Connect Series: Meet Court Reporter Anne Schluter!

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With extensive experience working as a court reporter in both the United States and Canada, Anne is a great fit for all types of proceedings, but she’s a secret weapon when it comes to the US depositions routinely carried out at Reportex’s offices. Not only will clients receive a transcript in the perfect format for US requirements, but they can also enjoy same-day service of rough draft transcripts.

We recently asked Anne a few questions, and here’s what she had to say:

What originally got you interested in court reporting as a career?

I was attending Ferris State University in Michigan in the executive assistant program. At that time I didn’t even know what a court reporter was. My roommate was in the court reporting program and used to come back from class all the time and relay all the great things she was learning about career opportunities in the field. Her future sounded much more interesting and lucrative than mine, so I made the switch.

What do you like most about it?

I love the flexibility it gave me with my children when they were young. I was able to walk my kids to school nearly every day, and because I also worked some half days, they were often able to have friends over for play dates after school. And being self-employed, I was able to take time out to participate in various school events and field trips with them. Now that they’re older, I like having the flexibility to hit the gym on a weekday morning and get my workout done early on the days I’m not in discovery.

What is the best career advice you have ever been given?

At one of the first firms I ever worked for, the firm owner insisted that I should read novels as a way of refining my court reporting skills. I was very resistant since reading for pleasure did not sound like a very fun way to spend my downtime, but she literally handed me a novel and made me do it. Not sure how refined I am, but I was hooked. That was a very long time ago, and I still love to read whenever I have the chance.

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?

Even though we are all self-employed individuals, at All-Star by Reportex our office feels very much like a team, or as we often refer to it, our work family. We’re constantly looking to one another for help on technical issues, grammar questions, formatting queries. Also recipe-sharing. And I’ve received some really good parenting advice over our boardroom lunches.

What single piece of advice would you give new reporters?

One piece of advice I would give to a new reporter is to make up a one-stroke brief for your local hospitals. They come up constantly, and it will save you a lot of time over the years. It sounds kind of stupid, but that’s all I could think of right now.

What does your ideal day off look like?

Well, an ideal day off would be on a beach with a margarita in my hand. But if I’m not on vacation, I like to go to the gym in the morning and get it out of the way, have lunch with friends and then take my dog Louie for a walk.

Would you rather cook or order in?

I hate cooking; plus I’m not the best at it. Definitely order in — with wine of course!

Connect Series: Meet Sara Pelletier, Our Newest Court Reporter!

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This past September Reportex was thrilled to welcome Sara Pelletier to the Reportex team. Sara is a brand new reporter who just got her BC certification. She has decided to start her career with us, and we couldn’t be happier. Having just moved to Vancouver from the Edmonton area, we thought it would be a great opportunity to introduce Sara to the Reportex team.

We recently asked Sara a few questions. Here’s what she had to say:

You’re a new reporter who just got your BC certification. How are you finding things so far?

Well, things have definitely been different. I’m sure that my training is a little different than it usually is, given the circumstances of the world right now. I’m sure things have been a little hard for everyone lately, but I feel like I’m getting great support from the team, and I think that I will excel as time goes on.

How did you learn about court reporting as a career choice?

I actually hadn’t heard of court reporting until I went to a NAIT open house in 2016. I was checking out all the programs around campus when I stumbled upon the machine itself! I talked to some of the second-year students, and they let me touch the Wave, and it was magic watching the words come up on the screen. I figured I’d give it a shot. The more I learned about the career, the more I realized that it was exactly what I wanted to do. I’ve never looked back.

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?

I would have to say that team and mentorship resonate with me the most. As a big sports fan I know that a great coach tries to teach leadership in every one of the players. A great leader creates a great team, and with that the other values will follow naturally.

If you could have a superpower, what would it be?

I think that if I could choose a superpower, it would be everlasting life and not aging past the age of 32. Seems like a good age!

