Welcome to E-Trials

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The call to modernize the court system to ensure fair and speedier resolutions predated COVID, though the pandemic certainly accelerated the entrance of technology into the courtroom. Many trials across Canada and the US have already been moving towards a paperless or near-paperless and virtual manner.

We were ready. We have always known that adaptation of new and innovative technology would be at the core of ensuring access to justice for all Canadians. Investing in growing our technical knowledge and support in the legal service industry has always been at the heart of the development of Reportex and is one of the reasons why we joined with Veritext as they too have long understood the need to stay ahead of the changing needs in the legal system here in Canada and the US.

“Access to justice is a foundation of our society, and we simply had to learn, adapt and evolve.  And now there’s no going back. For us at Reportex, we felt a profound sense of obligation to provide guidance, support and solutions to the legal community. Court reporting is arguably a tech industry; law is not. We see it as our role in the litigation arena to bridge tradition with technology, to reinvent not just the way we deliver our services but to go a step further and actually innovate workflow options for our clients, to shape the future of litigation in Canada.  Lawyers are required to keep one foot in the past, but court reporters are not, and Reportex has been actively doing the research, making the tech investments and implementing e-solutions in discoveries, arbitrations and trials for years now.”

— Christy Pratt, RCR, RPR, CLR

The future is now: E-Trials

We have been here since the beginning. Our technicians and our complex litigation manager work with our e-solutions services to create the e-trial that fits you and your clients’ needs.

From providing independent courtroom technicians to document management and maintaining digital security, we already had the infrastructure in place. There are many things to consider when you begin to build your own e-trial:

  • Do you need one of our full-time in-court technicians?
  • Do your clients require all data to be stored in Canada?
  • Is the judge comfortable with technology?
  • Will you be marking up lots of maps or other documents?

To get you started on the road to your first e-trial, why don’t you take our fun e-trial quiz! 

Visit our new e-trials page and book a free consultation to start you on your journey today.

The Shape of Things to Come

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Welcome to E-Solutions — The Future of Legal Services

The future is now.

It may seem to have happened overnight, but the evolution in legal technology we have experienced over the past two years has been possible only because of the advancements that have been happening behind the scenes for much longer than that. That, and the willingness of our clients to get on board.

Even before the world changed, teams across the nation were laying the groundwork for virtual and hybrid court proceedings in anticipation of a new era of work. Our team takes great pride in the ability to look into our crystal ball to determine what the future of court reporting and legal services could look like. Ensuring that we are consistently a step ahead is what helps keep us leading the pack — always with the goal of serving our clients and our partners through excellence and innovation.

So when the time came, we were ready. The value of developing e-solutions encompasses much more than simply being a response to the pandemic and a new virtual climate. It is in fact an integral piece in the evolution of an industry that relies on three things: accurate information, access to justice and connection. The impact of e-solutions on these three things is immense, especially in a world where effective action is key and the ability to continuously adapt to the ever-changing landscape — crucial.

Over the next few months we will be rolling out ongoing information about all of our e-solutions and services, connecting you with the latest in legal tech that connects.

Today we are launching the first piece of that puzzle — our new E-Solutions page. 

From this page you will find access to all the new and evolving information for your virtual and hybrid needs. It will be your guide to navigating all of the possibilities available to our clients as we continue to forge ahead.

Take your legal proceedings into the future — with a custom approach for your needs.

Stay tuned to learn more on how to build your own e-trial!

“Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future.”

— John F. Kennedy

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.

Connect Series: Meet Monika Szucs

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Monika is the virtual proceedings technician for Reportex. She is responsible for managing and facilitating virtual proceedings for clients and assisting with technical setup and support. We appreciate the tips and help she shares with us all to keep things running smoothly.

Monika is a lifelong learner with a passion for all things digital. She has a digital design and development diploma that has given her knowledge of website development, graphic design, UI/UX, marketing and project management, and she is working her way towards her Bachelor of Business Administration. Additionally, she has obtained her medical office assistant and applied computer information systems certificates.

You seem to be always learning something new or taking more courses. Does the work you do lead the direction you take in your education, or is it the other way around?

When I was younger, I wanted to try many different job opportunities and gain experience in different areas not only to get an understanding of how everything works together but also to figure out what I wanted to focus on. I believe that knowledge is power. It is important to always keep learning even if it is in another area. You never know how the different information you learn can help make your life easier/better in the long run.

Stability is very important to me. Jobs and technologies are consistently changing. In life everything can and will change. This means having a strong foundation is important because no matter what happens, I feel I will be able to take care of my future.

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

I believe team and equality are the top two values that resonate the most with me. It is important to have a team that can communicate and work on projects together. Once you have a team that is in sync, it makes completing your job a lot easier. Equality is important because I believe everyone has something unique to contribute to a team. Everyone should be given an opportunity no matter who they are. To get the maximum potential from an employee, an organization needs to leverage every individual’s strengths and find ways for them to work with others collaboratively within a team.

We have been discussing wellness on the blog and our internal Slack channels. Do you have a favourite way to recharge or any tips to share on staying well?

My favourite way to recharge would be to try new places to eat, listen to music and/or walk around outside on a nice sunny day. The best way to allow yourself to use the maximum potential energy throughout the day is to eat healthy, drink lots of water and get 8 to 12 hours of sleep each night. If I really want to boost my energy because I have been overworking, I will try sleeping for 12 hours straight for three to four days in a row.

Monika is an amazing and dedicated member of the team. Her drive to learn and grow helps keep the Reportex engine running.  

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 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.

E-Trial Reflections: A Look Back on 151 Days

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Brandan:

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

Jake:

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

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

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

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