Introducing REMS: Reportex Errata Management Solution

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Trial transcripts of complex proceedings involving constitutional and charter challenges that will likely find their way to the Supreme Court of Canada require special care and consideration in order to ensure that appellate courts have the most accurate evidence before them. These types of trials tend to run for months or even years, and the volume of transcript pages produced can reach into the tens of thousands. Highly technical expert evidence, dense terminology, and First Nation orthographies involving multiple dialects are just a few of the challenges court reporters face when striving for accuracy and consistency across their transcripts. Add in more and more virtual courtroom attendance by counsel and witnesses, and these challenges increase exponentially. 

Why REMS?

For 15 years Reportex has utilized a complimentary errata protocol for its complex trials, giving parties the opportunity to provide suggested corrections to the reporter for their consideration prior to certifying the transcripts. This protocol is not mandatory and is only implemented if the parties choose to participate; however, in our experience, parties are pleased to have this opportunity, and their efforts ultimately ensure the best possible transcription of the evidence. 

Until recently the parties would provide their errata suggestions to the reporter by email. Depending on the number of parties involved, this could get a bit unwieldy, and this prompted Reportex to find a better solution. For the past six months, we have been building the Reportex Errata Management Solution (REMS), which we recently launched for the Cowichan Tribes trial. 

What is REMS?

REMS is a cloud-based repository (in Canada) where counsel can access transcripts (and download them individually or in batches) and enter their errata suggestions. Reportex can then respond directly to suggestions right within the REMS. The program is automated to generate email reminders of impending errata due dates, and responses to the errata are in different-colored font. Parties can collaborate on their errata lists as a team, and they can collapse/expand days to see the errata that has been received and/or responded to. There is also a prompt for reporters if they upload duplicate files, and REMS will automatically update the transcript status accordingly based on file naming conventions.  The list of features goes on and on.

REMS was built for Reportex by Penticton-based developer Colin Fletcher in conjunction with realtime reporter Kelsey Fletcher, who is currently reporting the Cowichan Tribes trial in Victoria, which was going into its 300th day at the time of this announcement.  This case involves seven parties, three First Nations orthographies (Halkomelem, Hul’qumi’num and Hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓), numerous expert witnesses and reams of historical documents. Although Reportex’s reporting/editing teams utilize well-honed systems to ensure accuracy and consistency, the sheer volume of evidence spanning years makes it inevitable that errors will creep into the transcripts.

Christy Pratt, realtime reporter, and owner of Reportex, told us that “REMS has completely revolutionalized our errata process, making things so much more efficient for our clients and our reporting/editing teams. It’s clean and polished and professional and just generally fabulous.”

Developing systems and efficiencies like REMS for our court reporters is part of what we at Reportex consider to be thoughtful extras. Enabling our teams to work more efficiently in the production of highly accurate, consistent transcripts ultimately means better service to our clients.

You can learn more about our services and solutions here.

(R)evolution: The future of the workplace

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As vaccination numbers grow and case numbers continue to drop across Canada and the United States, the fear of COVID is being replaced with feelings of hope along with a bit of trepidation about what post-pandemic life will bring us. 

Throughout this time we have been fortunate enough to continue to grow our team, despite the ongoing challenges. Growth has been exciting but is fraught with a need for new structures, processes and — most of all — support. Because of this, one new role we knew we needed to fill was that of a dedicated HR specialist. Fortunately, Jenn Goble has stepped up with gusto!  Jenn specializes in change management, organizational structure, business development and expansions. She has integrated quickly and has become a calm, experienced, steadying hand during this tumultuous and transitional time.  

Everyone has had different experiences through the last 15 months, but here’s what Jenn had to say:

“We all need to recognize that we have just been through something extraordinary, and that will not be forgotten any time soon. We must expect that as excited as we are for this to be behind us and to return to normal, there will be a period of adjustment.”

So what exactly can our (and perhaps your) leadership do to help ease employee anxiety?  Open and continuous communications are key. Employers can play an important role in supporting and facilitating this to enhance connection by using software like Slack or Teams, where staff can communicate on a less formal level. Reportex also has a culture club that organizes virtual events for the staff and runs Slack channels that focus on monthly initiatives like plant care, wellness and just plain old fun. We also have a dynamic COVID committee with representatives from all of our divisions who work tirelessly to study and update everyone with the latest news and rulings around COVID safety protocols, keeping us all abreast of changes in protocol and evolving timelines. Their input helped create our current COVID-19 policy.