The cozy season has started. What is your favourite comfort food?

My favourite comfort food has always been and will forever be an extra cheesy pizza. I think that will be the first thing I get after that first paycheque.

Connect Series: Meet Ashley Kump, Our Assignments Specialist!

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Ashley is our assignments specialist, responsible for scheduling the court reporters in our Vancouver and Victoria offices for discoveries, depositions, arbitrations and hearings. She is the master at strategic puzzles, which helps when she is planning which job each reporter will be on and which rooms everyone will be in.

It’s her job to ensure the court reporters are happy and have everything they need for their jobs. Outside of work Ashley divides her time between playing ringette, cooking, canning preserves and sewing. She grew up playing competitive ringette and still loves the game. She currently plays on the PCRMA Open team. She loves to visit farmers’ markets for fresh, local food to create her own canned preserves. Items purchased from the grocery store don’t compare to homemade canned goods! Ashley also loves spending time with her two dogs, Bella (16 years old) and Tiko (2 years old). Since Bella is an old grandma, Tiko helps keep her young with all his puppy energy.

What do you like most about being the assignments specialist at Reportex?

Since starting at Reportex my job has changed a lot. When I first started, I was a receptionist/scheduler, and we only had one floor with nine boardrooms. Since then Reportex has grown to multiple floors with 20 boardrooms, and it is still growing! The position slowly became too much for one person, and the position was split. A couple more splits down the road and I have now landed in the assignments specialist role. I like where my role has landed because it has become a more specialized role. However, I wouldn’t have the knowledge I have now if it weren’t for my position continuously shifting.

I have learned many angles of the business, and I utilize that knowledge to create the optimal experience for both the clients and reporters. Being at reception gave me an appreciation for how everything fits into place. Instead of my focus being pulled in multiple directions at the same time, I can now focus on one thing: the court reporters! I now have more time for them, and I can dive more fully into the bookings, which really helps with my daily strategic puzzle — the schedule! I love puzzles, and this is one where there is no template. There are many factors that have to be taken into account, such as seniority, restriction of all kinds and the number of counsel attending, to name a few. The assignments (or puzzle, as a lot of people call it) have always been my favourite part about my job. I love working with the court reporters and clients, and this position has allowed me to focus on the part of the job that I love.

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?

The core value that resonates with me the most is mentorship. Throughout my life I have always tried to be a mentor in all aspects of my life. Growing up, I thought I was going to be a teacher because I love to help people learn and grow. I have played ringette for 16 years, and throughout many of those years I have coached and mentored a lot of other players. I would do this by taking kids under my wing and teaching them to be goalies. While goalie is not a sought-after position, mentorship is the best way to get young kids excited about the position. There is very little training available to goalies in ringette, which results in there being a shortage of goalies. Through mentorship we can get the kids excited about a position they might have never tried without that support.

Scheduling at Reportex is something that sounds so easy, but there are so many little parts that come into being a good scheduler. I have been with Reportex for two and a half years now, and when I started, I knew very little about the reporting industry. The knowledge I have now is from asking questions and learning as I go. I love sharing my knowledge through mentorship. When people come to me with questions or apologize for bothering me, I love to help them figure out what they need to know. It is never a bother! I want to help, and I want you to understand what you are doing and why.

Mentorship is one of Reportex’s core values, and I think it is very fitting. It is something I strive to include in all aspects of my life, and knowing that it is one of Reportex’s values makes me feel comfortable asking questions when I don’t know the answer. I know that someone will take me under their wing and provide me with the knowledge I need to succeed!  

What three items would you take with you on a deserted island?

If I had to choose only three items I could take, I would choose a machete, a blanket and a bottomless bottle of wine. The machete would help me make a shelter, hunt, make sparks for a fire, prepare food and (most importantly) provide protection. The blanket would be for comfort and warmth. A little comfort for however long I’d be on the deserted island sounds like a good way to help keep me sane. While there are many better options out there for a third item, I am going to go with wine. It would keep me hydrated if I couldn’t find drinking water, and it would help pass the time. 😉

What is your top tip for aspiring sewers? 

