our reporters so that when they are ready, they will possess all the tools they need to walk right on through them (should they choose to) feeling confident and capable.

For the “newbs” just starting their court reporting careers, can you share any stories from your experiences that highlight how dynamic the role can be?

I would say I’ve experienced the most dynamic part of reporting when faced with the unexpected. Whether it be replacing a sick reporter last minute on an unfamiliar realtime trial or feeling like a rock star when requested back by counsel on a matter that has rebooked, it’s never a dull moment! There is very little you can anticipate in this career, and the more adept you are at going with the flow, the more you will enjoy it.

Sometimes there are unanticipated witnesses, out-of-town jobs or day-of bookings that can be the most memorable and interesting. On the face of it a discovery could look quite predictable, but upon arrival you find out it’s a complicated plane crash, and you learn things you didn’t know you didn’t know about air travel!

One of the occurrences where I was requested by counsel to cover a continuation happened to be a job at a maximum security prison. One day I was writing a regular in-office job, and the next I’m moving chairs around a room with a convicted murderer setting up for a discovery. Thankfully, he was quite pleasant, and rest assured, there were ample corrections officers keeping a watchful eye.

I also had the privilege of covering some days on Vancouver’s first fully electronic trial, which was quite surreal and incredibly interesting.

Once you become confident with your writing and your equipment and have that to rely upon, it becomes easier and easier to just say yes and jump at the opportunities as they arise.

You truly never know what you’re walking into every day, and for me that’s always been a part of the charming and dynamic nature that I love.

Meet Jenn Kendall, Director of Human Resources

/in , , , /by

Jenn is the Director of HR, responsible for the hiring, onboarding, performance management and training of our teams across Canada. Our director of human resources has had diverse experience applying HR programs in a lawful, fair and consistent manner in many industries across four provinces. She has specialized in change management, organizational structure, business development, start-ups and expansions. She also has training and experience in Nonviolent Crisis Intervention, suicide intervention and conflict resolution. Outside of the corporate world she has been teaching yoga and meditation for nearly 15 years.

At Reportex our core values of team, mentorship, equality, community and industry are central to what we do. Veritext’s mission and corporate values dovetail nicely with our already solid foundation. Together we aim to be respectful, ethical, collaborative, accountable and professional. Can you tell us which of these values resonates most strongly with you and why?

It’s pretty challenging to pick just one as I think they are all essential components to building healthy, cohesive teams and an environment where all feel welcomed, valued and appreciated.

For today I will focus on respectful. A workplace, regardless of size and service, provides employment to people of varying backgrounds, belief systems, perspectives, ethnicities, etc. Each one of those individuals will have a different role and level of responsibility within the organization. Each one also has an equal right to be there and to have an important contribution to make in the overall success of the organization. While we aren’t required to like everyone we work with, there is an expectation that each individual can come to work and be treated respectfully. Without a basic level of respect for our co-workers, the ability to complete the requirements of each of our positions and our overall job satisfaction become significantly impacted, having a long-term and lasting impact on the individual and the business itself.

Based on your experience and knowledge what is the key element to maintaining a strong team during stressful times like COVID-19 and corporate transitions?

I would say there are two things that are essential: 

The first is empathy — an understanding and appreciation that everyone navigates and copes with change and unknowns in a very different way. The way we might do it isn’t how someone else would do it. That doesn’t make it wrong. When everything is going well, we have a tendency to appreciate the characteristics that make us different and unique. When faced with challenges, it becomes easier to lose sight of those same qualities and harder to appreciate them. 

The second is giving our co-workers the benefit of the doubt. Each and every one of us is doing the best we can. While I would say this is true all the time, in difficult times it becomes vitally important to bring this front of mind. 

We talk quite a bit about wellness and self-care on our blog and internally through our Teams channels. Do you have a favourite way to recharge or any tips for staying healthy mentally and physically?

As a trained yoga and meditation teacher those are my initial go-tos and have been for the past 15 or so years. If I’m not on the mat, I can be found wandering somewhere out in nature.

Lessons from the Past

/in , /by

by Kerry Sauriol, Marketing Coordinator

When my youngest was about seven years old, she asked if we could attend the Remembrance Day ceremonies in person down at the Cenotaph. Given that my grandfather as well as many other family members of mine served in WWII, I was happy that she was taking so much interest in this somber event, and off we went to pay our respects.