Reportex has been fortunate in that our business model already included many remote staff, flexible work-from-home options and collaborative work. What we are finding, though, is that the main source of anxiety is about moving into the unknown while maintaining staff and client safety, especially as our clients ramp up their in-person meetings. There have clearly been fundamental shifts to entire industries and business models, including the legal sector, and many law firms have sped up their explorations of virtual and digital technology. This is exciting, and we look forward to providing support in navigating all of these new options through our developing e-solutions. This adjustment to a more virtual world also means that many law firms have taken this opportunity to downsize their offices.

The Vancouver Economic Commission found that 43 percent of workers in metro Vancouver can and are now doing their jobs from home. While many articles online are discussing what the return to work will look like, some possible considerations for employers are whether to offer working from home as an ongoing option or whether to allow employees to split their time between home and the office, while having a plan in place to keep those employees engaged and actively participating in the workplace. 

In an interview with HRD magazine, Diana Nguyen, HR specialist and coordinator with Telus Employer Solutions, told them that “leaders need to keep teams informed of changes. This helps them better cope with any feelings of uncertainty. From here, it’s essential that you engage team members and listen to their feedback, in order to understand what’s important to them.”

Employers can also encourage employees who have questions or concerns to contact their human resource department or make sure they have an adequate employee assistance program through their benefits provider. 

As we prepare for all of this, we are giving profound consideration of what has worked effectively as well as envisioning even more new practices to support the brave new world ahead of us. We see this as a collaborative effort between our teams, leadership, clients and community to expand our collective vision of the industry as a whole.

We will continue to share our experiences as we evolve and adapt to both our needs as a business and our clients’ needs too.

We’d love to hear your thoughts on how your teams will adapt to returning to the workplace!

Shaping the Future

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As we prepare to return to the workplace, there are new considerations about how we want it all to look.

How might we shift our focus? What has become most important? What do our teams need?

Perhaps most importantly, how can we reimagine our priorities as they pertain to our individual and collective progress. This act (and conversation) of “returning to the workplace” is becoming a conceptual hallmark of how the world has shifted and is continuing to shift.

The pandemic has shown us many things on a global level — the gaps in our systems, the highs and lows of societal need, the value of community and how we can come together in times of crisis. In short, connection is key.  

Not only have we all begun to re-evaluate our own small pieces of the puzzle, but we can see evermore clearly that our entire global economy is inextricably reliant on the human element. When humans break down, so do our systems. The one saving grace is how we are able to come together to regroup and succeed.

As humans of the 21st century we have experienced four major industrial revolutions in comparatively quick succession. It is said that we are in the fourth — a.k.a. Industry 4.0 — exemplified by the widespread implementation of artificial intelligence, global platform management and analytic-based progress and expansion. Technology has truly changed the fabric of our world and has added an element of undeniable connectivity. These phases of industrial and technological advancement have shaped us in irreversible ways.

However, throughout this pandemic experience a new layer of progress has emerged — a more profound adoption of these technologies being not only used for economical and commercial benefit but also intricately woven into our basic need for connection.

“Today, technology is changing everything — how we relate to one another, the way we work, how our economies and governments function, and even what it means to be human.”

 — Klaus Schwab

A hot topic in our industry, technology that has been in the nascent stages for decades has now finally fully entered our proceedings and our courtrooms. Our ability to properly access the justice system in this type of recent circumstance has been absolutely critical. For us it’s the exciting new territory we have already been working towards, and we are focused on remaining on the leading edge of these developments.

Our team is well positioned to continue to lead the charge through this next iteration of industry progress as we dive headlong into the future. It’s as if we are finally cresting the rollercoaster, having slowly but surely climbed each bar along the track, and are preparing for the transfer of potential energy to kinetic energy by gravitational force.

The momentum will take us, but first, there is almost a pause … a breath. We are in that moment of suspension, just before heading down to what is next.

As a company we are committed to shaping the future of our industry, fostering our community and supporting our team. Continuing to develop solutions for our clients as we move into this next phase is paramount. In essence we have entered what our team at Reportex is affectionately calling the fifth revolution — a.k.a. the Reportex (R)evolution.

Our notion of “tech that connects” carries over into our team values and our support of our community. Using integrated legal technology, we endeavour to provide ongoing mentorship through the support of key programs like the NAIT Captioning and Court Reporting program.

We recognize that we are not an island.