Patience. If you want your project to turn out, you need patience. When you start to rush or skip steps, the project is unlikely to turn out the way you want. Following the directions step by step is really important, no matter how insignificant the direction might seem. While it might seem like a good idea at the time, forging ahead if you make a mistake will not help your project in the long run. Stopping to take out the stiches and redoing the section or ironing the work you just did is really important for your project. While ironing may seem like a very insignificant step, it can make or break your project. I have personally never been a fan of the ironing step, but I have seen the difference it can make to a project, so I’m always sure to include it.

What it really comes down to in the end, like I said before, is patience. If you can’t practise patience while sewing, your project is unlikely to turn out. I learned early on with sewing that patience is key and that people who rushed through their project had less success than those who took their time.

Do you have a favourite canned preserve recipe that you would like to share?

I love to can. I have made so many different types of canned goods in the past: carrots, pickles, salsa, jams, jellies, peaches, asparagus, spicy beans, stewed tomatoes, tomato sauce, roasted red peppers and jalapeños. I am sure I am still missing a few!

While canning isn’t the most economical hobby, it’s something that I’m passionate about. I don’t can in order to save money, and I realize that I could just go to the store and purchase the item pre-made. I do it because I like knowing exactly what it is that I’m eating and because the quality of food is so much better. I also have so much fun canning.

I have made a bunch of different things this year as you can see in the list above. This year I think my favourite recipe is salsa! I made more batches of salsa (four!) this year than I ever have before!

Below is the recipe for my salsa. If you like your salsa with more spice, I suggest adding more jalapeños. While eight jalapeños might sound like a lot, when they’re mixed with all the other ingredients, it’s really not! Let me know how it turns out for you!

Connect Series: Meet Selina Rodriguez, Our Newly Appointed Acting Scheduling Manager!

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Selina is our newly appointed acting scheduling manager. She handles client requests and booking mediations and reporter-attended proceedings. She is also an artist who possesses a passion for excellence and enjoys painting, sculpting, playing instruments, singing, writing, reading, fashion, hiking and appreciating nature.

We recently asked Selina a few questions. Here’s what she had to say:

When did you join Reportex?

I joined in August of 2019. I’ve been learning at Reportex for a little over a year now!

Your job sounds like it involves a lot of attention to detail. What are your top three tips for maintaining accuracy?

First and foremost, it’s important to care for the body and brain. This helps in keeping your mind sharp and your chin up so you are available to focus and handle situations, regardless of their complexity.

Another big one would be lists! Whether that is creating checklists to ensure you’ve done a thorough job or listing out steps as guidelines until accuracy becomes second nature. It also helps to keep track of your day so you can then review and reflect on possible improvements.

Also important is a willingness to learn and to review your work. To build a solid foundation, you must be willing to look into pain points and inefficiencies so that you may revise them. Aiming for improvement will help you reach your goals and excel past them.

You asked for three tips, but I’m going to give you four. As a rule of thumb I also like to keep the following in mind: with anything you do, take the time out to measure twice and cut once.

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?

I believe all of these are incredibly important. The success of each of these values is dependent on the others. Effective mentorship takes into account both teamwork and equality. How we relate to the community and where we stand within the industry is dependent on the qualities we possess as individuals and our willingness to work as a team. If we treat the people who surround us right and maintain these principles within ourselves, it’s possible to impact the community and industry in a positive way. Inversely it’s important to learn from both the community and industry in order to grow as individuals.

We are blessed to live in a society and age that fosters interpersonal relationships. This allows us to put our minds together, appreciate the value in one another and help or inspire each other to reach higher.

What is your favourite creative outlet at the moment?

