How to Choose the Best Litigation Support Vendor

TL;DR — Key Takeaways

• The growing complexity and speed of modern litigation make vendor selection key to  case outcomes.
  
• Choosing the right litigation support partner is a strategic decision—not just an operational task—and requires careful vetting and questioning.

• Effective vendors can streamline workflows, improve accuracy, and reduce risk, while the wrong ones can slow cases.

There’s no one-size-fits-all litigation support services partner. Your firm has unique characteristics and needs beyond the simple descriptors of size, location, and specialization. 

Vetting support vendors starts with comparing capabilities, technology, security, and service quality. The right partner should also be able to increase support as you scale your law firm, fitting seamlessly into your workflow. 

Discover tips on how to choose a litigation support vendor that meets your unique needs, offering key criteria, questions to ask, and red flags to watch for.

What Is a Litigation Support Vendor?

Litigation support providers offer a range of services that remove the burden of both rote and specialized tasks from your internal staff. 

Core services provided include: 

• Court reporting and transcription
• Record retrieval and analysis
• Remote deposition hosting and transcript summarization
• Legal interpreting and translation
• Legal graphics, animations, illustrations, and other demonstrative services
• Trial support, includingtrial presentation assistance and hot seat operation

Key Criteria for Choosing a Litigation Support Vendor

When it comes to knowing how to choose a litigation support vendor, there’s a lot to consider: What you need, what they can offer, and how your working styles and expectations match up. 

Service Quality and Reliability

Can you count on your support vendor to deliver high-quality work products and services over time? First, pay attention to their responsiveness and professionalism during the vetting process. Having workflow and a company culture in place that places a high priority on communication and customer needs is a green flag.

Next, ask about: 

• What are their SLAs for scheduling court reporters and other related requests? 
• What is on their service/product roadmap?
• References and reviews
• Work samples for services such as legal graphics and demonstratives

Nationwide Coverage and Local Expertise

Perhaps you need to arrange for trial support in a local court with unusual habits, tricky personnel, and outdated connectivity. Maybe you need to identify a specialized court reporter on the opposite coast. 

Regardless, your support partner with deep networks and capabilities should be able to handle it all.  

Technology Capabilities 

Forward-looking, thoughtful technology adoption should underlie a support service provider’s ability to extend dependable and efficient tech-based solutions. Ask about: 

• Remote depositions
• AI enablement and protocols
• Trial presentation and technology services
• Repositories
• Online client portal 
• Integration capabilities

Compliance, Certifications, and Data Security Standards

Cybercriminals, government agency sanctions, loss of client trust and revenue—the amount of risk and potential damages from poor data security is staggering. 

And it’s not theoretical: Law firms are a prime target for cyberattacks. In fact, 20% of firms in the U.S. reported attacks in 2024, including foreign threats to national security and international trade information, and nearly 10% suffered data losses and exposures.^1,2

Thus, security and compliance are key. Ask about adherence with: 

• NIST Cybersecurity Framework 
• SOC 2 Type 2 security compliance 
• HIPAA compliance 

Additionally, look into: 

• Network and security operations center with 24/7 support
• Datacenter redundancy
• End-to-end encryption of all transmitted files
• Single-sign-on Client Portal to access all services and records
• The use of independent audits and cybersecurity specialists

Turnaround Times and Scalability for Large Matters

How long will you need to wait to secure a court reporter? What’s the timeline for medical records summarization? Ask about average turnaround times by service type, as well as their capacity and fees for urgent requests. 

Be sure to also discuss how turnaround and volume intersect. For instance, when you have large legal matters, are they assigned to multiple staff members? Is there a limit on the number of requests or scale when it comes to turnaround time? 

Ensure your vendor can provide support at your lowest level and meet your peak needs.

Evaluate Experience in Your Specific Practice Area

Will the vendor be able to fully support your practice area needs? Consider the specialized knowledge, language, document styling, volume cycles, and other details relevant to targeted areas, such as complex commercial litigation.

Red Flags to Watch For

Before you commit to a vendor contract—or even invest time in vetting—look for signs that indicate they won’t be effective for your needs. Red flags for many firms include: 

• Poor communication practices and vague answers
• Inconsistent turnaround times
• Limited technology infrastructure
• Complex billing and hidden costs
• Weak data protection practices
• Templated approaches and responses
• No, few, or negative references and reviews

Final Decision Framework: Matching Vendor Capabilities to Your Firm’s Needs

Choosing a litigation support vendor requires intention and evaluation, not guesswork. Firms should look for proven experience, secure technology, quality standards, and true nationwide coverage. Using a structured comparison framework helps ensure the vendor aligns with your firm’s practice area, caseload, and expectations.

We invite you to explore U.S. Legal Support as a potential partner. Our comprehensive litigation support services and national network help firms of all sizes improve efficiency and reduce risk across cases. 

Sources: 

1. Law.com. One in 5 US Law Firms Hit by Cyberattacks in the Past 12 Months, Study Finds. https://www.law.com/international-edition/2025/07/01/one-in-5-us-law-firms-hit-by-cyberattacks-in-the-past-12-months-study-finds/
2. The Record. Major US law firm says hackers broke into attorneys’ emails accounts. https://therecord.media/us-law-firm-hackers-breached-email

Julie Feller

Julie Feller is the Vice President of Marketing at U.S. Legal Support where she leads innovative marketing initiatives. With a proven track record in the legal industry, Juie previously served at Abacus Data Systems (now Caret Legal) where she played a pivotal role in providing cutting-edge technology platforms and services to legal professionals nationwide.