Tech Tips from Tisa: 5 Quick Trial Tips

In our new series “Tech Tips from Tisa,” our Director of Litigation Technology, Mike Tisa, shares tips on how to make your next trial, deposition, or conference call a success.

1. Do not confuse an ELMO/document camera with an old school overhead projector. You need a projector or monitor to show the image. If using a projector, don’t forget to ask the court if they have a screen. If not, you’ll need to provide one.

2. Make sure your videos are always synced. Don’t be short-sighted as you might pay more on the backend. Always get this done upfront. It’s the only way to make designations fast and smoothly.

3. Get hip with the lingo. Clearly communicate to the tech how you want the document enhanced. Avoid the “do that cool zoom thingy” statement in front of the jury. Work with the tech about how to ask for the right annotations and come up with a dialogue that works for you.

4. Test trial tech before the trial. DIY’ers are great and being proactive on the tech side should be welcomed. However, if you ask for an hour training on a trial presentation program, don’t expect to be an expert. Can you teach paralegal school or law school in an hour, two even? Start simple by testing trial presentation technology prior to the start of the trial.

5. iPads – Use them at your own risk. Any app-based tech will have its limitations compared to software-based applications. Know what you can and can’t do with your app(s). Does it work without the internet, is it updated, etc.? Are you comfortable troubleshooting the wireless connection? More than likely, you will experience a signal drop at some point. Oh, and if you want to use hard-wired cables, great! Do you have the right adapters? Are they tested at a certain range? Do you have the right cables?

Attention to detail makes a difference in trials. Even if you’re a skilled trial tech, it never hurts to brush up on best practices and new technologies available.

Stay tuned for our next installment of “Tech Tips with Tisa.”

Have a topic you’d like us to cover? Drop it below in the comments or tweet us @aptuscr.

Aptus Court Reporting Continues Strategic Expansion with Acquisition of Jane Grossman Reporting Services

Jane Grossman of AptusPress Release (PR Web) – Aptus Court Reporting announces its acquisition of Jane Grossman Reporting Services (JGRS), a prominent staple in the Bay Area court reporting industry for 25 years. This merger continues to solidify Aptus’ commitment to expansion on a global scale, building on the Aptus brand of quality court reporting and innovative solutions.

Founded by Jane Grossman, Certified Shorthand Reporter, Grossman Reporting Services has provided quality court reporting services to clients in the Oakland Bay Area and beyond since 1994.

The blending of these companies continues to help position Aptus Court Reporting as a major force in the court reporting industry. The acquisition of quality organizations that enhance advancements in technology, dedication to superior customer service and focus on longevity continue to be their focus.

“As the conscientious reporter you have all known, it was important to me to join a firm that values high-quality transcripts, service-oriented reporters, and can-do client service. Aptus’ staff and reporters are committed to the same high standards and customer service that have been the hallmark of Jane Grossman Reporting Services,” says Jane Grossman.

“I have known and worked with Jane Grossman for many years. Her professionalism and dedication to her clients and to court reporting are an inspiration to all who have had the pleasure to work with her,” says Ron Harrison, Aptus’ Northern California Managing Director.

Derek Berg, President of Aptus Court Reporting, expresses his excitement about the merger: “We at Aptus have had a tremendous amount of respect for JGRS over the years. Jane has brought only the very best to our industry and it is our privilege to carry on her legacy.”

Press Release: Aptus Court Reporting Adds Industry Veteran to Sacramento Team

Sacramento (PR Web) Aptus Court Reporting, a Nationwide premier deposition and court reporting service, announced today the addition of Marj Walker, serving as Director of Business Development heading up the Sacramento office.

Marj Walker of Aptus Court Reporting“The culture and mission at Aptus very much coincide with my personal and professional manner. I joined Aptus because it is synonymous with simplicity. In its straightforward fashion, Aptus offers me the ability to supply clients with top notch reporters, quick responses, quality deliverables, exemplary service and impressive technology solutions. This results in a refreshing ease of doing business,” says Walker. “Making the move to Aptus has also allowed me to reunite with many respected, knowledgeable high caliber legal professionals whom I’ve had the great fortune of working with in the past.”

Walker brings 14 plus years servicing law firms and 25 plus years in service related positions. Delivering an outstanding customer experience is what she is most passionate about. Previously Walker served as Account Executive with Sarnoff Court Reporters and most recently as Business Development Executive for Veritext Legal Solutions.

“It is with great pleasure to bring Marj to the Aptus family. Marj brings a positive experience to everyone she come into contact with. She is respected by her peers and has consistently been a top performer in the Northern California marketplace. Moreover, this addition to our team will enhance our Aptus footprint on the West Coast allowing for better service to all who come into contact with our organization,” says Aptus’ President Derek Berg.

