NEW YORK (FEBRUARY 24, 2026)—Consilio, a global, tech-enabled legal services leader across eDiscovery, document review, flexible legal talent, and legal advisory and transformation services, today announced a strategic partnership with Prevail, a leading legal technology provider of court reporting, transcription, and deposition software and services.

The partnership establishes a broad commercial and product relationship in which Consilio and Prevail will collaborate in-market, refer and resell each other’s services and solutions, and integrate core technologies to help legal teams operate faster, with lower cost and less friction, particularly in matters where validating testimony in real time can shift outcomes. As part of the relationship, Prevail’s capabilities will be delivered through Consilio’s Aurora platform with integrated workflows.

Prevail’s CheckMate technology enables live, real-time transcription and AI-driven testimony verification and analysis inside a unified system, helping teams identify speakers, surface key moments, and generate structured work product as testimony unfolds. Through the integration, clients can reduce the time and expense historically required to search large repositories mid-proceeding, instead applying AI in real time as claims are made, quickly surfacing corroborating or conflicting materials and accelerating follow-up development while the record is being created.

“No other solution on the market today delivers this combination of real-time testimony capture and immediate validation against the most pertinent corpus of documents, as it is happening,” said Rob Feigenbaum, Chief Executive Officer of Prevail. “Our partnership with Consilio extends that capability into the hands of more teams and embeds it directly into the workflows they already rely on, making it easier to use in the moments that matter most.”

Traditionally, performing discovery to find material that supports or refutes claims during live testimony has been slow and expensive, often requiring attorneys and paralegals to execute repeated searches against a document repository and sift through diffuse results under time pressure. With the Consilio and Prevail integration, teams can apply AI as testimony is happening to identify relevant documents and lines of inquiry more quickly, improving speed and lowering the time and cost of live testimony workstreams.

“The application of AI is driving client outcomes that were previously unattainable, and this is a clear example,” said Raj Chandrasekar, Chief Technology and Innovation Officer at Consilio. “Prevail enables teams to unearth truth in very large document repositories on time scales that were not previously possible. Mutual clients will directly benefit from being able to interrogate their Consilio-hosted document repositories from within Prevail in a secure way, saving time and cost, and creating the opportunity to redirect questioning as those truths are surfaced in real time.”

The partnership is designed to support teams across high-stakes proceedings and workflows, including arbitrations, internal investigations, and compliance reviews, where time-sensitive testimony and large document repositories intersect. Consilio and Prevail will jointly bring the combined solution to market through aligned client delivery, mutual referrals, and go-to-market efforts that expand access for corporate legal departments and law firms.

Information on availability and rollout will be shared with mutual clients in the coming weeks.

About Consilio
Consilio is a global, tech-enabled legal services leader that helps corporations and law firms operationalize legal intelligence to manage risk, control cost, and improve outcomes across complex matters and everyday operations. Through the Aurora Legal AI Suite and expert-led delivery, Consilio brings together software, data, and teams to support litigation, investigations, compliance, and legal operations initiatives with greater speed, visibility, and control. Consilio operates globally across North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia, with secure infrastructure and experienced teams built to deliver consistent results across jurisdictions and matter types.

Learn more at www.consilio.com.

About Prevail
Prevail is a legal technology company providing court reporting, transcription, and deposition software and services to law firms, corporate legal departments, and government agencies. Prevail’s platform combined proprietary technology with certified court reporters to deliver accurate, secure, and efficient legal proceedings across in-person, hybrid, and remote formats. The company serves clients nationwide, supporting depositions, hearings, trials, and transcription projects of any scale.

Learn more at www.prevail.ai.

Media Contacts

Consilio Media Contact
Nia Perkovich
nperkovich@apcoworldwide.com

Prevail Media Contact
Josh Faggart
marketing@prevail.ai

SAN DIEGO, CA (February 23, 2026)—Prevail, a leading legal technology provider of court reporting, transcription, and deposition software and services, today announced the general availability of CheckMate, the industry’s first unified platform designed to simplify how legal teams manage testimony. CheckMate enables legal teams to stream live testimony, attorney notes, and exhibit materials directly into their organization’s existing large language models (LLMs) in real time, eliminating the need to switch between multiple applications during depositions. The application can also leverage Prevail’s native LLM for clients that do not have a legal-specific LLM.

Today’s deposition process—and attorney knowledge—is fragmented across different systems. Attorneys may use one platform for transcription, another for notes, another for case management, and yet another for AI review, forcing constant context-switching during key moments of testimony. Even firms that have invested in AI tools typically are not able to feed live deposition content directly into those systems during a live proceeding.

Prevail’s CheckMate solution, which expands the company’s AI-assisted testimony management and reporting platform, addresses that gap by consolidating essential deposition tools into one intelligent platform. The solution streamlines real-time transcription with accurate speaker identification, provides full-featured collaborative notetaking with team tagging and formatting, and securely integrates with a firm’s chosen LLM, delivering AI-generated insights, contradiction alerts, and related case materials directly into the firm’s AI environment.

“CheckMate represents a fundamental shift in how legal teams experience depositions, arbitration hearings, and internal investigations,” said Rob Feigenbaum, CEO and co-founder of Prevail Legal. “Instead of managing five or six separate tools and reconstructing insights after the fact, attorneys can now stay fully present during testimony while their entire workflow operates seamlessly in the background. We built this to give litigators a strategic advantage and efficiencies they’ve never had before.”

“Shook has integrated AI into our Complex Litigation Strategic Counseling Practice Group, including our work on early case assessment, case work up, and at trial,” said Patrick Oot, partner and co-chair of Shook, Hardy & Bacon’s Complex Litigation Strategic Counseling Group and co-chair of the firm’s Government Investigations and White Collar Practice Group. “Part of that stack includes utilizing Prevail AI in live depositions. CheckMate connects the dots in real time. That fundamentally enhances how we prepare, question, and adjust strategy during testimony.”

 The platform delivers three integrated capabilities, working across all deposition formats including in-person, hybrid, and fully remote.

• Real-Time Transcription With Speaker Identification: Live, searchable transcription with accurate speaker tagging, powered by Prevail’s proprietary court reporting technology.
• Collaborative Notetaking: Full-featured notes with formatting, colleague tagging, and secure team communication, keeping every team member aligned without leaving the application.
• Integrated AI Analysis: Secure API integration streams live transcripts and notes directly to the organization’s LLM of choice, allowing users to query exhibits instantly to surface contradictions, related case materials, and strategic insights in real time, with no vendor lock-in.

CheckMate runs on Prevail’s secure enterprise infrastructure. Customer data stays within each organization’s environment and is never used to train AI models without explicit permission. Prevail maintains SOC 2 Type 2 and ISO 27001 certifications and holds federal Authorizations to Operate (ATO), supporting firms and government teams with strict security requirements.

About Prevail
Prevail is a legal technology company providing court reporting, transcription, and deposition software and services to law firms, corporate legal departments, and government agencies. Prevail’s platform combines proprietary technology with certified court reporters to deliver accurate, secure, and efficient legal proceedings across in-person, hybrid, and remote formats. The company serves clients nationwide, supporting depositions, hearings, trials, and transcription projects of any scale. For more information, visit prevail.ai.

Media Contact:
Josh Faggart
marketing@prevail.ai
Phone: (845) 773-8245

Most legal teams know they need to audit their technology. Far fewer actually do it well.

The difference isn't knowledge. Legal teams understand that technology should deliver value, integrate cleanly, and actually get used. The challenge is execution. By the time you realize a platform isn't working, you're already months into a contract, licenses are allocated, and the team has moved on to other priorities.

An annual technology audit changes that dynamic. Rather than reacting to problems, it creates a systematic process for evaluating what's working, what isn't, and where your next dollar should go. Done correctly, an audit turns technology spending from a hopeful investment into a measurable strategic advantage.

The Case for Systematic Evaluation

Legal technology spending has increased significantly over the past several years, yet many teams struggle to demonstrate ROI on their investments. The challenge isn't lack of tools. Most legal teams operate with focused technology stacks, yet resistance to adoption remains persistent, and underutilized tools drain budgets without delivering value.

The International Legal Technology Association's 2025 survey of 580 firms representing over 152,000 attorneys found that 57% cited resistance to change among users as the biggest hurdle to adopting or making use of emerging technologies. When technology sits unused or meets internal resistance, every dollar spent becomes waste rather than investment.

That's the core tension: technology that doesn't get used doesn't create value. An audit addresses this by separating theoretical capability from actual performance.

Five Areas Every Audit Should Examine

Effective audits are structured, not spontaneous. The following framework provides a systematic approach to evaluating technology investments across five critical dimensions.

1. Utilization: What Actually Gets Used

Utilization metrics tell you whether the tools you've purchased are solving real problems or creating new ones. Start with these questions:

• What percentage of licensed users actively engage with the platform?
• Has usage increased, decreased, or remained flat over the past year?
• Are certain features heavily used while others sit dormant?
• Do specific practice groups or team members avoid the platform entirely?

Low adoption rates signal misalignment between the tool and the workflow. This can stem from inadequate training, poor user experience, or simply the wrong product for the job. When usage data reveals gaps, the next step is understanding why. Schedule focused sessions with non-users to uncover barriers. Sometimes the issue is education. Sometimes it's the tool.

2. Integration: How Systems Connect

Integration failures create friction. When platforms don't communicate, teams resort to workarounds: manual data entry, duplicate records, and fragmented information. Over time, these inefficiencies compound.