I always enjoy music and writing. However, I recently bought new boxes of clay and got a pottery wheel. So I’m very excited about that!

Do you have a piece of artwork that you would like to share?

Although I’m sure they end up well appreciated, I regrettably tend to gift and donate all of my completed paintings. Here’s a photo of my painting process and a sketch:

Connect Series: Meet Kim Allen, our Legal Transcription & Appeals Director!

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Kim is Reportex’s legal transcription and appeals director. She’s responsible for overseeing the process of turning recorded audio into certified transcripts and managing the preparation of our various appeal products. This includes all aspects of the transcription process in the legal department at Reportex.

She also manages the preparation of appeal records, books and transcripts as well as our e-appeal products. Her keen attention to detail and exceptional project management skills ensure the seamless collaboration of Reportex’s vast network of reporters, transcribers and editors.

Kim is very active and passionate about life, particularly travelling the world and keeping fit with yoga and bikes — all the bikes.

We recently asked Kim a few questions, and here’s what she had to say:

How did you become the legal transcription and appeals director at Reportex?

I was nearing the end of a year away from working. I had coined it my “pre-tirement” — haha.

I applied for this job, interviewed and waited a few days. The job was offered to me, and I have to say back then things around here were very different. Reportex was a small company, and we were a tight group back then. I did work in the office for a few years and was certainly involved in all parts (besides the transcribing) of getting legal transcripts to our clients. I even met some clients face to face back then. It has truly been a pleasure over the past four and a half years to watch this company grow and grow and to meet all the new people who have joined!

Your job sounds like it involves a lot of coordinating. What are your top three tips for staying organized?

Organizing, logistics, planning, coordinating — I really do enjoy them all. Top three tips:

  1. Prioritize.
  2. Do it now.
  3. Keep track (a very solid track) of what is going on.

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?

Team certainly resonates the most for me because my job is to coordinate a well-oiled machine. This machine is made up of a fantastic team of people. For this I am oh-so thankful.

What has been your most memorable bike ride?

This summer included so many memorable bike rides. Being “stuck in BC” during this pandemic felt like a lucky break. My wife and I did take full advantage and had cycling trips planned almost every second weekend. One of my favourites was a ride from Squamish to Whistler all on the Sea to Sky Trail. This trail includes dirt trails, gravel, sand, the odd bit of pavement and even some hike-a-bike sections. The views were stunning, which made the 1,251-metre climb enjoyable! I can’t wait to do it again.

Last week was our first week of fall. Do you have a favourite fall tradition?

One last kick at the can! There is always some lovely weather in the fall in BC, so we always hope to get in one last bike trip. The Okanagan is the plan this year. Fingers crossed the sunshine sticks around a few more weeks.

Scenes from the Sea to Sky Trail.

Connect Series: Meet Lindsay Bookout, our Legal Training Coordinator!

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Lindsay is Reportex’s legal training coordinator. She’s responsible for proofreading and evaluating our legal screening tests, reviewing all Catalyst practice files done by our legal trainees and overseeing transcript work done by our new court reporters, scopers and proofers.

She also collaborates with the editing and QC teams to ensure that our wiki content is current, is an integral member of the wiki reboot team and works with the QC team to review and finalize transcripts for production.

When not at work, Lindsay enjoys yoga, painting, the beach and spending time with her dogs.

We recently asked Lindsay a few questions. Here’s what she had to say:

What originally got you interested in your current field of work?

I have always had an interest in writing and editing, and I have always wanted to be some kind of editor. I enjoy proofreading more than content editing as I love grammar and punctuation and the nitty-gritty details that come with proofreading.

I came across the Proofread Anywhere course a few months after I had graduated from college. The plan was to take a year off and then apply to law school. I was the proud new owner of three degrees, and I needed a break, to be honest. I had taken some classes in technical writing, and the technical side of transcripts did not scare me off (and I had an interest in law), so I figured I would give it a shot!

