Welcome to E-Trials

/in , , , , , , /by

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

/in , , , , /by

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

In the News!

/in , , /by

Well, the cats are all out of their proverbial bags and the news is traveling fast.

This past week, Reportex’s owner and now RVP, Canada West for Veritext (Canada), Christy Pratt, has been making the media circuit with our exciting news.

“We are committed to best-in-class service, and under the Veritext umbrella we will now be able to offer reporting, transcription and integrated virtual services not just in BC but also across Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Ontario,” Pratt said in a statement provided by the company. “And our cross-border clients will now have access to the same leading-edge services throughout the United States.”

We could not be more excited to showcase our team and the excellent work that Reportex, All-Star, Island, and Kamloops have accomplished to this point. As we join forces with Ace, Amicus, Royal and Neesons, we look forward to developing a presence on the national stage.

With the teams and resources that are now available to us through this partnership, our focus on shaping the future of court reporting in Canada is becoming very real. To be able to lead the charge in this collaborative effort is both humbling and exhilarating!

As we move into this Canada-wide expansion, innovation in legal technology will remain at the forefront of our efforts. Next week, we will be launching a new client series, highlighting all of our e-Solutions and providing practical information about our services to enhance the new technologies (and support) available to all of our clients.

Christy is speaking today (Sept 17th) at the BC Paralegal’s Association (BCPA) Members’ Conference, The Essential Ingredient, about our most recent e-trial which was the first of its kind in British Columbia.

And keep your eye out for an article in Canadian Lawyer magazine that will be coming soon.

Press:

Court Reporting Company Veritext Acquires Canadian Company Reportex, Expanding Its North America Scope

The New Jersey-based court reporting company Veritext Legal Solutions, which already provides a variety of deposition and litigation support solutions, has acquired Canadian court reporting company Reportex and its family of brands in British Columbia.

As part of the acquisition, Veritext also acquired United Reporting in Vancouver and Kamloops Reporting Services in Kamloops. Both companies, along with All-Star in New Westminster and Island Reporting in Victoria (which Reportex recently acquired), will be integrated into Veritext as part of Reportex, making up the company’s British Columbia arm.

Veritext already owned Canadian reporting firms Neesons in Toronto; Royal Reporting in Winnipeg, Regina and Saskatoon; ACE Reporting in Edmonton; and Amicus Reporting Group in Calgary. This latest acquisition gives it coast-to-coast coverage within Canada.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Founded in 1983 and acquired by Christy Pratt in 2006, Reportex offers a range of court reporting, realtime reporting and virtual services.

Last year, it designed, implemented and facilitated the first fully electronic trial in Vancouver, a landmark First Nations rights case in which the trial spanned 200 days.

LawSites (2021, September 14) Court Reporting Company Veritext Acquires Canadian Company Reportex, Expanding Its North America Scope [Press Release] Retrieved from: https://www.lawsitesblog.com/2021/09/court-reporting-company-veritext-acquires-canadian-company-reportex-expanding-its-north-america-scope.html

Community Over Competition – a vision for the future of court reporting

/in , , , , , , , /by

As you will have seen, the Reportex Group has recently made some very big and very exciting announcements. Notably, the court reporters from United Reporting Service have joined our family and by extension, we have all made the leap into a major national expansion with Veritext Legal Solutions, the global leader in litigation solutions.

What this means for our clients is that they will now have access to a more streamlined integration of technologies, efficiencies and boardrooms across the country, while still working with the teams that they know and love. It also means that we will be able to carry the Reportex vision across North America as we partner with Neesons, Ace, Amicus, and Royal and engage in leading the charge of shaping the future of legal solutions in Canada.

What it means for our team is that we get to engage in an extraordinary stage of growth as we explore new territory, build new relationships and carry our values and “thoughtful extras” into a broader arena.