Our success depends on the success of the industry as a whole. Being keenly aware of the challenges our legal system faces as well as the future of court reporting across North America enables us to stay abreast of the trends and to have a hand in continued development. With an eye toward collaboration and collegiality with our counterparts across the nation, we hope to maintain a broad perspective of what is possible and how we can continue to participate in this evolution.

(R)evolution: shaping the future of legal solutions

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To say that this pandemic has been disruptive to most industries would be a bold understatement, but it has been particularly disruptive to those who rely on systemic stability and are/have been traditionally slow to adapt to change. It is no secret that our legal community can struggle with the adoption of new technology and procedural shifts. There are also those who have been trying for decades to demonstrate the value of implementing new legal tech, like hybrid proceedings or integrated realtime reporting with videoconferencing in the courtroom. For that reason it was a pleasant surprise to see how quickly everyone was able to adapt to new ways of handling legal proceedings and how readily clients of all ages and demographics understood the need to pivot during this crisis.

Many of these systems were already in the nascent stages, but necessity certainly put a new timeline and a hyper spotlight on the need to be able to adapt quickly and effectively. This was necessary not only to keep the justice system running smoothly on a day-to-day basis but to ensure adequate access to justice throughout this challenging time. Streamlining processes as well as digitizing them has shown everyone that the legal industry can survive dramatic changes and adjust with the times.

Reportex has always strived to stay abreast of new technology, and we are dedicated to helping shape the future of legal proceedings to better serve our clients. Our commitment to remain on the leading edge and our team of technical and reporting specialists have allowed us to weather the last 14 months with barely a ripple. 

This has been reflected in the ongoing development of our new headquarters at 700 – 925 West Georgia Street. The plans for the new HQ had been in play long before COVID hit, and we managed to carry on without too much delay. Safe and secure in-person meeting spaces will always be required in the legal industry, even more so now that the pandemic has sped up the shift to remote law firms or vastly downsized office spaces and solo practices. Making sure that we are equipped with the best AV technology, videoconferencing and court bridge services allow our clients to communicate and work effectively, no matter where they are located.

As we plan a more fulsome return to work, we are always cognizant of the health and safety of our clients and staff. Because of ongoing COVID protocols, we are limiting the number of people in a meeting room to six, including the court reporter. Clients can take advantage of our technical solutions for virtual or hybrid communications for mediations, discoveries, arbitrations, and other proceedings.  

As part of our ongoing commitment to support our valued clientele and industry partners, over the coming weeks, we will be sharing with you more plans about the ongoing technical developments, e‑solutions, and service solutions.  

This is the Reportex (R)evolution. This is our commitment to being the leader in shaping the future of our industry.

You can learn more about our COVID protocols here and our virtual and hybrid systems here.  

Welcome to Our New Offices

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They say that the best way to predict your future is to create it.

So that’s what we’re doing! 

Welcome to the 7th floor. This is Reportex 2.0.

As you may have seen on our social media for the past few months, we have been teasing the opening of our brand new, mindfully designed, tech-forward headquarters on the seventh and eighth floors of our building in downtown Vancouver (conveniently connected by an internal staircase). Well, pandemic or not, the day has come to unveil our latest evolution, and we couldn’t be more excited to share it with you.  

Our new address is 700 – 925 West Georgia Street (same building, different floor!).

We have a meeting room designed specifically for you.

With 20,000 square feet of thoughtful extras we have our clients’ needs in mind. Our new HQ is designed to enhance effective virtual, hybrid and in-person communications, and each room is uniquely designed around your needs.

Here are just a few of the features you can expect:

  • MORE SPACE. 33 boardrooms, moveable walls to offer flexible and spacious options, four private caucus rooms and a gorgeous restaurant-grade chef’s kitchen.
  • Vault-like soundproofing. The walls are constructed full height, with soundproof plenum insulation in the ceiling above. They are filled with Roxul insulation as well as an acoustical sealant on tracks, joints and outlets. The doors are solid core in design, with drop seals when closed, and acoustical door seals are on all the door frames. 
  • For your safety and security there is a master digital sign-in —no need to remain at reception. All our boardrooms are outfitted with digital signage to guide you to where you need to be, and our team is always available to provide our top-notch client care.
  • Every single boardroom is set up with leading-edge technology. There are monitors for remote attendees and videoconferencing, and all our boardroom tables are equipped for data, power and USB ports.
  • Comfortable, private and spacious areas. We have arranged the space so that the rooms on the north side are designed for mediations, with breakout spaces and lounge areas; the south side is designed for examinations for discovery and larger meetings.
  • Custom art inspired by our beautiful province to engage the senses and create a beautiful west coast vibe.