But as the years have gone by since the end of that war, so has the disconnect, especially for those of us who have been fortunate to live lives uninterrupted by strife.  

It is hard to reflect on the horrors of the past when conflict still plagues much of this planet. It feels as though the lessons that should have been learned have been forgotten. 

It is hard to reflect on wars that are fading into history when we are all so wrapped up in our daily lives — especially these last couple of years as we have navigated the pandemic. 

But as Terry Kelly says:

Take two minutes, would you mind?
It’s a pittance of time
For the boys and the girls who went over
In peace may they rest, may we never forget why they died
It’s a pittance of time

Meet Kim Neeson, Regional VP, Eastern Canada

/in , , , , /by
Meet Kim Neeson
Me

We are thrilled to be working with Kim Neeson, our connection to Toronto and the east. As regional vice president for Veritext Canada (East) and principal/founder of Neesons, a Veritext Company, she leverages over three decades of court reporting experience, technological insights and dedication to her clients. Kim Neeson is one of the nation’s foremost experts in advanced-technology reporting and CART. Over the years Kim has been an active member in organizations such as NCRA, STAR, CSRAO and Lawyers Feed the Hungry, and she is a fellow of the Academy of Professional Reporters. Kim is a CSR (in both Ontario and Alberta) as well as an RPR, CRR and CRC. She recently became a certified coach, obtaining her Associate Certified Coach (ACC) credential.

Can you share with us how you became a court reporter and what led you to found Neesons?

I originally wanted to be a lawyer, but at the time I was thinking of it, the profession had too many lawyers! My aunt knew someone who was a court reporter. I met her, saw that little machine, and I was hooked.

I created Neesons as a place where I could put my technology-forward thinking to work (this being the mid 90s, when realtime was still in its relative infancy) and create a top-of-class court reporting firm where we’d do lots of high-stakes litigation with the best-in-class court reporters around! I wanted to become a niche business with clients who appreciated the kind of services we could deliver.

Is there a trial or experience that you feel made a big impact on you and how you view the role of a court reporter?

I have been privileged to work on many important pieces of litigation over the years, such as the overturning of the wrongful conviction of Steven Truscott, the trial of the Holocaust denier Ernst Zündel (where I used my first PC and CAT software!) and the first cross-border trial ever conducted in the Nortel Networks bankruptcy, where Neesons provided much of the technology and realtime in two different jurisdictions. Court reporting was such an important part of all of these cases, and I was so honoured to be a part of history in the making. There aren’t too many careers out there where you can say that!

As Veritext expands west, what are your thoughts on this new phase of growth?

I’m super excited to bring together east and west. It’s about time! As many of the larger law firms have become national in scope, I’m so pleased that through Veritext we’ve been able to become an almost national court reporting firm. I think this uniquely positions us in the legal industry and will present for us new opportunities of growth and exposure.

How do you see this new unified national team helping better service the legal industry across Canada?

Christy and I share a passion for bringing technology to the legal industry. I see us being able to bring about even more change and enhancement to the litigation experience for our clients, with access to our expertise and know-how no matter where they are in Canada. Discoveries in Vancouver, Calgary and Toronto? No problem! One-stop scheduling. One team. One vision.

Veritext’s corporate values are respect, ethics, collaboration, accountability and professionalism. Can you tell us which of these values resonates most strongly with you and why?

I don’t know that I could pick one of these values alone. I believe in and have practiced all of these values in my life, both personally and professionally. When I built my business, all of these values played a role. In fact I was spurred on to start my own business when the freelance firm I was working for didn’t have these values. I wanted to create that space where these values would be lived. I believe that by embracing our differences, we are stronger as a whole. Maybe I’d add a value: inclusion. 

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?

I am lucky to have an escape from the city in Blue Mountains, Ontario. So I get out and hug a tree pretty often. I also love to take my fur baby, @JaxLaxthePWD, out for long walks on the trails we have here. 

As a reporter I learned the importance of looking after your body — it does take a beating, writing on that machine all day — and so working out, stretching and doing yoga and Pilates are all a part of my routine. Keeping those upper body muscles loose and stretched is just so important!