VERITEXT LEGAL SOLUTIONS RELEASES VIDEO TO PROMOTE THE COURT REPORTING COMMUNITY

/in , , , /by

 As a wrap-up of Court Reporting and Captioning Week, we released a new awareness video as part of an overall package of resources to help inspire the next generation of stenographic court reporters.

The company asked court reporters to submit a video of themselves talking about why they love their profession and then created a montage to help attract new talent to the field. Other resources include flyers, social media posts, email signatures and more. All that the current reporter community can use to promote and create awareness of the profession.

“Helping to drive the next generation is very important to us and we will continue to do what we can to assist the community in showcasing this profession to new potential members,” states Nancy Josephs, CEO of Veritext. “Court reporters are critical to the legal process. In addition to the many scholarships and educational programs provided by Veritext, we are continually looking for new ways to support this community, and this video does a great job of featuring real court reporters sharing what they love about their jobs.”

You can see the video here:

IC – I Am a Court Reporter

Face-to-Face with Leanne Kowalyk

/in , , /by

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!

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

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!

/in , , , , , /by

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

/in , , , , /by

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

Upcoming Webinars for Court Reporters

/in , , /by

Here in Canada and across the United States, Veritext has always supported the continued growth and education of our court reporters. One way we do this is through NCRA CEU accredited webinars.

One such webinar that may be of interest to you is this one (link in image):

You can learn more about our other educational opportunities at our partner portal.

Please refer to your NCRA or association membership cycle before attending our webinars for CEU credit. 

Reportex Student Awards for the 2021-2022 Academic Year Announcement

/in , , , , /by

Reportex, now part of Veritext Canada, has always supported NAIT (Northern Alberta Institute of Technology) and their Captioning and Court Reporting Program. Director of Court Reporting, Leanne Kowalyk, RCR, has spoken to the NAIT students in person and online about a career in court reporting, as well as participating in shadowing experiences for career education. We also provide awards for their top students.

This year we are proud to share the announcement about two award recipients.

Karina Cox received $1,000 for the Reportex Award of Excellence in Technology.

This award is available to students enrolled in the third semester of the Captioning and Court Reporting program at NAIT. Awarded on the basis of top marks on the comprehensive Computer-Aided Transcription (CAT) exam developed by the CACR program. The recipient must demonstrate excellence in technical skills in the first year of the program and have successfully completed all first-year course requirements.

Karina is a second-year student in the Captioning And Court Reporting program. Congratulations, Karina!

Karen Collis received $1,000 for the Reportex Captioning and Court Reporting Scholarship.

This scholarship is available to students enrolled in the second year of the Captioning and Court Reporting program at NAIT. Awarded on the basis of top academic achievement in the first year of the program with preference being given to a student who has relocated from British Columbia to attend the Captioning and Court Reporting program at NAIT.

You may have seen Karen’s name mentioned here before, as both her sister, Laura Collis here in Vancouver, and her mother, Diana Halvorsen at ACE in Edmonton, are court reporters. Keeping it in the family is a strong tradition in this industry.

Veritext Canada promises to maintain its goals of promoting and supporting Captioning and Court Reporting careers and education through institutions like NAIT. Congratulations to Karen and Karina and their fellow students for choosing such a dynamic and in-demand career!

For These Are Jolly-Good Fellows!

/in , /by

An Interview by Jan Ballman FAPR, RPR, CMRS; Veritext-Minneapolis

He’s a six-time NCRA speed champ; she’s a past NCRA president and the current Executive Director of Project Steno.  He’s an RMR; she’s an RDR.  They’re both CRRs, Fellows in the Academy of Professional Reporters, and recipients of the coveted Distinguished Service Award.  Together, they have a combined 98 years of industry experience.  Meet Ed and Nancy Varallo.

READ THE FULL INTERVIEW HERE

April Showers Bring May Flowers

/in , , , , , /by

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.

Reporter Series: Workshop Announcement

/in , , , /by

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