Ask:

• Which platforms require manual data entry or duplicate work?
• Where do handoffs between systems create bottlenecks or errors?
• Are you exporting and re-importing data between tools regularly?
• Does your team maintain parallel records in multiple systems?

Integration challenges manifest differently depending on your technology stack. Some teams struggle with data locked in proprietary formats. Others face compatibility issues between tools that weren't designed to work together. The most persistent problems occur when critical information exists in isolated systems that can't share data at all.

The key question isn't whether your tools integrate perfectly. It's whether the workflows they support are efficient enough to justify the manual effort. Sometimes the right answer is better integrations. Sometimes it's consolidating to fewer, more comprehensive platforms. The audit helps you identify which problems are worth solving and which workarounds are acceptable given the alternatives.

3. Cost: The True Price of Ownership

License fees are only part of the equation. Total cost of ownership includes implementation, training, IT support, and the hidden costs of workarounds when systems don't perform as expected.

Evaluate:

• Annual or per-user feesImplementation and training costs
• Ongoing IT support and maintenance
• Time spent on manual workarounds due to system limitations
• Opportunity cost of not having better tools

Calculate cost per active user, not cost per licensed seat. A $50,000 investment with 80% adoption delivers more value than a $30,000 tool with 20% adoption. Pricing models matter too. Per-matter pricing can be more cost-effective than per-user licensing when team size fluctuates.

4. Security: Non-Negotiable Foundations

The legal industry handles sensitive information. Security is not optional. The ABA's 2024 Legal Technology Survey Report found that 60% of firms have implemented formal cybersecurity policies, yet phishing and ransomware remain major threats.

Your audit should confirm:

• Does the vendor maintain SOC 2 Type 2 attestation?
• Where is data stored, and who has access?
• What is the vendor's incident response history?
• How quickly do they patch vulnerabilities?

Vendors that are vague about security protocols, store data in unclear jurisdictions, or have experienced recent leadership turnover without clear succession plans warrant scrutiny. Review vendor agreements annually. Terms negotiated three years ago may no longer reflect current standards or your organization's needs.

5. Future-Readiness: Capacity to Evolve

Technology evolves quickly. According to ILTA's 2024 Technology Survey, AI adoption jumped from 15% of firms in 2023 to 37% in 2024, demonstrating how rapidly the landscape shifts.

Assess whether current tools can adapt:

• How frequently does the vendor ship product updates?
• Are they incorporating AI thoughtfully or just adding buzzwords?
• Does their roadmap align with your strategic priorities?
• Can the platform scale as your needs grow?
• Is the vendor investing in the product or just maintaining it?

The difference between a platform that receives monthly improvements and one that ships annual updates is significant. In a rapidly evolving field like legal technology, stagnation is regression.

Deposition Technology: Where Workflows Meet Value

Depositions represent a significant investment of time and resources, which makes them a critical area to examine during your audit.

Consider your current workflow:

Scheduling and coordination. Are you coordinating deposition schedules through disconnected email chains and phone calls, or does your platform help you schedule with efficiency?

Remote deposition quality. General video conferencing tools weren't built specifically for legal proceedings. Purpose-built platforms offer HD video quality, integrated court reporting, and features designed specifically for the demands of legal testimony. For instance, Prevail’s platform integrates with Zoom to provide its tools in the interface you’re already using.

Exhibit management. How do you present documents during depositions? The best platforms include integrated exhibit viewers that allow real-time presentation, annotation, marking, and entry into the record, with each participant able to view, scroll, and zoom independently.

Real-time transcript access. During depositions, are you waiting for transcripts to arrive days later, or do you have access to searchable, AI-generated transcripts synchronized with video as the deposition proceeds? The ability to flag key moments, add bookmarks, and search testimony in real time fundamentally changes how teams can respond and strategize during proceedings.

Post-deposition workflow. After the deposition, how do you organize testimony, exhibits, and notes? Modern platforms like Prevail allow you to create video clips, search across all past sessions for keywords and phrases, and build a searchable testimony library without requiring multimedia skills.

Security and compliance. Are you confident your deposition platform meets the security standards required for sensitive legal proceedings? Look for ISO 27001 certification and SOC 2 Type 2 attestation as baseline requirements.

Prevail was built to address these challenges as an end-to-end testimony management platform. From remote video and instant AI transcription to integrated exhibit management and post-session analysis tools, Prevail provides the infrastructure legal teams need for efficient, secure depositions.

The right deposition platform depends on your specific needs. Consider case volume, remote vs. in-person ratios, team size, and integration requirements with existing document management and case management systems. When evaluating options, prioritize platforms that eliminate workflow friction rather than adding to it.

From Assessment to Action

After completing your audit, categorize findings:

Keep and optimize. Tools with strong adoption, clear ROI, and good vendor relationships. Focus on maximizing value through advanced training or underutilized features.

Evaluate for replacement. Underperforming tools or those with overlapping functionality. Create a short list of alternatives and conduct thorough trials. Technology often falls into this category when firms realize their tools lack purpose-built legal features, or when teams are cobbling together multiple platforms to handle scheduling, remote proceedings, and post-deposition workflow.

Sunset. Tools with minimal usage, prohibitive costs, or security concerns. Develop a migration plan that protects data and minimizes disruption.

Net new additions. Identified gaps where no current tool provides adequate functionality. Prioritize based on potential impact and budget availability.

Questions That Reveal Vendor Quality

Whether evaluating current vendors or considering new ones, ask:

• What specific problems does this tool solve for legal teams?
• How do you measure customer success, and what does good performance look like?
• What does implementation actually involve, and what's required from our team?
• How do you handle feature requests and product feedback?
• What's changing in your product over the next 12 months?
• How do you approach AI: what problems is it solving vs. creating?

The best vendors welcome these questions and provide specific, substantive answers.

Making Audits Systematic

A technology stack audit isn't a one-time project. Schedule quarterly reviews of your highest-impact tools and annual comprehensive audits of your entire stack.

The goal isn't to have the newest technology or the longest vendor list but to have the right tools, used effectively, delivering measurable value to your practice.

Your technology should empower your legal team to do what they do best: provide exceptional counsel and representation.

Sources

• American Bar Association. (2024). ABA releases its newest survey on legal tech trends. Press release. https://www.americanbar.org/news/abanews/aba-news-archives/2025/03/aba-releases-survey-tech-trends/
• Austin, Doug. (2024). ILTA 2024 Technology Survey Results Released Today. eDiscovery Today. https://ediscoverytoday.com/2024/09/30/ilta-2024-technology-survey-results-released-today-legal-technology-trends/
• Austin, Doug. (2025). ILTA 2025 Technology Survey Results Released Today. eDiscovery Today. https://ediscoverytoday.com/2025/09/16/ilta-2025-technology-survey-results-released-today-legal-technology-trends/
• Black, Nicole. (2024). ILTA's 2024 tech survey: AI, Cloud, and the tools driving law firm efficiency. New York Daily Record. https://nydailyrecord.com/2024/10/04/iltas-2024-tech-survey-ai-cloud-and-the-tools-driving-law-firm-efficiency/

As we close out 2025, we're excited to reflect on a year of significant progress at Prevail. From integrated deposition workflows to enhanced security features, our team stayed focused on one goal: making your legal proceedings more efficient, secure, and strategic.

This year brought 28 releases packed with features that legal professionals asked for and updates we knew you’d need. Here's how we evolved the Prevail platform to better serve your practice in 2025.

Purpose-Built Solutions That Focus Your Strategy

CheckMate Beta Testing

In 2025, we began a technical preview in beta for a new solution that will change how legal teams collaborate during depositions and receive AI analysis in real time. Prevail's CheckMate solution brings live transcription, speaker tagging, collaborative note-taking, and instant analysis into one screen with integration into your LLM of choice. Our team is continuously refining CheckMate to maximize its effectiveness in supporting case strategy, with a release scheduled in 2026.

Transparency You Can Trust

We are committed to building and deploying AI tools responsibly. In November, we added clear disclaimers to all AI-generated summaries and reports so you always know when content is machine-generated. This transparency commitment reflects our dedication to ethical AI in legal technology.

Security First, Always

Your clients' sensitive information deserves the highest level of protection. Throughout 2025, we strengthened security across the platform.

• Enhanced file security in Session Briefcase prevents unauthorized viewing through URL manipulation
• Watermarking for PDF exports adds document tracking and authenticity verification
• Improved access permissions mean organization users only see sessions relevant to their role, with automatic updates when roles change
• Numerical Zoom passwords align with updated security policies while simplifying session access

Zoom Integration & Session Improvements

Starting May 1^st, Prevail Sessions became accessible through Zoom, giving you flexibility when clients or co-counsel prefer familiar video conferencing tools while still accessing Prevail's transcription and analysis features.

We also refined how we integrate with Zoom:

• Streamlined pre-meeting setup with clearer join options
• Device memory that recalls your previously saved audio/video preferences
• Improved participant matching to eliminate duplicate entries
• Enhanced toolbar styling and responsiveness
• Automatic participant removal when sessions end, preventing users from lingering in completed sessions

And recognizing Safari desktop compatibility limitations, we now guide Safari users to compatible browsers (Chrome, Firefox, or Edge) for the best session experience.

Session Review Gets Smarter

Session Review received major upgrades throughout the year.

