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Neesons has had a busy year so far, from an acquisition by Veritext Legal Solutions, to hosting a Fireside Chat, to sponsoring a myriad of social gatherings in the litigation community. Never a dull moment The first excitement of 2019 was the acquisition of Neesons at the end of February, 2019 by the world’s largest court reporting and legal solutions company, Veritext, through its newly formed Canadian arm, VT Canada Litigation Solutions. By joining forces Neesons – always a...

For years, most of Canada has experienced a decline in shorthand reporters who have always been the recognized guardians of the record. As Canada’s premier court reporting firm, responding to this crisis was identified as a top priority in 2017. Let’s face it: digital recording has taken over the courts in Canada, Ontario falling to this system fully in April 2013, where many skilled shorthand reporters decided to leave government service. Freelance firm owners...

From scheduling to reporting to transcribing, there are many high-pressure demands placed on court reporters in their job. In over 30 years of reporting, here’s what’s changed. Jobs are often booked last minute Jobs cancel with much more frequency Civility is waning Need for quicker transcript turnaround times Longer sitting hours Faster speakers How do court reporters look after themselves, as well as meeting the needs of the industry? The following are some tips to...

Neesons was the firm of choice to provide realtime, rough draft and certified transcripts in the Robinson-Huron and Robinson-Superior Annuities trial held over the last several months in Northern Ontario.  The case is a first of its kind, involving the interpretation of the annuity clause in treaties dating back to 1850. Testimony included that of Elders, community leaders and experts.  When Neesons was approached about the purchase of a copy of over 15,000 pages of transcript by...

Transcripts Assist the Efficiency of Public Inquiries Neesons is providing same day rough draft and overnight certified transcripts in the Long-Term Care Homes Public Inquiry focusing on the tragic events caused by former nurse Elizabeth Wettlaufer. Elizabeth Wettlaufer Background Between the years 2007-2013, former registered nurse Elizabeth Wettlaufer confessed to murdering eight senior citizens and attempting to murder six others in Southwestern Ontario.   Wettlaufer pled...

Neesons brings answers to questions about implementing technology in every day situations. The presentation, given by our President, Kim Neeson, was “problem” and “solution” styled.  Below are a few highlights from the talk. Problem:  I’m reluctant to learn a new program! Solution:  Electronic documents can easily be shared at discovery, trial or arbitration using a simple screen solution.  All that’s required is your laptop, the...

Court Reporting is a tough job, particularly on our bodies.  But with these self-care options, captioners and court reporters might just feel better at the end of a long day.  Kim Neeson (she of the very long neck and torso!) shares her experience. Exercise First For years, exercise with weights (and a trainer from time to time) helped me stave off my neck problems for long periods of time.  By getting stronger physically, I was able to carry myself better during the day...

As a working realtime court reporter and owner of Neesons, I’ve experienced stress in its many forms over the years.  When I started court reporting, lawyers and judges spoke more for the record; breaks were longer; the rush just wasn’t the same.  Today, the pace at which lawyers speak, the expedited transcript delivery, and the amount of time court reporters are sitting either at their shorthand machines or laptop computers has increased significantly.  And they said...

Social Media for Court Reporters Independent freelance court reporters can use social media to put themselves in front of firm owners in their area.  While this isn’t the same as traditional advertising, social media is a free way to make yourself known in your industry.  Here are some tips to building your own personal “brand” and getting positive attention of potential employers. √             Create a professional LinkedIn page Within this page, include a...

Kim Neeson is slated to speak on realtime streaming at the National Court Reporters’ Association annual convention in San Francisco, CA on Saturday, August 2nd, 2014, after recently completing the first cross-border trial in the Nortel Networks multinational bankruptcy.  A recent article in AdvocateDaily highlights the event.