As far as my role as training coordinator, though, I have always been “a trainer,” for lack of a better word. I have never been the person to give a job less than 100 percent (even those minimum wage jobs that you really want to!), and I would always offer to train people and take new employees under my wing. I have actually written three training manuals for three different jobs! When I was working as the kennel manager at a vet’s office, my first act as manager was to completely overhaul their training system, write an entirely new manual and set up new procedures for how we handled our dogs and clients.

I enjoy helping people succeed in their jobs. I think this stems from my first job where I was essentially left high and dry by who was supposed to train me! Once I figured everything out, that is when I started taking new people under my wing and helping them (because whoever was supposed to train them never seemed to be around to help!).

Word on Slack is that you recently created a grammar bootcamp class for Reportex staff and that class starts in early October. Can you tell us a little bit about this?

We have such an incredibly talented group of people working for Reportex. The idea is that we are a company that promises and takes pride in the excellence of our work, so we want to ensure that everyone working at Reportex feels as confident and prepared as possible to be able to provide that excellence when writing emails, reports or whatever else their jobs throw at them. The bootcamp is going to be broken up into different sections, so everyone will likely take more than one session with me. We are going to go over the basics of grammar and writing, and I am hoping that the activities I have planned will make it enjoyable for everyone!

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?

Mentorship. I love working with our new contractors and helping them get accustomed to our rules, procedures and style guide. When I was being trained as a proofer, I loved the encouraging and helpful attitude as I really feel like that kind of positivity helps you feel confident in your job and the work that you are doing. I try to pass on that encouragement to the people that I train. I also love that mentorship is not necessarily a one-way street here. There is always someone who knows something that you do not, and I love that I can read through our proofers corner Slack group and see an awesome discussion on grammar that helps me better understand something. I also love being part of the QC team and learning from and working with them, so I guess that “team” resonates strongly with me as well.

What is your top proofing tip?

Triple-check everything! Whenever I see something that I am 99 percent sure is correct, I take a few seconds to check. It never hurts, and every now and then I find it was a mistake! And if I just cannot figure something out, I will leave myself a note, take a break and then check again later. Letting your brain reset is essential. We have to keep these proofing brains sharp!

If you could time travel, when and where would you go?

How about into the future a few months after we beat COVID??

In all honesty, I would love to see North America at some point earlier than the 1300s when the wilderness was still vast. I love camping and hiking, and whenever I am camping, I always find myself wondering what these forests looked like so long ago.

Connect Series: Meet Ari Sebo, our Legal Documents Director!

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Ari is Reportex’s legal documents director, ensuring all of our digital products meet our signature level of quality. In addition to focusing on transcript quality control, Ari prepares all of Reportex’s appeal products and electronic documents such as e-appeals, e-binders and transcript bundles.

As well as being fluent in French, Ari plays the violin and viola and enjoys donating to local food banks and animal rescue organizations. She’s also a film and television buff!

We recently asked Ari a few questions. Here’s what she had to say:

What do you find most interesting about being a legal documents director at Reportex?

It’s interesting how many different forms a transcript can take and the many jobs and many hands it takes to complete one correctly. I perform a variety of tasks each day such as transcript quality control, assembling appeal books, records or transcripts, creating transcript bundles (which are court transcripts with attachments hyperlinked and bookmarked for easy access), training, proofreading, writing and editing.

Did you find this career, or did it find you?

I started out in the legal editing field as a proofreader after taking the Proofread Anywhere course. I had proofread generally — editing books, articles and websites — but I hadn’t worked specifically with legal transcripts, so this course helped me learn the skills I needed to be proficient working with PDF court transcripts. I worked mostly with American court reporters at the time, so when I started with Reportex, there were style, terminology and formatting differences with Canadian transcripts. I learned how to use computer-aided transcription software, and then I never looked back. CAT software is complex and robust, so I’m always learning new tricks and tips to make work easier.

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?