Enhanced Video Capabilities

• Picture-in-Picture exhibit and screenshare viewing with witness reactions visible
• Presentation View that automatically activates when presenters turn cameras off
• Exhibit replay functionality
• Video recordings now split by participant for easier review
• Improved Picture-in-Picture video playback

Better Transcript Experience

• Updated our in-house editing tool with improved usability
• Extended transcript search access across all organization sessions
• Custom PDF page numbering for greater flexibility
• Resolved transcript scrolling with smoother navigation to latest updates
• Fixed speaker grouping so segments from the same speaker appear together properly

Exhibit Management Evolved

Presenting and managing exhibits became more secure and flexible.

• "Present Only" mode lets you share exhibits privately without saving them to transcripts or recordings
• Enhanced Session Briefcase with multi-select support, direct file links, and improved navigation
• Removed download options during presentations for better security and control
• Clearer exhibit titles in document viewer when presenting from expanded Briefcase
• Improved on/off-the-record indicators with tooltips and visual clarity

User Experience Refinements

We obsess over the details that make your workday smoother.

Interface Improvements

• Complete visual design refresh in November with improved dropdown menus, checkboxes, and page layouts
• Dark mode fixes across multiple screens
• Breadcrumb navigation added to help you track your location and navigate efficiently
• Updated navigation menu with improved mobile responsiveness and larger tooltip fonts
• Browser tabs now display session titles for easier multi-session management

Scheduling & API Enhancements

• Improved self-service scheduling system for faster, more flexible session creation
• Session Request API updates including support for invites
• Estimated duration now included in API responses for better scheduling clarity
• Prevail API User Guide launched to support automated session scheduling

Quality-of-Life Updates

• Streamlined Join Session Preflight Page with optimized load times and clearer prompts
• Mobile users now receive helpful Zoom download prompts
• Exit confirmation prompts prevent accidental navigation away from active sessions
• Refined error messages for profile updates and password changes
• Improved display of buttons, tooltips, and form elements

Documentation & Resources

We believe guiding you through our progress makes our updates even stronger.

• New Quick Start section for setup information
• Comprehensive Schedule Sessions documentation
• Updated guides for Picture-in-Picture, on/off-record indicators, and exhibit management
• Regular help documentation updates aligned with each feature release

What's Next

Every update in 2025 was driven by your feedback and our commitment to supporting modern legal practice. From enhanced case preparation to enterprise-grade security and collaboration tools, Prevail continues evolving to meet the demands of today's legal professionals.

As we head into 2026, we're energized about the innovations coming next. Thank you for being part of the Prevail community and for trusting us with your most important legal proceedings.

Here's to another year of innovation, security, and excellence in legal technology.

Remote depositions are now a standard part of litigation, but exhibit management remains one of the most important skills in ensuring clear and credible testimony. Whether you are working with a simple set of documents or navigating hundreds of sensitive files, how you prepare and present exhibits can shape the outcome of a case. Understanding your options, from simple screen sharing to advanced platforms like Prevail, empowers you to adapt to each matter while maintaining the professionalism your clients expect.

Remote Exhibit Management in Contemporary Practice

Exhibits are central to depositions, and today’s legal professionals have more options than ever for managing them virtually. The right approach depends on the needs of the case, the parties involved, and the level of complexity.

Basic approaches 

For straightforward matters with limited documents, screen sharing or standard videoconferencing tools can work well. They allow all parties to view materials in real time, without requiring additional platforms.

Advanced legal tech solutions 

When the case involves multiple parties, sensitive information, or large document volume, purpose-built legal technology provides security, efficiency, and professional polish. Platforms like Prevail allow users to preload files, keep exhibits organized, and ensure that every participant is looking at the same page without interruption.

Hybrid strategies

Many firms find that a combination of tools works best. A deposition may run primarily through Zoom, while exhibits are presented and managed through a specialized platform. This balance allows teams to stay comfortable with familiar technology while adding professional-grade features when needed.

Choosing the right path starts with evaluating your case, your documents, and the expectations of clients and opposing counsel.

Core Principles of Exhibit Management

Whichever method you choose, the fundamentals of exhibit management remain the same. Solid preparation and precise execution make depositions smoother, more professional, and easier for everyone involved.

Pre-deposition planning 

Organize your documents in advance with consistent file naming conventions and protect sensitive materials. Establish backup plans in case of technical difficulties so testimony is never disrupted.

During the deposition 

Transition between exhibits smoothly, introduce them clearly, and adapt quickly if a technology hiccup arises. Advanced platforms like Prevail streamline this process with features such as document pre-loading and synchronized viewing, but these principles apply no matter the system you use.

Exhibits should support testimony, not distract from it. With thoughtful planning, you can keep the focus where it belongs.

When to Upgrade Beyond Basic Legal Tools

Screen sharing and standard video platforms work well for straightforward depositions, but there are moments when a professional-grade system becomes essential.

Scenarios favoring advanced legal tech platforms

High-volume exhibit libraries, multiple parties, or sensitive materials demand security, organization, and speed. Clients increasingly expect a seamless experience that reflects the seriousness of their case. In these scenarios, Prevail provides a secure, professional environment designed specifically for legal practice.

Professional-grade features that make a difference

Prevail was designed for these high-stakes scenarios. Features like secure exhibit preloading, synchronized viewing, and real-time annotation give attorneys complete control over their presentations. Enterprise-grade security and detailed access controls protect sensitive material, while audit trails support compliance requirements. These capabilities keep depositions moving and elevate the entire experience for everyone involved.

Implementation Strategies for Exhibit Management

Even the best tools only add value when thoughtfully integrated into your practice. Building an effective workflow around exhibit management helps ensure every deposition runs smoothly.

Build your workflow 

Start by assessing case needs, such as document volume, sensitivity, and client expectations. Then, decide when basic approaches are sufficient and when advanced solutions like Prevail are the smarter choice.

Train your team

Consistency matters. Develop repeatable processes and ensure everyone on your team knows how to manage exhibits, whether in Zoom or within Prevail. A short training session before a deposition can prevent costly delays later.

Communicate with clients 

Transparency builds confidence. Let clients know how exhibits will be presented, what security measures are in place, and how your chosen platform supports their interests. Prevail makes this easy with features that integrate seamlessly into familiar tools while adding layers of security and polish.

Measure success 

Track efficiency, client satisfaction, and reliability across your depositions. As always, professional exhibit management is about delivering consistent, credible presentations that strengthen your overall case.

Future-Proofing Your Legal Practice

Exhibit management is evolving quickly, and staying ahead of these changes helps firms remain competitive.

Watch for emerging trends in legal tech.

AI-assisted document organization is beginning to reduce preparation time. Security protocols continue to advance as sensitive data becomes a bigger target. Cross-platform compatibility is improving, and mobile-friendly tools are making it easier to manage exhibits on the go.

Building a competitive advantage. 

Firms that adopt professional-grade solutions now will be better positioned to meet client expectations and confidently respond to opposing counsel. Prevail’s legal-specific platform continues to evolve with these trends, offering attorneys not only the tools they need today but also the foundation to grow with tomorrow’s industry demands.

Future-proofing is about cultivating a mindset of continuous improvement and professional presentation. With the right approach, your firm can ensure that exhibit management is always an asset and never an obstacle.

Strengthening Your Remote Deposition Practice

Exhibit management is a combination of logistics and strategy. Smooth, professional document handling helps keep testimony focused, builds credibility with clients, and ensures that nothing is lost in the moment. Basic tools may be enough for simple matters. However, relying on general video platforms alone can limit efficiency and increase risk in more complex cases.

This is where Prevail becomes essential. Built intentionally for legal practice, it provides the security, organization, and professionalism that high-stakes proceedings demand. With features designed to anticipate the challenges attorneys face, Prevail transforms exhibit management into a seamless part of your litigation strategy.

Refine your deposition process with frictionless exhibit management. Learn how Prevail brings clarity and control to legal documents.

When Prevail says your data is encrypted, what do we actually mean? Most legal tech vendors will toss that word around like confetti, hoping you’ll nod and move on. Encryption, SOC 2 Type 2 compliance, firewalls, and “Zero Trust Architecture” are table stakes. Everyone claims to have them. But if everyone says their data is protected, how are breaches still happening?

Here’s the uncomfortable truth: a lot of “security” in legal tech is performative. Security theater. Flashy checkboxes, hollow promises, or worse, processes designed for convenience, not protection. Real security—the kind that can stand up to both hackers and Fortune 100 due diligence—takes more than a compliance certificate and a privacy policy buried in the footer of a website.

One "tell" for security theater is complete rigidity, which leads to incomplete security. Require numbers and special characters in passwords, and your users will duly include them, but in easy-to-guess patterns that password cracking tools already anticipate. Real security involves tradeoffs and is situation-specific.

At Prevail, we’ve prioritized data security from day one. Not as an afterthought, and not as a marketing ploy. From who touches your data, to how we vet AI systems, to where files live (and where they don’t), every decision is shaped by how we’d want our sensitive information handled if the roles were reversed. Because real protection is about more than tech specs. It’s about humans, protocols, and processes all working together as part of a system designed to withstand pressure.

Who Touches Your Data?

Most vendors will briefly walk you through their encryption specifications and server security. Fewer will clearly explain who, specifically, is handling your data behind the scenes. And even fewer are willing to take full accountability for those people.