Expert court reporters. Exceptional service. Thoughtful extras. Everything you need for a successful legal proceeding.

Read more about our mindful design choices.

While we will continue to provide virtual and hybrid proceedings until we can all safely return to work (and even after that), any in-office bookings you have at headquarters will now take place in this beautiful new space, supported by thorough protocols to keep you safe. Plexiglass, temperature checks and routine sanitization (among other things) have been commonplace for months now, and we deeply appreciate your flexibility in adapting to all of it.

At Reportex we have always expressed our commitment to growth and opportunity. As a team we look for possibility in everything that we endeavour to do. If ever there was a time to look for the silver linings in a challenging situation, it is now.

The development of this new space was already underway long before the pandemic took hold, and our team has been continually expanding since day one. So despite the unusual circumstances of this past year there was simply no stopping us. In order to be able to push forward, we have been fortunate to find some pivot points to help support our team and our clients during this challenging time.

The silver lining in this is that we were able to take the time to design an incredible space that our clients and team will be excited to return to when we are able.

“This new office is a physical example of the fact that the work we do is in continuous collaboration with how we do it. With 20,000 square feet of state-of-the art custom-built litigation space, each shiny new boardroom is fully equipped with the technology needed to support the important work of our unique clients. With flexible mediation and arbitration space and the capability for a myriad of virtual and hybrid proceedings, blended with a stylish sensibility and gourmet catering to enjoy while in the office, our vision for a full-service facility is exemplary of the type of innovation that has been carefully considered in this build.

Our team has made these mindful choices to enhance the experience of being a client of Reportex, which not only serves a practical purpose but broadens the horizons of our work as we continue to adapt to a new landscape.”

— Megan Ejack, Director of Marketing and Communications

As we plan our eventual return to the workplace, our team will continue to use this silver-lining time to evaluate the needs of our clients and associates. As the courts continue to evolve, we will remain on the leading edge of the developing legal technology.

Of course, we’re excited to eventually celebrate (with some actual wine and some actual cheese), but in the meantime we will be offering creative ways for you to explore the space with us, so stay tuned!

For those of you who do find yourselves in the office, we welcome your feedback — please stop by our stylish new reception area and chat with one of our team members.

Hope to see you soon!

Connect Series: Meet Marina Hopkins!

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We are very happy to introduce you to Marina Hopkins, a new member of the Reportex team!

Marina is a familiar and respected face in the legal community of the Interior of BC. She moved to Kamloops nine years ago and opened Kamloops Reporting Services after over ten years of reporting in the Lower Mainland. She has reported in many trials in the Supreme Court of British Columbia throughout her career as a certified realtime reporter. Marina is also an experienced CART provider for the hard of hearing and has provided this service in both Vancouver and Kamloops. Marina has always been deeply committed to providing a full-service experience for her clients and her community and has a strong connection with the lawyers and firms in the area.

Marina, community and industry are two of our core values here at Reportex and are central to what we do and how we do it. Can you tell us what these values mean to you and how they and this partnership will help you develop your services for your clients in Kamloops and the surrounding area?

Knowing I had been born and raised in the Lower Mainland, people wondered how I could make such a total lifestyle and career change. Court reporting in Kamloops and all the surrounding cities from Merritt to Fort St. John has allowed me to focus on excellent professional relationships and to help provide a sense of security for the industry in the Interior. This partnership with Reportex will allow my team to access more knowledge and resources to ensure that we are at the forefront of the industry with all the available tools needed to help my clients meet their own goals going into the future.

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

Oh, yes! This is sure an easy question for me. I will never forget reporting at the Roundhouse in Kamloops for the Stk’emlupsemc te Secwepemc panel hearing in May 2016 for the Ajax Mine environmental review. I reported outdoors for an entire week, and if you can believe it, we had torrential rain one afternoon and the entire following day. This is where I learned what kind of perseverance it takes to be a good court reporter and to carry on reporting no matter what! I was terrified my equipment would be ruined, but the organizers put a tent overtop of me (one with a leak, mind you), and away my fingers went! The testimony and presentations from all the different First Nations elders and chiefs were absolutely enlightening for me. Luckily for me, I had a team behind me at the office helping me with the transcripts and getting the job done!