Definitely team. I work with such a wonderfully talented group of people. Everyone is always willing to lend a hand, and we are all always learning new tips and tricks and sharing them with each other to make our work lives easier. Everyone I work with at every level is awesome. I also can’t say enough about Reportex leadership. It is amazing to work with such caring, insightful people. I learn so much from them and from everyone I work with every day. I couldn’t ask for a better team to be a part of.

Do you prefer to read books, magazines or blogs? And what are your top three?

I read a lot of websites. I’m always searching for things. I like checking the Apple News and Google News apps on my phone as well as social media. I also like to borrow e-books and audiobooks from the library using the hoopla library app. I read so much during the day at work that after hours I will usually read shorter texts. But I can never give up reading non-fiction books. I love learning.

Cats? Dogs? Or both?

All animals are great. I live with a pug and a clowder of cats (most are rescued), so I love them all. I hope to always live with animals. They’re the best.

Connect Series: Meet Max K, our Digital Content Director!

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Max is the digital content director for Reportex, responsible for creating written and graphic assets for internal and external outreach and training. He is the creator of the ever-popular wiki as well as partly responsible for our successful bids for government contracts.

As a writer and designer with an extensive computer background, Max is responsible for bridging the gap between technology and the humans who can benefit from it. He works closely with our systems and communications leadership to create materials ranging from wiki articles to brochures and videos.

Fun fact: Max plays six musical instruments poorly but enthusiastically.

We recently asked Max a few questions. Here is what he had to say:

How did you come to be the Digital Content Director at Reportex?

I used to live in Vancouver, about six blocks from Reportex HQ. When I started at Reportex eight years ago, we were much, much smaller. I shared an office with our sole QC person and our transcription manager (one person coordinating legal and medicolegal transcription) and handled all our marketing and day-to-day tech support while acting as an assistant to the transcription manager. In between designing brochures and building macros for our reporters, I’d go out in a blizzard to deliver gift bags or stay up late making flowers from crepe paper for an event. I eventually took over all our IT duties and became Systems Director in addition to handling marketing. I was wearing a lot of hats (probably too many), but I loved it.

Eventually it came time to move to Victoria with my partner, and I was apprehensive about having to leave my job. I’d always felt supported at Reportex, and basically every single one of my friends had some sort of horror story about their boss. Our owner Christy was able to find a new role for me that would work long-distance and hired a seasoned IT professional to take over my tech duties (just being “good with computers” was no longer enough for our rapidly increasing needs) along with a marketing person who could attend in-person events in Vancouver.

I keep meaning to go back to school for a second degree in computer science, but I like my job so much that I keep putting it off. I get to focus on the things that interest me and that I’m good at, which is a pretty rare thing.

What are your top three tips for new wiki users?

The search bar is your friend! If something isn’t popping up, try a synonym for the word you’re looking for. You can also use your web browser’s search function (Ctrl + F) to find a word on the page.

We’ve tried to make articles easier to use by organizing them into hubs. Click a link on the sidebar to get to a list of the most helpful articles on a given subject. These lists may not be exhaustive, so if you’re still looking for information, use the search bar.

Remember that we want your feedback. One of the great things about the wiki is that editing it is trivial. If you see a mistake, let someone know, and we’ll fix it!

What is the phone app you use most?

I really like Firefox Focus, a secure web browser that erases itself every time you use it. I use this in conjunction with the DuckDuckGo search engine to avoid being tracked while surfing the web.

Where is the next place on your travel list and why?

The pandemic got in the way of a trip my partner and I were planning to visit my parents in California, so that’s next on the list when things get better. My hometown of Berkeley is cool place, and it’s right across the Bay from San Francisco, so we were basically planning on hitting a bunch of museums, tourist traps, and fancy restaurants before spending some time in wine country and finishing off with a couple days poolside in Las Vegas.

Connect Series: Meet our Production Team!