Here’s the part many providers won’t say out loud: the longer the subcontractor chain, the harder it is to maintain control. A contractor hires another contractor, and suddenly your sensitive deposition content is passing through hands you’ve never heard of.

Prevail keeps that chain short. Every person with access to your data is an employee or direct contractor, trained in secure data handling, under contract, and subject to internal audits. And you have the option to exclude offshore staff from your data. This keeps things clean, compliant, and under direct control.

Some vendors stretch their supply chain to save money or shift blame, but the result is the same: a disaster waiting to happen. When there’s a breach or a leak, it becomes a maze of finger-pointing.

At Prevail, we built a system where there’s no one to pass the blame to—because we’re the ones doing the work. We know who has access to your data. We work with them directly.

Your Data Never Leaves the Prevail Platform

Some legal tech vendors still allow unencrypted files to bounce between inboxes, shared drives, and third-party tools, creating a nebulous patchwork of places where your data can be lost, copied, or quietly leaked. That’s a liability.

At Prevail, all customer data is encrypted during transmission and storage. When it’s decrypted on our platform, every access point is logged. From your computer to our database, your data is contained. We’ve built a closed-loop system where we control the middle—and we keep that middle small. 

We make it both unnecessary and extremely difficult for anyone to remove data from the system improperly. You can still securely export all of your data if you need to, of course.

AI, Without the Black Box

AI is a real, valuable technology—and it’s also in a hype cycle. Every day, it seems, a company labels its products as “AI-powered,” but very few can explain how those systems work, what risks come with using them, or what the "AI" is actually doing.

Prevail isn't built around generative AI. Prevail launched in 2019, before the genAI boom and years before ChatGPT entered the scene. We are a legal services company first, employing AI where it can be most helpful: technology that helps accelerate human-mediated legal workflows, not replace humans.

When we do use large language models (LLMs), we employ them conservatively and with clear safeguards in place. We don’t put all our eggs in one provider’s basket. Different tools serve different purposes, and we vet each one individually. We also put contractual protections in place to prevent any provider from keeping our clients’ data or using it to train their models. Full stop.

We maintain clear boundaries between what comes from AI, what’s human-edited, and what’s original. When AI is used to transform content (like transcribing live testimony) and not invent it, it's just another step in the process that can be verified and checked like any other. 

For Prevail, AI isn’t about automation for automation’s sake. It’s about freeing people up to do the parts of the job that require judgment, care, and context.

Continuous Security Testing

You can’t claim a system is secure if you never test it. And yet, many vendors still treat security as a one-time checklist rather than an ongoing process.

Prevail builds with active defense in mind. All of our software is developed by full-time employees—not contractors—and our system administration happens entirely in the U.S. We pair internal quality assurance with third-party audits, including SOC 2 Type 2 and ISO 27001:2022 standards.

We also run a bug bounty program and penetration testing through HackerOne, inviting independent researchers to find vulnerabilities before bad actors do. When someone reports a valid issue, we pay a reward, fix it, and have them verify the fix independently.

Internal teams or occasional audits aren't enough to catch problems. We add proactive testing, third-party scrutiny, and real-world incentives to harden our systems before issues ever reach your doorstep.

Beyond Security Theater

You know security theater when you see it. It’s TSA tossing your toothpaste while missing 95% of weapons. Password rules so strict that you have to use a sticky note to log in. It looks serious, but it's a gate with no fence. People just go around.

Prevail invests in actual security. If your counterparty wants to email your testimony to an AOL account, you can't stop them, but we can give them easier and more secure alternatives, like transcript-synchronized video clips on our platform, so they don't need to take data off platform.

We support both individual MFA and enterprise-grade SAML-based SSO integration—the good stuff—for free. Not "included with your purchase free,” but completely free to all counter-parties who create unpaid accounts on Prevail. You can require your own staff to use secure logins—we certainly do—and we make it worth your counterparties' while to do so as well.

As for passwords? We favor smart defaults—realistic policies that follow modern best practices. Even NIST has recanted the special-character gospel. Memorable plain language phrases beat short, forgettable number puzzles every time. Think "correct horse battery staple,” not "S00pRs&cr1t."

We adapt our security as fast as threats evolve, and we know which measures are theater and which ones actually keep your data safe.

Built with Accountability

Prevail didn’t retrofit security and AI onto an existing product—we built with it from the start. That means fewer assumptions, fewer weak links, and fewer opportunities for exposure. Whether you’re a law firm handling high-stakes litigation or a CISO managing risk, your data is handled with the utmost care—because we care.

Have questions about our security practices? Need a secure legal transcription solution? Let’s talk.

Managing legal proceedings efficiently requires seamless technology that adapts to your workflows—not the other way around. For remote depositions, virtual arbitration sessions, and many other varieties of digital proceedings, efficiency often hinges on smart exhibit management, which has been a big focus for platform updates this quarter. We continue to optimize our Briefcase feature to keep your files on hand when you need them, out of reach of unauthorized users, and ready for quick download the moment your Session concludes. 

We’ve also made it more intuitive to join Prevail Session from anywhere by overhauling our preflight interface, and, once you’re in a Session, new near-instant AI transcription keeps up with every word spoken. Read on for more on recent platform upgrades and subscribe to our newsletter to keep up with the latest Prevail updates.

Join Sessions With Ease

Accessing a Prevail Session should be effortless, regardless of where you are or what device you're using. This past quarter, we completely redesigned the session joining experience, taking user feedback into account to make it simpler to join remote proceedings from anywhere.

The improved preflight process makes it more simple to select audio and video input devices, adjust settings to match your environment, and assess your connection strength before getting started. Whether you're joining from your office desktop or your phone during travel, you'll have better control over your setup and enhanced support for Zoom Sessions.

Word-for-Word AI Transcription

Prevail’s AI-generated instant transcription has always been a hallmark of the platform, but we recently made it even better. During a live session, the AI Speech Capture panel now populates almost instantly, updating with each spoken word. This enhancement delivers significantly better performance with crosstalk and multiple speakers, ensuring complex exchanges are captured accurately. 

While our instant transcription is highly accurate, the AI continues working in the background to refine the overall accuracy of your rough transcript during session breaks and pauses, ensuring the rough transcript is as precise as possible. The result? An AI-generated transcript that's available alongside your session, providing immediate reference material for follow-up questions and real-time case strategy adjustments.

Protect Sensitive Files

Last quarter, we made significant optimizations to Prevail’s file management system, enabling greater control over sensitive files during sessions. Due to user requests, exhibits and other files can now be presented to session participants without formally introducing them to the record. 

When you display exhibits using this new Present Only feature, all participants can see the document during the live session, but the file is not added to the Session Briefcase. Think of it as taking a document from your personal briefcase, showing everyone your copy, and then securely putting it back—the document serves its purpose without being accessible for download by witnesses or opposing counsel in Session Review.

This level of control ensures sensitive files remain viewable only at your discretion, adding a crucial layer of protection for confidential case materials. Get more details about this exhibit presentation feature on our Help site.

Manage Files Efficiently

File organization shouldn't become a distraction during critical depositions. With this in mind, we've optimized the user interface of Prevail’s In-Session Briefcase to make file management more intuitive and efficient, whether you're preparing before a session or adapting during testimony.

The updated interface provides better support for long file names, ensuring you can quickly identify the right document without truncation issues. Rearranging exhibits in the Briefcase panel is now more responsive as well, allowing you to reorganize materials on the fly as deposition strategy evolves.

These changes help you stay organized and focused on your questioning, not on navigating your exhibit library—learn more about Session Briefcase management on our Help site.

Download All Session Files with One Click

Post-session file collection should be simple and comprehensive, whether you need a single document or all of them at once. Another user-requested feature, our new bulk download button eliminates the need to individually save each exhibit document shared during a session.

In Session Review, simply click the "Download ZIP" button in the Briefcase module. A compressed file containing all session materials will be generated and saved to your Downloads folder; you'll also receive an email confirmation when your download is ready.

This streamlined approach saves time and ensures you have a complete, organized record of all session materials for case preparation and filing—get the step-by-step on our Help site.

Coming Soon: Briefcase Tabs

In the near future, tabs will provide even better organization capabilities for your Session Review Briefcase, automatically sorting files that have been shared, private files, and additional session files like transcripts.

Looking Ahead: Scheduling Optimizations, Transcript Download

At Prevail, we're continuously working on features that matter to your practice. Coming soon, you'll see scheduling form optimizations that streamline new session requests. We’re also adding the functionality to order and download transcripts directly from Session Review—making the entire process from scheduling to final documentation more efficient.

Prevail’s Ongoing Commitment to Improvement

These latest platform enhancements reflect our commitment to making legal technology more intuitive, secure, and responsive to real-world practice demands. Whether you need device flexibility, real-time transcription accuracy, or sophisticated file protection, Prevail continues evolving to support your most important work.

Experience these improvements firsthand by logging into Prevail today—you’ll see how these optimizations can streamline your next deposition and strengthen your case preparation process.

We’re excited to share that Prevail has been awarded a U.S. patent for its proprietary transcript editing tool, the Prevail Scoping Suite. Designed in-house by transcription professionals, this innovation enhances efficiency and accuracy in legal transcription and case preparation.

This patent marks a significant milestone in our ongoing mission to modernize legal workflows through a combination of human expertise and revolutionary, AI-enhanced technology. By securing this patent, we reinforce our commitment to innovation and the continuous improvement of solutions that empower legal professionals. This achievement highlights our dedication to advancing secure, efficient, and scalable legal technology.