“Marj’s reputation, experience and relationships in the Sacramento legal community are impressive. She has a true dedication to serving the legal community, and I am thrilled to be working with her again,” says Sandy Waite, Aptus’ Chief Operating Officer.

About Aptus Court Reporting:

Since launching in San Diego in 2011, Aptus has expanded its territory throughout the West Coast of the US, with local offices in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Sacramento, Irvine, Riverside, Fresno and Seattle. The firm provides a wide range of services globally with clients on five continents.

Aptus Court Reporting is a full-service court reporting firm and a leading provider of court reporting services and litigation technology. They provide a one-stop solution for deposition and trial needs with services including court reporting, transcription, videography, video streaming, world-wide conference rooms, and more. The company’s mission is “Connecting Testimony and Technology.” For more information about Aptus Court Reporting, please visit https://aptuscr.com.

Aptus 2018 Year in Review

Looking back on 2018, Aptus celebrated another fantastic year! Beyond our own successes and achievements, it’s fun to look back upon the interactions and experiences we shared with our clients. Taking a page from Instagram’s Top Nine theme, we’ve tagged each of our markets with its top nine moments from 2018 and briefly recapped each collage:

Bay Area

Our Bay Area team continued to chat it up around town by hosting coffee and trivia events. Brook Braunschweig organized, sponsored and participated in another successful six-week boot camp. Also, in what is becoming an annual staple, the team put on a Treat and Greet presentation at Vanity Beauty Lounge. Those who attended were treated to a mani/pedi while listening to our service offerings from our Director of Litigation Technology, Mike Tisa, as part of his monthly visits from San Diego to support the team.


Los Angeles and Orange County

The LA and OC markets matched the Bay Area team with successful coffee meet and greets, lunch and learn presentations and participated in The Association of Legal Administrators (Los Angeles Chapter) Justice Jog 5K Marathon in September.

San Diego

San Diego remained home base for a seventh year and once again contributed its sense of humor. It hosted coffee events like the Bay Area and LA markets, celebrated National Emoji Day, incorporated new technology and had a special guest at the end of the year!

instagram collage aptus court reporting san diego

Also, we made three big staffing changes in 2018:

In April, Jason Ferber, who has been with Aptus since 2013, was promoted to Director of Corporate Services. Under Jason’s direction, he’s helped foster new business relationships with corporations and in-house counsel across the country.

In June, Aptus added two Client Services Managers in Nia Rannie and Lola Tangitau. Nia and Lola came to Aptus with years of experience and previously worked with Ron Harrison, Managing Director of the Bay Area.

In December, Aptus expanded its presence in the Central Valley by adding Marj Walker. Marj will serve as a Director of Business Development in the Sacramento area.

Also happening in 2018:

Ryan Asanas of the San Diego office completed his exams and became a Certified Legal Video Specialist!

Without a doubt, we are looking forward to connecting with our clients and providing them with our unparalleled customer service and support in 2019!

Calendar photo by STIL on Unsplash

Press Release: Aptus Court Reporting Expands National Services to Serve Corporations

San Diego (PR Web) – Aptus Court Reporting announced today the opening of its Corporate Services Division based out of their San Diego corporate headquarters. This new division will expand the core Aptus offerings nationwide and will focus on creating new business relationships with corporations and in-house counsel across the country.

Jason FerberSpearheading the company’s new launch is Jason Ferber, recently promoted to Director of Corporate Services. With over 20 years’ experience in the legal industry working with law firms and corporations, Ferber is a seasoned professional ideally suited to oversee Aptus’ business development activities within this new division.

“Aptus has always offered the highest quality service and product, so I am excited to introduce our team to corporations throughout the country. Our service-focused ethos has been the key to our success and will be the driver for expanding our products and services to corporations. The potential is tremendous and the outcome is a “win-win” for everyone,” says Ferber.

“We are thrilled to have Jason expand his role with Aptus and apply his many years of relationship building, consultative selling and detailed attention to the building of business working directly with corporations. With his experience, I have no doubt he will excel in this new role,” says Derek Berg, Aptus’ President.

Since launching in San Diego in 2011, Aptus has expanded its market reach throughout California and beyond, with additional offices in San Francisco, Sacramento, Los Angeles, Irvine, and Riverside. Combined with a number of recent key hires, the company continues to demonstrate a trajectory of growth and achievement.

About Aptus Court Reporting

Aptus Court Reporting is a full-service court reporting firm headquartered in San Diego, CA. The company provides court reporting, videography, transcription, and trial support among its list of services. Its company focus is “connecting testimony and technology” for clients globally. With decades of combined experience in the litigation support industry, Aptus provides a one-stop solution for deposition and trial needs. For more information about Aptus Court Reporting, please visit https://aptuscr.com.