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Shishi & Talina with Larissa and Angel

While Reportex offers a wide range of services ranging from realtime reporting to boardrooms for mediations, our bread and butter has always been our transcripts. Including both discovery transcripts and transcripts from recorded audio, we produce thousands of transcript pages a week which need to be provided to the court and the ordering parties.

Our production team, directed by Shishi Fan with Talina Flores Vergara, is responsible for ensuring our printed transcripts meet Reportex’s high standards of quality.  Along with members of our office services team when needed, specifically Larissa Patlan and Angel Arena, this department works like a well-oiled machine. There are many different kinds of transcripts, each having special printing requirements and these experts make sure each and every transcript meets the stringent Rules of Court.  Excellence is our game!

We sat down with the team to learn a little more about them and their vital jobs:

First up, is Shishi Fan, our Production Director at at Reportex Headquarters, Vancouver.

What do you like most about being a production director at Reportex?

I get to be this evil-bringer of bad news, striking hearts with fear with every back-order email to our lovely group of reporters. The amount of trees production has used to make transcripts might be a small forest! Jokes aside, in my position I get the chance to speak to all sorts of people from our audio department to our medical transcript department.

What would you be if you weren’t a part of the Production Team at Reportex?

I see myself fitting in the scheduling department. I used to schedule discoveries in the past between printing, so I look back on those experiences fondly.

What is your top tip for staying organized?

I used to use sticky notes and printed papers. Now that I don’t have a printer at home, I’ve gone into the new age of unread emails in inboxes to annoy the heck out of myself and the (God-blessed) reminders from Slack.

How do you take your coffee?

Clearly the answer is to not take coffee. Why would you want coffee when you can have tea that has 100 different other flavours and has caffeine in it too? Come join the tea team with me.

What three things are on your bucket list?

Exercise, exercise, and some more exercise. Sadly, I don’t think I’m the only one who has gotten used to staying indoors to avoid crowds during the best hours of our beautiful summer weather.

Second, is Talina Flores Vergara, our Production Assistant at at Reportex Headquarters, Vancouver.

What do you like most about being a production assistant at Reportex?

I enjoy working as a part of an amazing team. I enjoy the daily challenges, and I am able to gain lots of new skill sets.

What would you be if you weren’t a part of the Production Team at Reportex?

I came to Canada three years ago hoping to work in the HR field because that’s what I love to do. But life took me to the hospitality industry, where I had worked for a while, and then I got hired on by Reportex. This was a life-changing opportunity for me. I believe that I can passionately work towards my goals and dreams.

What is your top tip for staying organized?

My organizational skills are not something that I was born with. Over the years I have made it a habit, which helps me stay organized.

How do you take your coffee?

Usually with milk and sugar, but my top one is when it comes with a shot of Baileys.

What three things are on your bucket list?

  1. One-month cruise trip.
  2. Start my own business.
  3. A train journey across Canada.

Third, is Larissa Patlan, our Office Services Coordinator at at Reportex Headquarters, Vancouver.

What do you like most about assisting the Production Team at Reportex?

I like working at production because the people around me train me well, and we are good at working together. Furthermore I like being part of it. My grandmother used to say a very well-known proverb: “If you want to go fast, go alone, but if you want to go further, go with others.” I am very grateful to this company because I really feel at home.

What would you be if you weren’t a part of the Production Team at Reportex?

If I wasn’t here, it would be hard to guess where I would be right now, but I would probably be studying some kind of masters degree related to biotechnology or biology, simply because that subject is my passion and my hobby.

What is your top tip for staying organized?

I am completely sure that most of the time I try to be organized not only at work but at home as well. One of the methods I usually practise (or at least try to practise) is the 5S. For example, if I don’t use something for a year, I keep it or throw it away or donate it. But if I use something daily (at least once), I put it within reach. This way I only keep what I need without losing efficiency.

How do you take your coffee?