What This Means for the Industry

The Prevail Scoping Suite is a leap forward for the legal industry, combining AI-driven efficiency with robust security features to redefine transcript production. Our patented approach optimizes every step of the scoping and editing process for speed, accuracy, and confidentiality.

Key Features of the Prevail Scoping Suite:

Walled-Garden Security

Our secure, proprietary platform prevents unauthorized access, as all editing happens within a controlled environment with strict security protocols. Scopists cannot download audio, copy/paste content, or export transcripts, mitigating data leakage risks.

Segmented Workflows for Enhanced Privacy

Deposition transcripts are broken down into smaller, manageable segments so that no single scopist can access the entire transcript. This segmented approach maintains strict confidentiality while accelerating the review process.

Skills-Based Assignment Model

Assignments are dynamically pushed to professionals with the appropriate expertise, guaranteeing that the most qualified individuals review transcripts. This targeted model enhances accuracy and promotes high-quality standards.

Multi-Channel Audio for Precision

Each participant in a deposition is captured on a separate audio channel, allowing for accurate identification of speakers and minimizing transcription errors.

Real-Time Edits and Version Control

Edits made through the Scoping Suite are immediately reflected in the client’s view of the transcript, allowing for real-time visibility and collaboration. Our built-in version control tracks every change and attributes it to the individual user, providing full transparency and accountability.

Accelerated Turnaround for Daily and Expedited Transcripts

The efficiency of the Scoping Suite significantly reduces production time, making it easier for clients to meet tight deadlines for expedited and daily transcripts without sacrificing quality.

Multi-Layered Review Options

Clients can choose the level of human review required for their use case, allowing for a tailored approach that balances speed, cost, and quality.

Built-in Quality Control and Collaboration Tools

Our on-platform feedback and quality control mechanisms facilitate continuous improvement, while shared research tools enable seamless collaboration among team members.

Looking Ahead

This patent reinforces Prevail’s leadership in legal technology and underscores our commitment to providing secure, efficient, and innovative solutions for the legal community. As we continue to push the boundaries of what’s possible in legal transcription and case preparation, we remain dedicated to enhancing the workflows of legal professionals with cutting-edge technology.

Stay tuned for more updates as we expand the capabilities of the Prevail platform and continue shaping the future of legal tech.

When Thomas Edison introduced the phonograph in 1877, he wasn’t aiming to reinvent how the legal world would process information. Yet, more than a century later, his early sound-capturing device has helped lay the groundwork for a technology that’s now reshaping modern legal practice: speech recognition.

Today, AI can transcribe testimony with near-human accuracy and integrate seamlessly into legal workflows. But this didn’t happen overnight. The journey from mechanical dictation to AI-powered transcription spans decades of research, innovation, and quiet breakthroughs—many of which started far outside the courtroom.

This is the story of how voice recognition evolved from novelty to necessity, and what that evolution means for the legal professionals relying on it now.

The Foundation Years: Early Experiments in Machine Listening

Long before voice recognition became a fixture in legal technology, it lived in the imaginations of inventors chasing a deceptively simple question: could a machine understand human speech?

In 1877, Thomas Edison debuted the phonograph—a device designed to record and play back sound using etched grooves on a rotating cylinder. Two years later, he pitched a modified version as a “dictation machine” for office use. It didn’t transcribe anything, of course, but it introduced the radical idea that speech could be captured mechanically—a notion that would echo through the next century of innovation.

By 1952, Bell Labs had built “Audrey,” a system that could recognize spoken digits, one voice at a time. A decade later, IBM introduced Shoebox, which could understand 16 English words.

These early machines were clunky, speaker-dependent, and limited in scope. But they proved a concept that seemed impossible just decades earlier: that machines could do more than hear us—they could start to comprehend.

Government Investment Drives Innovation

In the 1970s, the U.S. government began funding what would become a major turning point in speech recognition history. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) launched its Speech Understanding Research (SUR) program, then the most ambitious and well-funded speech recognition effort to date.

With DARPA’s backing, research institutions across the country raced to develop machines that could do more than recognize isolated words. Carnegie Mellon’s team responded with “Harpy,” a system that could recognize over 1,000 words—roughly the vocabulary of a preschooler. That might sound modest, but for machines of the time, it was groundbreaking.

Meanwhile, Bell Labs continued pushing boundaries, exploring how systems could distinguish between multiple speakers—a challenge that still complicates speech recognition today.

The 1970s didn’t deliver fully conversational AI, but they did demonstrate what was possible when serious resources were combined with serious research. The era established a foundation not only for future technological leaps, but for the idea that speech recognition could one day operate at human scale.

The Statistical Revolution

By the 1980s, speech recognition had outgrown its rule-based roots. Researchers began swapping rigid programming for statistical models that could account for the messy, unpredictable nature of real human speech.

At the center of this shift was the Hidden Markov Model (HMM), a mathematical framework that enabled systems to make informed predictions about what a speaker might say next based on probability, rather than relying solely on memorized patterns. Instead of trying to perfectly match every utterance, these models could weigh likely outcomes, dramatically improving recognition accuracy.

The results were immediate and meaningful. Vocabulary limits expanded from hundreds to thousands of words. Systems could now account for variations in speech, accent, and context with more flexibility than ever before.

This era laid the groundwork for nearly every major breakthrough in speech recognition that followed. The move to probabilistic modeling turned speech recognition from a science experiment into a scalable technology—and set the stage for a voice-enabled future.

Personal Computing Democratizes Voice Technology

By the 1990s, speech recognition was no longer a lab experiment—it was showing up on home desktops. Dragon Dictate was one of the first consumer programs to bring voice-to-text capabilities to the masses, offering users a way to speak commands and see words appear on screen without touching a keyboard.

BellSouth also broke new ground during this era, launching its voice-activated phone portal, VAL. For the first time, people could navigate complex phone menus using speech alone—a small taste of the voice interfaces we now take for granted.

Perhaps the biggest leap? Continuous speech recognition. Users no longer had to pause awkwardly. Instead of dictating, word by word, they could speak fluidly, and the software kept up.

Thanks to faster processors and better algorithms, what once required a roomful of computing power could now run on a single personal computer. Speech recognition had officially entered everyday life, and it wasn’t turning back.

The Internet Age and Data Revolution

In the 2000s, voice recognition collided with the power of the internet, and everything changed.

By 2001, speech systems were hitting 80% accuracy, a significant milestone. But it wasn’t just the software getting smarter; it was the data behind it. Companies like Google began mining billions of voice searches, using that sheer volume of data to improve predictive accuracy at a scale no lab ever could.

Google Voice Search, launched in 2008, moved speech recognition into the cloud, allowing devices to offload processing to powerful remote servers. That shift meant even mobile phones could suddenly understand users with a degree of fluency once reserved for supercomputers.

The combination of big data and cloud computing ushered in a new era. Speech recognition stopped being something people actively used and became something that quietly ran in the background—efficient, scalable, and ever-learning.

For the legal world, the groundwork was being laid for tools that could handle complex speech with minimal friction.

The “Smart” Assistant Explosion

By the 2010s, speech recognition had officially gone mainstream. Apple’s release of Siri in 2011 marked a turning point, followed closely by Amazon’s Alexa and Google Home. Suddenly, millions of people were talking to their devices—and expecting them to talk back.

This era didn’t just make voice tech accessible; it normalized it. Asking a smart speaker to schedule a meeting or look up a case citation stopped feeling futuristic. It became routine.

Accuracy also reached a tipping point. In 2017, Google announced its voice recognition system had achieved 95% word accuracy, on par with human transcribers. That kind of performance, once a research goal, was now standard in consumer products.

The legal field had taken notice. As the general public grew more comfortable speaking to machines, legal professionals began searching for voice tools that could meet their industry’s specific demands: precision, security, and speed.

What was once novel had become necessary. And voice tech was just getting started.

Voice Recognition Transforms Legal Practice

Today, voice recognition does much more than simply assist legal professionals. It accelerates their entire workflow. What once required hours of manual effort can now be done in real time, with transcription tools capturing testimony, witness statements, and client conversations as they happen.

This isn’t just about speed. Modern systems, powered by deep learning and neural networks, are tuned to legal language, reducing errors and keeping pace with the nuances of courtroom dialogue. Depositions, hearings, and meetings can be transcribed with near-human accuracy, often within minutes.

Legal teams now rely on speech-to-text drafting tools for memos, motions, and even case notes. Integrated AI systems can flag key terms, summarize content, or sync transcripts directly with case management software—no extra clicks required.

The impact is both practical and profound: faster turnaround times, improved documentation, and more accessible legal services. For a profession rooted in language, the ability to capture and process speech with this level of fidelity is more than a tech upgrade. It represents a fundamental shift in how legal work is done.

When you're processing hours of recorded content—complex testimony, an archive of compliance calls, or years’ worth of quarterly board meetings, for example—it’s easy to lose time and miss key details. We’ve built Prevail’s AI-generated transcript summary service to change that.

Our system can summarize audio, video, or pre-existing transcripts (even those from other platforms) in 90+ languages, and we’ve made it fast, accurate, and flexible. Whether you’re in legal, finance, HR, or operations, these summaries help you work smarter, with less manual review, more clarity, and better documentation. Here are nine ways professionals can use them every day.

