The Advantage of a Single Source for Hearing and Trial Services

A law firm asked us to supply interpreting equipment for a multi-language legal proceeding. Although Divergent is recognized as a primary provider of high-quality expert interpreters, we have partnered with a trusted equipment company for years to assist our clients in navigating the numerous equipment considerations and requirements. Therefore, it wasn’t an issue for us to provide the interpreting booth. However, during further discussions, we learned that the firm had hired separate vendors for each component of the event.

Different translation agencies are required for each of the three languages needed for interpreting.

A separate court reporting company.
Our company provides interpreting equipment.

The Challenge

While each vendor was likely individually qualified, the fragmented approach created unnecessary complexity:

Multiple vendor contracts and far more invoices to process than were necessary.
Coordination challenges across different providers are unfamiliar with each other’s processes. Said, a lot more time is spent by the law firm working with a bunch of providers to puzzle it all together.
There is a significantly increased risk of miscommunication and scheduling conflicts as each vendor operates in a silo.
There is no single point of accountability if issues arise.

The Ideal Approach

We recognize that in a fast-paced legal setting, it can be challenging to step back and plan logistics. We also know from experience that while a firm may be very familiar with Divergent because they’ve relied on us for document translation, some members might not realize we also provide interpreters, coordinate equipment, or even partner with court reporting companies. That’s why it’s crucial to consider, ask about, and document which vendors can supply various services.

For example, had the client engaged us from the start, we could have proposed a fully integrated solution:

Interpreters for all required languages, all managed by us.
Professional interpreting equipment and technical support through our trusted partner, coordinating directly with Divergent and our interpreters.
Real-time court reporting and transcription services through our trusted partner, whose tools our team is used to working with, and for which we know what needs to be done.

A hearing or trial is, in many ways, like an orchestra. Just because one vendor might not provide support in one area doesn’t mean it isn’t already familiar with and capable of working in harmony with others who do. Even when a single provider doesn’t directly supply every required service, vendors that have established partnerships with other specialized vendors add significant value. Such partnerships, like Divergent’s with its equipment and court transcription partners, are built on years of successful collaboration, mutual understanding, and shared standards of quality. Since our partners are accustomed to working with Divergent on high-stakes matters worldwide, we all operate seamlessly as an integrated team, anticipating each other’s needs, reducing potential issues, and ensuring smooth execution. This approach not only eases the administrative burden for clients but also results in a more predictable, efficient, and less stressful experience throughout the entire process.

The Takeaway

Centralizing hearing and trial services not only simplifies the logistical burden but also improves the overall quality and reliability of the proceedings. Our integrated approach enables legal teams to focus on their cases, rather than managing vendors.

For more information and some tips on how to best plan for your next trial or hearing, read our blog post where we share tips.