To help maintain our mental and physical health, especially during COVID, we have been talking about wellness on our blog. Do you have a favourite way to recharge or any tips for staying well and healthy?

Find your passion outside of work and make it a priority. For me this is horses! Everyone in Kamloops knows that Marina loves horses — and what a great location for getting deeply involved in the equestrian world. From Morgans to Quarter Horses to Icelandics, I make sure I spend time with my horses, and this gives me a total break from the hectic world of litigation!

Lastly, while we can’t wait to work with you on building on our (R)evolution, what excites you the most about the possibilities of this new partnership?

Working with a team with a positive vision for the future and drawing on everyone’s individual areas of expertise really excites me. I have always loved the profession of court reporting, and it is time now to share resources and work together for our industry in a spirit of support and equality. The five core values of Reportex say it all, and I am looking forward to joining forces and being stronger together.

We are thrilled to have Marina and her team join Reportex. Welcome aboard!

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!

Feeling Anxious: You Are Not Alone

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By Kiran Deol, Business Development Coordinator

A major theme throughout our blog, especially this past year, has been wellness. This month has been no exception with what we have appropriately named “Mindful March,” bringing awareness to our mental health. We at Reportex keep close contact with our employees and have kept up to date with the needs of the legal industry during this pandemic, including ways to reduce workload stress.

I recently had the pleasure of attending a paralegal seminar put on by TLABC called “Rising Above Adversity.” Throughout this seminar we got to hear not only from paralegals in the industry but from lawyers who shared their struggles with anxiety even before the pandemic hit. It was refreshing to hear about struggle in such a highly regarded position and not only how to overcome those struggles but how to help all employees acknowledge their struggles in the workplace and at home. Reportex has acknowledged the changes and stressful situations our clients are faced with on a daily basis. Our new space reflects these changes and has areas where you can relax.

We hear about mental health more and more every day, which is great; however, in the last year only 1 in 10 people acknowledge they are suffering from anxiety. The first thing to know is that you are not alone. There are treatments, and anxiety is more common than you think. To acknowledge your anxiety, look out for the following signs: excessive worrying; difficulties sleeping; fatigue; concentration issues; irritability and tension; increased heart rate and palpitations; sweating and hot flashes; trembling and shaking; chest pains or shortness of breath; or feelings of terror. For more information about these symptoms please visit How to Tell if You Have Anxiety: 10 Signs and Symptoms at BetterHelp.com.

Acknowledging these symptoms is a huge step, and there are many ways to remedy them, including maintaining a routine; watching your dietary, alcohol and coffee intake; limiting how much TV you are consuming; maintaining social connection (Zoom meetings, phone calls, outdoor distanced activities); engaging in community service; and journaling. Practicing gratefulness is also highly recommended: keep a gratitude journal and simply write down three things a day you are thankful for, even if it’s for your morning coffee. (I encourage you to check out resources from brain health speaker Terry Small for the scientific backup and positive effects of practicing gratitude.)

Anxiety is not a new concept; many people suffer from it. COVID has built a whole new type of anxiety, so remember to be compassionate and not to beat yourself up about your anxiety. Limiting news and social media can also be helpful (protect yourself but don’t feel bad about shutting out the bad news that is constantly running through our newsfeeds). Feel good about checking in for help. There are several anonymous sources you can turn to, and here are some free apps you can download on your phone: Sanvello, The LifeLine App, MindShift CBT and BetterHelp. 

Although the last year has been stressful, believe it or not, there could be some pros to COVID: having a shorter commute, staying home with your fur babies, wearing comfy pants, using less paper, enjoying home-made lunches, not having to fake smile because you are wearing a mask or not having to meet in person due to the ability to communicate with people around the world via technology. Many of us can’t wait to meet in person again, but in the meantime there are ways around it.

We have featured our technology many times in our blog posts, helping people navigate through the pandemic. That’s not all we are doing! As we spring into spring, Reportex is unveiling the expansion that our amazing team has been endlessly working on behind the scenes. We have shared teasers and information about our expansion, and we are extremely grateful to be able to share the features of our new space. We understand that our clients are often in high-stress situations while visiting our office. At Reportex we have incorporated unique art by our in-house artist, Shari Pratt; zen dens with beautiful downtown Vancouver views, where you and your clients can relax with coffee and snacks during breaks; a state of the art kitchen (scheduled to open later this year) to accommodate lunches; and, as always, helpful staff to cater to your unique needs. We are of course still accommodating stress-free virtual proceedings and e-services — everything from examinations for discovery to lengthy e-trials facilitated by our friendly tech team.