Legal eDiscovery and Case Preparation

Legal teams handle an overwhelming volume of spoken content—depositions, witness interviews, and recorded statements—all of which require precise review, excerpting, and citation. Our summaries make that process faster and more manageable.

Available in narrative or digest formats, the latter with conveniently linked page and line references, Prevail’s transcript summaries provide clear breakdowns of the most relevant testimony. They’re particularly useful for early case assessment or prepping for depositions, making it easier to identify patterns, extract key quotes, and construct timelines.

Corporate Board Meeting Minutes and Governance

Board meetings aren’t known for their brevity. When hours of high-level conversation are packed into a single session, quickly extracting the key decisions and action items can be a real challenge, especially when compliance deadlines are looming.

Our AI transcript summaries distill these conversations into executive-ready takeaways. You can quickly determine what was decided, who’s responsible for the next steps, and what needs to be documented for internal archives or SEC filings. It’s an efficient way to create consistent, clear records, without relying on jotted notes or memory.

Customer Service Quality Assurance

Reviewing hundreds or thousands of customer calls is tough to scale, but it’s vital to know what’s going wrong, what’s improving, and where your team can do better.

Transcript summarization gives customer experience teams the ability to efficiently scan large volumes of interactions and spot recurring issues, policy gaps, or agent training needs. With concise recaps of each conversation, managers can track trends, flag potential risks, and pull direct quotes for coaching or review. It’s a smarter way to get the full picture without spending hours in playback purgatory.

Internal Investigations and Compliance Reviews

When internal investigations kick off—whether they’re HR-related, financial, or regulatory—you’re often looking at a mountain of recorded interviews, Zoom calls, or internal meeting footage. Time is tight, and accuracy matters.

With Prevail’s AI-generated transcript summaries, compliance teams and investigators can quickly get to the heart of what was said. Instead of sifting through hours of recordings, you’ll have clear, timestamped overviews that make it easier for your team to identify inconsistencies, document findings, and make informed recommendations. It's efficient, thorough, and especially useful when you’re working under scrutiny.

Trading Floor and Brokerage Communication Analysis

Trading desks operate at a high velocity—calls, chat logs, desk conversations—all potentially tied to trade decisions. Regulators, such as the SEC and FINRA, require firms to maintain records and review them promptly for compliance purposes. According to NICE Actimize, manual review of voice communications is slow and inconsistent, making it hard to meet requirements such as Dodd-Frank’s 72-hour trade reconstruction rule.

With Prevail’s AI generated summaries, firms can transcribe and summarize hours of desk-side recordings and broker-client calls, empowering their teams to rapidly pinpoint trade details, instructions, and compliance signals. That means faster audits, tighter oversight, and fewer blind spots.

HR Interviews and Employee Relations

From candidate screenings to exit interviews, HR conversations are often long, nuanced, and full of details that matter later. Reviewing every word, even from a recording, can be a time drain, and relying on memory can backfire.

AI transcript summaries provide HR teams with fast and reliable documentation of key exchanges, helping them extract timelines, concerns raised, and any commitments made. They’re especially helpful in sensitive situations when accuracy and discretion are critical. Instead of spending hours in transcription or documentation mode, you can focus on follow-up and resolution.

Government Contract Compliance & Oversight

Federal contractors face a complex web of regulations—FAR, DCAA audits, and federal record-keeping obligations. The Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA), for example, examines business systems and communications that serve the Department of Defense in order to validate compliance. That often involves reviewing discussions about deliverables, milestones, and cost claims.

Prevail can summarize transcripts from those internal meetings—whether contractor briefings, decision calls, or status meetings—and turn them into organized, digest-style overviews with timestamps. Transcript summaries help teams flag compliance issues early, prepare audit-ready documentation, and stay ahead of agency scrutiny, all without manual note mining.

Social Media Content Discovery for Legal Proceedings

Social media content moves fast, and so do the legal teams trying to make sense of it. When cases involve YouTube videos, livestreams, or hours of TikToks and Facebook rants, manually reviewing them all just isn’t realistic.

Prevail helps you cut through the chaos. Once you’ve lawfully collected the content (usually through eDiscovery platforms or third-party tools that capture publicly available or subpoenaed data), we can transcribe and summarize the most relevant parts so you’re not scrubbing through hours of clips to find one key statement. It's a time-saver that turns sprawling, unpredictable content into something you can actually use to build a case.

Note: Prevail doesn’t collect this data—we summarize what’s already been collected by your team or a discovery vendor.

Mobile Device and Communication Forensics

When mobile devices are part of a case, the amount of information can be overwhelming. Think voicemails, call recordings, or app messages—all stored in various formats, often across multiple custodians.

Whether it's a series of WhatsApp voice notes or a batch of recorded calls, Prevail can help you surface what matters, including key statements, conversations, and timelines. Everything is timestamped and organized, allowing your team to more easily trace narratives, flag inconsistencies, and maintain the chain of custody.

Summaries Made Simple

With Prevail’s AI transcript summaries, you don’t have to choose between speed and accuracy. We help teams across industries get to the most important parts of their audio and video content—quickly, clearly, and without the typical manual lift. Whether you're managing risk, improving workflows, or building a case, we make it easier to focus on what matters.

Want to see how Prevail's transcript summaries work? Contact us today for a personalized demo.

Imagine a deposition where a witness answers every question cleanly, but hesitates ever so slightly when a sensitive topic comes up. Their tone shifts. The rhythm of their speech changes. These subtle cues can flag major issues, but they’re easy to miss in real time.

That’s a hypothetical example, but seasoned attorneys know how often nonverbal and paraverbal signals reveal far more than words alone. Still, when multitasking through a deposition, tracking those cues without missing critical testimony is a tall order.

Smart legal tools can change that, empowering attorneys to use their instincts and giving them opportunities to spot and analyze the nuance of deponent responses.

Why Communication Patterns Matter in Legal Depositions

Communication in depositions is more than just verbal; it’s also behavioral. According to both psychological and legal research, tone of voice, speech cadence, and physical movements all shape how testimony is received and interpreted. These cues can reflect nervousness, truthfulness, discomfort, or even deceit, and they’re often more revealing than the content itself.

But in a deposition, even the most skilled attorney may miss these signals. The reason for this is scientific: cognitive load studies confirm that multitasking actually diminishes attention to nuance. When you're juggling exhibits, objections, and strategy, parsing a witness’s body language in the moment isn't always realistic.

This is where technology steps in as a strategic support, though not a substitute. Features like real-time transcription, video playback, and transcript tagging help attorneys revisit moments where delivery didn’t match the words. With the right tools, you can catch what your gut noticed, but your memory didn’t record.

Let the Transcript Catch the Words While You Watch the Witness

Trying to listen, observe, annotate, and ask questions all at once? That’s neurologically—and logistically—inefficient. And that’s where tech comes in. Instant transcription gives attorneys the freedom to do what machines can't: read the room.

You gain space to notice a witness’s microexpressions, posture shifts, or emotional changes. Because the transcript unfolds live, you don’t have to wait hours or days to find that key moment again. Instead, you can tag it instantly. Many attorneys use color-coded flags to mark different response types on the fly: evasive, overly confident, emotionally charged, etc.

When paired with features like picture-in-picture video in Session Review, you’re no longer forced to choose between listening and watching. You get a synchronized view of what was said and how it was said. That’s a game-changer, especially when preparing for trial or sharing clips with a colleague who wasn’t present for the depo.

Making Cues Actionable with Smart Review Techniques

Catching nonverbal cues is one thing. Organizing and using them effectively is another.

Annotation features help you highlight noteworthy answers as the deposition unfolds. Over time, many attorneys develop their own shorthand—a personal taxonomy that enhances organization across cases. For example, a red flag might mark a contradiction, while yellow could indicate a shift in tone or hesitation. It’s a simple habit that builds a searchable roadmap for later.

Once the session ends, flagged and color-coded notes can be reviewed in isolation or alongside video, speeding up prep time and helping legal teams zero in on potential vulnerabilities or inconsistencies. This practice streamlines workflows and sharpens overall case strategy.

Legal Technology that Helps You See the Full Picture

Prevail’s platform does much more than record testimony. It empowers you to work more effectively during the moments that matter. Every flag and note becomes part of a searchable record you can return to with purpose. Instead of relying on shorthand scribbles or half-remembered moments, you’re creating a digital trail of what stood out in real time—and why.

Session Review lets you zoom in on key moments, save them as video clips, and use flags and filters to organize them by theme or tone, for example. You can watch the conversation unfold again, this time with more context. Select picture-in-picture view and you catch what transcripts miss: the raised eyebrow, the shifting body language, the flicker of uncertainty as a tough exhibit appears.

These tools are built for working attorneys who need speed without sacrificing precision. They turn scattered observations into a focused, searchable, strategic advantage.

The Communication Cue Checklist: What to Watch For

Keep this on hand as a mental (or physical) checklist during any deposition. The more you flag in real time, the stronger your follow-up.

You don’t need to catch everything live, but flagging the cues that stand out will sharpen your post-deposition review and strengthen your approach to the case.

Make Depositions Work For You

Strong depositions hinge on more than what’s said. How it’s said—and how it lands—can shift the direction of a case. Tools like Prevail give attorneys the space to pay attention to those moments without falling behind on everything else. When you can flag a hesitation or track a shift in tone right as it happens, you’re staying organized and building a smarter foundation for follow-up. It’s a way to work more attentively, with less guesswork and more intention.