At Reportex, we have established five core values that drive all of the decisions we make from new product development to community engagement and industry support. They are: Team, Community, Industry, Mentorship and Equality. We talk about them a lot – on social media, in team meetings… these values form the foundation for our focus as a team and as a company.

Our industry is facing many challenges. So over the past two years, we have been identifying partnerships with likeminded court reporting firms who have agreed with our philosophy that we are stronger together. We have joined forces (and resources) with All-Star, Island, Kamloops and now United with the mindset of protecting, preserving and continuing to build our vision for the future and fortifying our community.

Our alliance with Veritext was a natural fit in both a professional sense as well as in alignment with these values. Together, we adopt the mission which is “to be an integral part of our client’s legal process by providing relevant solutions, delivered with superb service and industry-leading technology.”

Veritext’s mission and corporate values dovetail quite nicely to add dimension to our already solid foundation. Together, we aim to be Respectful, Ethical, Collaborative, Accountable and Professional in all aspects of our business as we continue to grow, evolve and shape the future of court reporting and legal solutions across Canada.


“As we delve into this new realm, I can see a profound opportunity – an opportunity to continue to grow and evolve. An opportunity to reimagine what’s in front of us. An opportunity to have a voice and lead the charge on the national stage. Most of all – an opportunity to create a strong future for this industry in a new and exciting way.”

– Christy Pratt, Regional VP Canada West, Veritext

Two talented teams… under one roof!

/in , , , , /by

The time has come to announce an exciting partnership a long time in the making…

We are thrilled to welcome the exceptional team from United Reporting Service to the Reportex family in downtown Vancouver.

Reportex Agencies and United Reporting have always had a strong and collegial relationship and with our collective years of experience and extraordinary talent, this is a collaboration that will truly shape the future of court reporting and legal solutions in BC.  Our goal is always to provide an incomparable experience for clients, and this partnership packs a powerful punch.

We are thrilled to join forces.

The legendary team of United reporters will be working from our new Reportex offices and all in-person bookings will now be held at 700 – 925 West Georgia Street in downtown Vancouver, making Reportex the premier location for all your litigation needs.

It’s a new dawn for the future of court reporting across Canada, as we step into our future… together.

Shaping the Future of Legal Solutions in Canada

/in , , , , , /by

Today marks a critical step towards the advancement of legal solutions nationwide.

Reportex is joining forces with Veritext Legal Solutions, the global leader in litigation solutions, in a remarkable opportunity to expand our services from coast to coast!

The Reportex team – which includes All-Star by Reportex, Island by Reportex and Kamloops by Reportex –  joins Kim Neeson and the teams at Neesons, Amicus, Ace and Royal Reporting in this collaborative effort, building an influential presence as the Canadian arm of Veritext Legal Solutions.

Partnering with the Veritext team will allow us to continue to lead the charge in the development of innovative legal solutions – like e-trials, SIP courtroom conferencing, webcasting and other technical services – on a national scale.

As we shape the future of our industry, our clients will have access to new efficiencies and leading-edge legal services all across the country, along with a supportive and integrated network of court reporting, e-solutions and effective legal tech professionals at their fingertips.

Under the Veritext umbrella, we are now able to offer you reporting, transcription and integrated virtual services across British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Ontario, and our cross-border clients will now have access to the same leading-edge services throughout the United States.

“As leaders in our industry, we must continue to evolve. There are many challenges that lie ahead and sustaining the future of our industry is at the forefront of my mind. The Reportex team is thrilled to join forces with Veritext in continuing to develop an innovative presence on the national stage. We are well-positioned to revolutionize the scope of legal solutions in Canada.” – Christy Pratt, Regional Vice-President, Canada West

We look forward to this expansion of our team across Canada and we could not be more excited to build this future… together.

Click here for a personal message from Christy Pratt.

#ShapingTheFuture #VeritextCanada

Introducing REMS: Reportex Errata Management Solution

/in , , , , , /by

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

/in , , , , , /by

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

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

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

/in , , , , , , , /by

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.