Our priority is client satisfaction, and we want to make your visit as comfortable and as stress-free as possible during the pandemic and after. We cannot wait to unveil our new space and welcome everyone back into the office. Follow us on social media to stay looped in on the latest developments. Also keep an eye out for blog posts about our wellness initiatives and how to navigate through the pandemic in the smoothest way possible.

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.

Connect Series: Meet Systems & E-Trials Director Brandan Berry

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Brandan is an IT professional with over 10 years of experience. After working with Reportex on a contract basis, he joined our team full-time to assist with our expansion into e-trials and other technologies.

Brandan successfully developed and implemented a fully supported e-trial platform for a paperless trial of over 150 days (with no down days caused by tech failures). He was also integral in facilitating the virtual attendance of a realtime court reporter into an onsite trial in a BC courtroom.

When Brandan isn’t staying on top of the latest tech or building computers, you can find him downhill mountain biking in the BC wilderness.

You were the guy when it came to facilitating and building the platform for the recent Saik’uz e‑trial. What are you most proud of about building the e-trial platform?  

If I had to choose one thing in particular that allowed everything else to succeed, it would be the reliability of the entire system. With 151 days in a row without any downtime caused by the e‑trial system, it allowed our technician to be successful in their job every day; it allowed the plaintiffs and defence to argue their cases without breaking their flow and affecting their impact; and it allowed a judge who was hesitant to use technology to be introduced to and thrive with the e‑trial system.

The e-trial system itself was reliable as it worked with or without internet, so if the internet went down, the trial could continue. All data had an onsite and offsite encrypted backup, with per-file versioning rollbacks, if needed, so the chance of losing data was little to none.

We even ensured cross-technician training so that no matter which technician was sitting in the chair, they were up to speed on all the trial requirements and preferences.

E-trials are the way of the future; however, many feel nervous about depending on technology. What do you feel will be the most helpful resource we offer for our clients if they are looking to book an e‑trial?

Confidence. Educating clients that continuing to go with paper solutions is actually less effective than moving to digital solutions and that overall costs in time and resources differ significantly.

For example, imagine you have to create a rush order on an exhibit that you want to enter in the next day, but it is a 200‑page document that needs to be provided to five parties and the court, and you also need a copy to enter as an exhibit.

Paper: You now have to print 7 times 200 pages of the PDF in question, binder them, label them and then transport them to court, all while paying staff to get this completed overnight. All of this results in a ton of costs.

Digital: You upload the PDF to your private e-trial folder and then notify the technician via email that you have a new exhibit that will be entered the next day. The technician takes it and provides it to a central encrypted area, where all parties and the court automatically download a copy of it. You get home on time, you do not have to pay staff to work through the night to prepare binders and you do not need to lug said binders to court the following morning.

If you have the confidence to leave paper behind, your results will be money savings.

Throwing a pandemic into the mix while facilitating an e‑trial did not make the job any easier. What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome?

I had to incorporate — very quickly — a solution to allow witnesses and our realtime reporter to connect remotely due to limits on the number of people allowed in the courtroom. Fortunately, because the e‑trial system is so flexible, I was able to come up with, test and implement a solution within a couple days of a solution being needed.

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 say that all of these values play a part, but if I had to choose the ones that stand out the most, they would be “team” and “industry.” Without my technicians there is no way this would have been possible, and we challenged the industry and proved that going digital instead of paper is not only possible but incredibly effective.

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?

You would think that after a day of fixing and working with tech, I would choose to do anything else, but I see tech in different categories. So learning about new tech and playing around with new demo applications is actually a great way for me to turn off my brain. I also like building or survival video games — something that I can immerse myself into while talking with all my friends from around the world. Using these other tech-careered friends as sounding boards is also a great way to help solve problems that I’m struggling with or even just allow me to look at an issue a different way.

I do of course make sure I get away from the tech and take my dog for hikes in the forest or throw myself down a mountainside on my bike when I need that blood-pumping adrenaline with my wife‑to‑be.

As for advice I would say if you do not have someone you can talk to either in person or online, find one. Play an online game with some people. Party up with someone for the day and just have a blast, talk about anything, crack jokes and let loose a bit. The amount of stress you can release and the overall good feels you can get from these interactions are more than enough to keep you sane in these times. And who knows — you might find someone really fun to be around (even if it’s over the internet). Try to be social but be safe doing it.