Ready for smarter depositions? Book a demo today and experience how Prevail can enhance your legal workflows.

A deposition is more than just fact finding—especially if you're thinking strategically. It’s a distinct moment in litigation when attorneys can test theories in real time, observe how a witness performs under pressure, and sometimes, shift the tone of a case entirely. While it’s easy to frame depositions as a discovery task, treating them like a formality is a missed opportunity.

It’s not just about collecting relevant details. Skilled lawyers are also shaping the narrative and setting the case up for favorable resolution. When approached with intention, depositions quietly lay the groundwork for success, long before a judge ever enters the room.

The Strategic Value of Depositions

Depositions are where legal strategy evolves beyond the theoretical. They offer an opportunity to put case themes under pressure and watch how they hold up. When a witness speaks aloud what you’ve only seen in documents, you get a clearer sense of the narrative’s strength—and where it needs reinforcing.

This is also when you start evaluating credibility in real time. Does the witness come across as reliable? Are they evasive, combative, or surprisingly persuasive? These cues can help shape how—or if—they’ll be used at trial.

But there’s also a structural layer to consider. Depositions help build a clean record for motion practice and set your case on the right track for settlement. They can uncover key admissions, contradictions, or patterns that bolster dispositive arguments. And, just as importantly, they offer a preview of opposing counsel’s style: how they prep their clients, how aggressively they push, and what they prioritize.

Strategic attorneys treat depositions like rehearsal, reconnaissance, and record-making, all at once. It’s not busy work. It’s the groundwork for controlling the case narrative down the line.

Pre-Deposition Strategy

Good strategy starts before anyone’s sworn in. Every deposition should serve a specific purpose—plural, ideally. Are you pressure-testing a theme? Locking in testimony for a key motion? Getting a read on a reluctant witness? Settling the table for mediation? The sharper your objectives, the more useful the deposition becomes.

Start by thinking big picture. Which witnesses move the ball forward, and which ones are background noise? Prioritize accordingly. Deposing the right person too early—or too late—can skew how the case evolves, especially if discovery is still unfolding.

Then, there’s timing. Strategically sequencing depositions lets you build momentum. Sometimes you need the baseline before going after the big fish. Other times, it’s better to flip that approach and let the earlier testimony create leverage.

Documents matter, too. Not all exhibits need to come out in the room, but your selections should guide the conversation, not just pad the record. Pull what supports your goals. Drop what doesn’t.

And finally, keep everything tethered to your broader case theory. Depositions are tactical tools—but they often work best when used in sync with the full litigation timeline.

During the Deposition

Every question should serve a function: better understanding the facts (both good and bad), securing favorable testimony from opposing party witnesses, exposing inconsistencies, or strengthening the record for settlement, motion practice, or trial. If a line of questioning doesn’t move the strategy forward, it may be time to recalibrate.

Effective examination often hinges on the witness. Attentive listening allows you to identify opportunities in real time—whether it’s pressing for clarity, redirecting the narrative, or pausing to let an answer stand uncomfortably on the record.

Challenging witnesses—those who are evasive, combative, or overly prepared—don’t necessarily need to be outmaneuvered. Often, their behavior speaks volumes when reflected in a clean, well-structured transcript, and even more so in a video clip. Maintain composure, document the tone, and keep the broader objective in sight.

Depositions also offer a crucial preview of trial testimony. Observing how a witness responds under questioning provides invaluable context: not just what they say, but how they say it. And knowing when to pivot—or walk away from an unproductive line—can preserve credibility while keeping your strategy intact.

Post-Deposition Analysis

Once you have the full transcript in hand, the real chess match begins. This is where you trace the ripple effects: What shifted? What solidified? Which part of your case theory just got reinforced—or quietly collapsed?

A strong deposition isn’t a standalone win; it’s a diagnostic tool. Review it with precision. Look for moments that crack open new discovery angles or signal a pivot in how you frame a claim or defense. Sometimes, a single phrase can reshape a motion, argument, or case theory. Other times, it’s the gaps that speak loudest.

This is also the point where your posture on settlement might evolve. If a witness floundered or landed a blow, that can sway leverage, even subtly. Adjust accordingly, but don’t rush the recalibration.

The smartest legal teams treat this phase like a post-game breakdown. And soon, with tools like Prevail’s Game Plan, synthesizing this kind of analysis won’t require hours of cross-referencing transcripts and outlines—it’ll be baked into your workflow. Strategically. Intuitively. Like it always should have been.

Make Depositions Work Harder

Think of depositions not as checkboxes, but as catalysts. When approached deliberately—from pre-deposition prep to post-depo analysis—they shape the narrative, reveal vulnerabilities, and clarify next steps.

The most effective attorneys treat every deposition as a strategic move: planning the sequence, tailoring the approach, and staying nimble in the moment. Then, they study the results like game tape.

With the right tools, the real work begins after the deposition ends. Reviewing testimony, identifying key admissions, and connecting the dots between witnesses can shift your entire case strategy. Features like Game Plan help streamline that process, so you’re not just collecting testimony—you’re leveraging it to win your case.

There’s no doubt that AI is here to stay in the legal industry, and one area that’s seen major transformation is transcription. We’ve spoken recently about our AI-enhanced transcription technology—how it works, how we secure it, and why human expertise is central to our process here at Prevail.

But what about transcription as it happens? Waiting for a finalized transcript isn’t always the best option during fast-moving legal proceedings, and real-time stenography can get expensive—but that’s where Prevail’s real-time AI Speech Capture comes in.

This feature provides instant transcription in every session, giving you a live, running transcript to follow as the conversation unfolds, along with the functionality to flag key moments for future review. We’ve transformed what was once a pure documentation process into an active, searchable intelligence tool that enhances case strategy at every stage of litigation.

The “Easy Button” for Transcripts

Instant transcription begins the moment your Session Manager presses record. From then on, Prevail’s AI Speech Capture panel transcribes spoken dialogue as it happens, using machine learning to improve accuracy as the session unfolds. The panel can be pulled into a separate tab or window for easier access.

Instant transcription also means instant advantage, without the usual real-time price tag. With searchable transcripts and live annotations, you’re not just reading along—you’re engaging with the testimony in real time. Need to circle back to a prior comment? Want to flag a contradiction? With AI Speech Capture, you're already there.

As the session progresses, you can flag key moments, add notes, and even create video clips for later review. After the session, a rough AI-generated transcript is available in Session Review within moments, and for those who need an official record, a Certified Transcript can be ordered.

Enhance Review with Flags and Notes

Just like adding colored tabs to a physical transcript, Flags can highlight key moments in testimony, helping you quickly find what matters most. With color-coded labels, organize key points by topic, significance, or next steps, keeping your thoughts connected to the exact statements that triggered them.

The process is intuitive: Select one or more lines of text in the AI Speech Capture panel (shift + click to select multiple sections), click Flag, choose a flag color, add context if desired, and click Save. To customize flag colors, click the Settings icon in the Session Toolbar, then More settings, then the Flag settings tab; choose your custom color with the plus (+) icon. From there, your flagged sections are easy to access during the live session and later in Session Review, helping you quickly revisit the most critical moments.

Capture Key Moments with Video Clips

Sometimes the words alone aren’t enough. Video clips help capture nonverbal cues—expressions, gestures, and reactions that add nuance to the testimony. You can easily create a video clip directly from selected lines in the transcript, saving them for deeper analysis or to support your case strategy later.

To get started, click the AI Speech Capture icon in the Session Toolbar, then select one or more lines of text. Next, click the Clip button to open the Create Clip window. Give your clip a name, choose the relevant participant’s video feed from the dropdown menu, and click Create. Once saved, a Clip icon will appear on that line in the AISC panel, and your clips will be available in Session Review for easy access and reference after the session.

Audio Replay for Accuracy

So much can be lost in plain text. That’s why the Listen option lets you replay selected audio to hear tone, emphasis, and pauses—subtle cues that can change how testimony is interpreted. Audio can be replayed privately in a new browser tab, or you can request a playback to be shared with all participants.

To replay session audio, click the AI Speech Capture icon in the Session Toolbar, then select one or more lines of text in the transcript. Click Listen, and the audio will open in a new tab, where you can play, pause, or adjust the volume as needed. If you’d like the audio played back for all session participants, just click the Raise Hand icon in the Session Toolbar and request that the Session Manager replay the pertinent audio.

Search & Review: Find What Matters Fast

Quickly finding key testimony is crucial during and after a deposition. With keyword search and flag sorting, you can locate statements or flagged content in seconds. Whether you're in the moment or reviewing later, real-time search and filtering keep you from getting lost in a sea of words.

Search for Terms

The text search option makes it easy to locate relevant keywords in your transcript. Simply click the AI Speech Capture icon in the Session Toolbar, then select the Search Keywords icon at the top of the AISC panel. Type a full or partial word into the search box, and all matching terms will be highlighted. To navigate through results, use the Arrow icons to jump between matches, making it easy to track specific details as the session unfolds.

Search for Flags

Need to find your flagged sections? The flag search option lets you quickly filter by color-coded flags to locate key points. Click the AI Speech Capture icon in the Session Toolbar, then select the Filter by Flag icon in the transcript panel. From the Select dropdown, choose a flag color to highlight all matching sections. Use the Arrow icons to jump between flagged moments, ensuring you never lose track of critical details.