Aptus Court Reporting Year in Review 2017

We had a wonderful year! It’s important to celebrate accomplishments and we wanted to take a moment to thank and congratulate our team for all of our milestones, events and company wins.

January 2017

  • Johanna Torres joins the ACR San Diego team as a Business Development Manager
  • Mike Tisa hosts CLE on societal expectations of evidence presented in court

February 2017

  • Aptus acquires Barristers’ Reporting Service
  • Mike Tisa spoke on legal video technology at the Deposition Reporters Association of California Annual Convention in Napa, California

April 2017

  • Aptus opens its sixth office in Seattle, Washington

June 2017

  • Aptus co-hosted another Successful Food From the Bar event at our San Diego office
  • Aptus successfully completes a complicated, last-minute international video testimony session for a judge who has a reputation for being hard to please.

July 2017

  • The San Francisco offices’ Six Week Yoga Bootcamp, hosted by Yogi Melissa, comes to an end
  • Aptus expands into the Central Valley with the opening of its Fresno office
  • Jaime Gooch joins Aptus as Director of Business Development in the Fresno office

August 2017

  • We had some fun with the Solar Eclipse in our Los Angeles office

September 2017

October 2017

danielle-belonio-mike-tisa

November 2017

  • Marika Pickles and Brandon Wai join the Aptus San Francisco office as Directors of Business Development.
  • Julie Long joins the Aptus San Diego office as Director of Business Development
  • Aptus sponsors the 3rd Annual Girls on The Run Golf Tournament at the Loma Club in San Diego

December 2017

  • Mary Gagne Caceres joins the Aptus Los Angeles office as Director of Business Development

Cheers to another great year!

Aptus Court Reporting Adds Industry Veteran to Rapidly Expanding West Coast Team

Mary-Gagne-Caceres-business-developmentAptus Court Reporting, the West Coast’s premier deposition and court reporting service, announced today the addition of Mary Gagne Caceres, serving as Director of Business Development out of their Los Angeles office.

“I am very excited to be part of the growing Aptus Team. Aptus’ reputation for delivering the latest technology coupled with good old-fashioned service are the same key denominators that I’ve built my career around. Their swift, courteous and efficient response to all client needs, while treating everyone with respect and genuine kindness and appreciation, is in harmony with my personal philosophy,” says Gagne.

Gagne brings an impressive resume, having begun her career as a Certified Shorthand Reporter, followed by 18 years as Business Development Executive for Sarnoff Court Reporters. Most recently Gagne served as Senior Account Executive for Veritext Legal Solutions.

“For many years I have had tremendous respect and admiration for Mary Gagne. Her reputation, industry knowledge, and accomplishments are unparalleled in the legal community. Having Mary join the Aptus family will have a tremendous impact on our future endeavors, not only in the Southern California markets but across all markets,” says Aptus President Derek Berg.

“Mary’s experience and relationships in the legal community are an impressive and natural result of her strong work ethic. She has a true dedication to serving her clients and we are thrilled to have Mary join our growing Los Angeles team,” says Jaclyn Swe, Aptus’ General Counsel and Los Angeles Regional Director of Sales.

About Aptus Court Reporting:

Since launching in San Diego in 2011, Aptus has expanded its territory throughout the West Coast of the US, with local offices in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Sacramento, Irvine, Riverside, Fresno and Seattle. The firm provides a wide range of services globally with clients on five continents.

Aptus Court Reporting is a full-service court reporting firm and a leading provider of court reporting services and litigation technology. They provide a one-stop solution for deposition and trial needs with services including court reporting, transcription, videography, video streaming, world-wide conference rooms, and more. The company’s mission is “Connecting Testimony and Technology.” For more information about Aptus Court Reporting, please visit https://aptuscr.com.

Aptus Court Reporting Makes New Addition to San Diego Team

Julie Long - San Diego Business DevelopmentAptus Court Reporting, the West Coast’s premier deposition and court reporting service, announced today that they are expanding their presence in Southern California with the addition of Julie Long, Business Development Executive.

Long is a seasoned professional with three years’ experience in the legal industry and 14 years in software sales. She joins the San Diego team and will focus on creating new business relationships while ensuring existing clients continue to receive unparalleled service.

“I am thrilled to join the Aptus team. The core values of the company — take care of your people who then take care of clients — creates a genuine culture of exceeding expectations every single time. Adding these core values with Aptus’ state-of-the-art technology and nationwide infrastructure, and it’s impossible to find a better team to work with,” says Long.