I like the tea with cinnamon better, but if I had to choose a coffee, I would choose decaffeinated coffee without sugar and maybe with soy milk or oat milk.

What three things are on your bucket list?

  1. I would love to see a paradise bird dancing.
  2. It would be amazing to see the Northern Lights as well as a night of star rain.
  3. Swim in icy waters.

Last but not least, is Angel Arena our Receptionist at Island Reporters located in Victoria.

What do you like most about assisting the Production Team at Island Reporters?

It is the trust I have received from my direct superior and the management team, especially since I am the only one working in the office most of the time. The feeling of being valued and supported by the team. I may be alone, but I am connected!

What would you be if you weren’t a part of the Production Team at Island Reporters?

I would probably be in a production team or supply chain team of a manufacturing firm where I can intensively utilize my skills in production planning, scheduling, materials control, procurement and logistics.

What is your top tip for staying organized?

Whether on your desk, e-files, instructions, tools, etc., I find it the most basic system in order to be organized — the 5S: sort, set in order, shine, standardize and sustain.

How do you take your coffee?

If not for my sleep disorder and hyperacidity, I would take my coffee with one cream and half a sugar. I love coffee, but my body does not — no matter how little the amount is.

What three things are on your bucket list?

  1. Get (at least) a permanent residency in Canada.
  2. Build my dream house.
  3. Take a family vacation.

Connect Series: Meet Nancy Gratham, our Medicolegal Transcription QC Director!

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At Reportex we do so much more than just court reporting!

We have many different departments offering all types of litigation support — from discoveries, mediations and other legal proceedings, to legal tech and editing services, to trial coordination and even a whole medicolegal section. Our medical transcribers transcribe expert reports, reference materials and other documents needed during the litigation process. Nancy Gratham (along with her colleague Louise Kennedy) leads a specialized team that is key to Reportex’s ongoing success.  

As the medicolegal transcription quality control director for Reportex, Nancy is responsible for managing our vast medicolegal transcription reference materials, overseeing the consistency of our medicolegal report style (including adherence to the Rules of Court) and training all of our new medicolegal team members.

#notjustcourtreporting

We recently asked Nancy a few questions. Here is what she had to say:

What do you like most about being a medicolegal transcription QC director at Reportex?

What’s not to love? I love my medicolegal team, which is made of the most dedicated, skilled, hard-working, unflappable women imaginable. The Reportex leadership team is cut from the very same cloth and has been an inspiration as they’ve faced down the unrivalled challenges 2020 has so far thrown their way. I’ve always loved working with words and with documents, so that’s a win. Our medical specialist clients are the best at what they do, and every day presents new language, new cases and new challenges. I also love being completely immersed in it all without having to commute to do so.

Did you find this career, or did it find you?

This career definitely found me. Teenage me only wanted to work at a magazine, so that’s what I set out to do. Years later I was managing editor at Western Living, and as much as I loved the work and the people who came with it, when I had my first baby, I knew I had to find a way to work closer to home. After a few years of freelance writing I came across an article with a picture of a woman who was sitting at her dining room table and waxing poetic about her work as a medical transcriber. I was hooked by the idea of a new challenge and by the prospect of never having to pitch an editor another story, so I went back to school, and 15 years later here we are.

Sushi or tacos?

Sushi! No explanation necessary.

What is your top tip for staying productive while working from home?

Work in a deadline-based business. Deadlines are the best motivators! 

More practically, I have a lovely office in my home where nothing happens but work. I “go to work” every morning and don’t leave the office until the job is done for the day. While I cherish the lack of commute, I treat my workday as though I’ve left my house behind entirely. Laundry and dishes and dust mites only exist outside of business hours. 

A genie gives you three wishes — what are they?

  1. A COVID-19 vaccine.
  2. Everyone who is able gets said vaccine.
  3. Chef Nye mysteriously moves into my house and is made exceptionally happy by plying me with his latest creations.