Optimize Real-Time Legal Transcription with Prevail

AI Speech Capture transforms how legal professionals work, making it easier to stay present, prepared, and proactive. With instant transcription, searchable flags, video clips, and audio replay, Prevail streamlines your deposition workflow, saving you time and money—without compromising quality. 

Ready to see AI Speech Capture in action? Book a demo today and experience how Prevail can enhance your legal transcripts.

California’s justice system has been treading water for years, clinging to tradition while the tide of court reporter vacancies continues to rise. Now, the California Supreme Court is stepping in. Soon, the justices will hear a case that could decide whether audio recording devices—long barred from many courtroom proceedings in the state—can be used to document hearings when no certified reporter is available.

This is a high-stakes moment—not just for the litigants whose rights are at risk when no transcript exists but for the entire legal system grappling with a chronic shortage that shows no sign of slowing. The question on the table isn’t just about equipment. It’s about how far the courts are willing to go to modernize when the old ways no longer meet the moment.

The Human Cost of the Shortage

The numbers alone are stark: California courts are short 458 full-time court reporters—a deficit directly impacting families, litigants, and attorneys statewide. This isn’t some abstract staffing issue. It’s why hearings are postponed, transcripts are delayed, and civil cases are stalled for weeks or longer in some counties. In fact, 72% of probate, family law, and unlimited civil hearings have no verbatim record as of December 2024.

For litigants, the impact is deeply personal. Survivors of domestic violence have had restraining order hearings delayed for weeks. Tenants in eviction cases have been left without transcripts to appeal unfavorable rulings. Family law litigants, many of whom represent themselves, are finding it increasingly difficult to secure a record of their hearings—an essential safeguard if they want to contest a decision or assert their rights later.

Legal aid organizations, including Community Legal Aid SoCal and the Family Violence Appellate Project, have raised alarms for years. Without a reliable record, due process itself is at risk. And as usual, the burden doesn’t fall evenly. Low-income Californians, non-English speakers, and those navigating the system without an attorney are most likely to be caught in the gap.

How the Legal Industry Got Here

This shortage didn't catch the legal community off guard. The warning signs were clear over a decade ago: a growing number of court reporters approaching retirement, fewer new professionals entering the field, and limited public funding to support recruitment or training programs.

Court reporting remains a demanding profession requiring specialized skills, but the industry has shifted dramatically. Private sector opportunities often offer more flexibility and higher pay (sometimes 30-50% more), making it difficult for the courts to compete. Meanwhile, the specialized education required—including a skills test with only a 36% pass rate—has created a significant barrier to entry. At the same time, legislative hesitance around adopting digital alternatives has slowed the development of viable contingency plans.

The result is a perfect storm: an increase in legal proceedings meets a shrinking workforce. What began as a staffing challenge has become a fundamental question about court operations and access to justice.

Why Tech Is on the Table

The California Supreme Court is weighing a narrow but significant change: Should courts be permitted to rely on high-quality audio recordings—with transcripts created afterward—when a certified court reporter isn’t available?

Supporters see it as a practical step in a system struggling to meet demand. But the pushback is real, coming from people with deep knowledge of the courtroom. Court reporter organizations and labor advocates have raised alarms about what’s at stake. They point to serious concerns around accuracy, privacy, and the erosion of a highly specialized profession. Transcripts can shape appeals, impact outcomes, and hold powerful institutions accountable. Getting them wrong isn’t a minor risk.

Still, it’s hard to ignore what’s already working elsewhere. Digital tools are becoming more secure, AI transcription is increasingly reliable, and hybrid models—with human review baked in—are gaining traction nationwide. The legal system may be slow to adapt, but the pressure to evolve is only intensifying.

More Than a California Issue

The court reporter shortage extends far beyond California. While Texas courts fall behind on hearings and Florida scrambles to fill vacancies, each state faces its own version of the same problem: demand remains high while the qualified workforce continues to shrink by 10-15% annually through retirements and career changes.

The numbers may vary, but the pattern doesn't: the traditional pipeline of trained professionals cannot keep pace with current needs. And while each state's court system makes its own rules, California often sets precedents that influence national practices. A green light from its Supreme Court could signal to other states that it's time to adapt.

However, the legal industry has seen this kind of change before. Exhibit sharing used to require binders and courier services. Remote testimony was a logistical headache until suddenly, it wasn’t. Capturing the official record may be next in line for overdue innovation.

Where Legal Tech Providers Can Make a Difference

When certified court reporters are available, there’s no substitute. But across California and beyond, availability is becoming the exception, not the rule, and that’s where legal tech can responsibly step in.

Technology isn’t a cure-all, and that shouldn’t be the expectation. But when hearings are delayed, or records go uncaptured, the question becomes less about preference and more about access. Legal tech providers are developing tools that support and enhance the current system, with layers of security, growing accuracy, and workflows designed for review. 

Prevail is leading this transition with our comprehensive digital court reporting platform. Unlike basic recording tools, Prevail's solution combines high-definition audio recording technology with AI-powered transcription that achieves remarkable accuracy. What truly sets the platform apart is our human-in-the-loop verification system, where trained legal professionals review AI-generated transcripts to ensure court-ready accuracy. 

Most importantly, Prevail's approach doesn't aim to replace court reporters but rather to supplement their invaluable work when unavailable. The goal isn’t to automate justice but to make it accessible.

What Path Should the Industry Take?

The California Supreme Court isn’t just weighing a procedural matter—it’s standing at a crossroads. Court reporters remain indispensable where available; their expertise is unmatched and irreplaceable. But ignoring the gap left when they’re not is no longer an option.

This decision will shape how records are captured and send a message about how far courts are willing to go to meet people where they are and how long they’re willing to let the system stall without a long-term solution.

Legal proceedings often hinge on precision, speed, and security. That’s why we continuously improve the Prevail platform to deliver sharper insights, smoother workflows, and even stronger protections for your most impactful testimony. This past quarter, we focused on making remote depositions more seamless, preparation more immediate, and post-session tasks more efficient—so you can move from questioning to case strategy faster than ever.

Game Plan: Smarter Strategy, Faster Decisions

Game Plan is an AI-powered analysis tool that helps legal teams extract key information from depositions and hearings in Session Review. By identifying relationships between your deposition outline and witness statements, Game Plan offers a strategic view of testimony, making it easier to assess whether responses align with your case objective.

Instead of manually piecing together testimony, you get a clear, structured analysis highlighting crucial details and potential gaps. It’s like having an expert second set of eyes, helping you refine your strategy without the usual time sink.

Currently, Game Plan is available in a beta version, with general availability coming in Q2. That means even bigger enhancements are on the way—giving you more control, insight, and time to focus on what matters most: winning your case.

Zoom Integration: More Flexibility, Same Seamless Experience

Starting May 1, clients can access Prevail Sessions through Zoom, offering even greater flexibility for remote depositions and hearings. For situations where your clients or co-counsel prefer Zoom, this integration ensures a smooth, uninterrupted experience without sacrificing the benefits of Prevail’s built-in tools.

With Zoom integration, you can still access Prevail’s transcription, analysis, and AI-powered tools within a familiar video conferencing environment. No extra steps, no switching between platforms—just a unified, efficient workflow that keeps your case moving forward. Visit the Prevail help site to learn more about Zoom integration.

Narrative Summaries: Instant Clarity, Immediate Action

Navigating a full deposition transcript takes time, but now, Prevail’s Narrative Summaries and Page/Line Digest Summaries make session review easier. When your session ends, you can easily request a concise, structured overview of your deposition.

These AI-enhanced summaries provide a clear, high-level understanding of key testimony while pinpointing exact references for motions, briefs, and cross-examinations. Any time you need a quick recap or precise citations for case strategy, the insights are ready when you are.

Picture-in-Picture Exhibit and Screenshare: Stronger Evidence, Clearer Testimony

Presenting evidence effectively matters in any deposition, and our latest enhancements make it easier than ever. With Picture-in-Picture (PiP) Exhibit and Screenshare, you can analyze witness reactions in Session Review and make video clips for trial preparation. This update improves credibility assessment, streamlines post-deposition review, and simplifies video clip creation—allowing you to build stronger, more compelling case presentations. Learn more about how to use PiP in our help documentation.

Prevail Scoping Suite: Smart and Scalable

Editing transcripts shouldn’t be tedious. With the latest enhancements, Prevail’s patented Scoping Suite delivers advanced editing that enables our staff to refine transcripts quickly, accurately, and at scale. Using a hybrid workflow of AI tools and human expertise, every correction, adjustment, and review is optimized to ensure high-quality transcripts without delays.

Watermarking for PDF Exports: More Security, More Control

Protecting sensitive legal documents is non-negotiable. With the new watermarking feature for PDF exports, every transcript is now more secure, trackable, and aligned with your organization’s branding.

Custom watermarks add an extra layer of security by reinforcing document ownership and reducing the risk of unauthorized sharing. They also create a clear audit trail, making it easier to verify authenticity when reviewing case materials. Your documents stay protected at every stage without disrupting your workflow.

Elevate Your Testimony Management with Prevail

These latest updates make it easier than ever to manage depositions efficiently, extract key insights, and safeguard critical testimony. Whether you need faster transcript turnaround, stronger security, or AI-driven strategic support, Prevail continues to evolve to meet your needs.

Stay ahead of the curve with innovative tools intentionally designed for modern legal teams. Ready to experience these enhancements firsthand? Log in to Prevail today and see the difference for yourself.