“Since the inception of Aptus, we have taken great pride in working with the best in the business,” says Aptus Partner Ashley Walton. “Julie is truly one of those people. With her strong relationships in the San Diego legal community and her experience in business development, Julie brings tremendous value to Aptus. We are thrilled to have her talent on our team.”

About Aptus Court Reporting:

Since launching in San Diego in 2011, Aptus has expanded its territory throughout the West Coast of the US, with local offices in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Sacramento, Irvine, Riverside, Fresno, and Seattle. The firm provides a wide range of services globally with clients on five continents.

Aptus Court Reporting is a full-service court reporting firm and a leading provider of court reporting services and litigation technology. They provide a one-stop solution for deposition and trial needs with services including court reporting, transcription, videography, video streaming, worldwide conference rooms, and more. The company’s mission is “Connecting Testimony & Technology.” For more information about Aptus Court Reporting, please browse our website.

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Aptus Court Reporting Continues Expansion in Bay Area with New Additions

Marika Pickles(PR Web) San Francisco, CA -Aptus Court Reporting, the West Coast’s premier deposition and court reporting service announced today the addition of industry veterans Brandon Wai and Marika Pickles serving as Directors of Business Development out of their San Francisco office.

Earlier this year Aptus Court Reporting announced a new office in California’s Central Valley (Fresno) continuing their growth strategy throughout the west coast litigation markets.

“The Bay Area has always been a high market of interest for Aptus. With the additions of Brandon Wai and Marika Pickles to an already successful team, we believe the sky is the limit. The team’s dedication to their clients coupled with our focus on customer service and technology will ultimately enhance the all-important client experience,” says Aptus President Derek Berg.

Wai has served at the Senior Account Executive level and as a Regional Litigation Consultant in the Bay Area since 2001 and brings an impressive resume. Pickles joins Aptus from a national reporting firm where she served as Senior Account Executive from 2013 through 2017.

Brandon Wai - Bay Area Director of Business Development“The addition of Brandon Wai and Marika Pickles will enhance the already-successful Northern California Aptus. Their combined experience and dedication to high-quality client service is an excellent fit for us. We are most excited to bring on this additional talent to the team,” says Ron Harrison, Managing Director, Northern California.

According to Mike Tisa, CLVS and Director of Litigation Technology for Aptus, “Consistent with our focus on trial-ready deliverables, trial presentation and technology services, these additions to the Aptus team will further set us apart as the technology leader.”

About Aptus Court Reporting:

Since launching in San Diego in 2011, Aptus has expanded its territory throughout the West Coast of the US, with local offices in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Sacramento, Irvine, Riverside, Fresno and Seattle. The firm provides a wide range of services globally with clients on five continents.

Aptus Court Reporting is a full-service court reporting firm and a leading provider of court reporting services and litigation technology. They provide a one-stop solution for deposition and trial needs with services including court reporting, transcription, videography, video streaming, worldwide conference rooms, and more. The company’s mission is to “Connect Testimony with Technology.” For more information about Aptus Court Reporting, please browse our website.

Aptus Court Reporting Complimented by Prominent San Diego Judge

While compliments from clients are always welcomed and valued, there is perhaps no greater compliment than one received from a sitting San Diego Superior Court Judge. On the 6th floor of the Broadway Court house, Judge Timothy Taylor presides on the bench from department 72. Those who have appeared before him knows he’s a fan of technology. Aptus’ client used this to their advantage when less than ideal circumstances presented themselves.

Just how did we accomplish this?

By delivering high-quality service during a last minute, complex situation.

Here’s what happened:

Aptus’ Director of Litigation Technology, Mike Tisa, received a call at 6pm from a client who needed to arrange remote testimony from Russia the next day. Russia is 10 hours ahead of California. To execute, the team would need to set up video and audio streaming with a flawless connection to ensure that no signal interruptions would affect the quality of the testimony.

Time to go to work!!

Tisa and his co-worker, Ryan Asanas, generally take last minute streaming requests in stride. However, most are for depositions and not directly into the courtroom where logistics are not as ideal as a deposition setting. Luckily, Tisa is no stranger to streaming testimony into the courtroom. He has been doing it for the better part of a decade and, in 2015, co-presented on exactly that topic at the National Court Reporter’s Association conference in Denver. Without hesitation, Tisa and Asanas prepped a laptop and set up everything so that it was ready to go the next morning. It went off without a hitch! The only difficulty was on the reporter’s end, but she was able to accurately transcribe the deponent’s heavy Russian accent without interruption throughout the testimony.

At the conclusion of the deposition, she was able to capture this transcription:

Judge Taylor San Diego Superior Court

As many San Diego firms know, this is a hard won compliment and we just couldn’t keep it to ourselves!

Judge Taylor