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Car Accidents | Truck Accidents | Pedestrian Accidents | Slip & Fall/Premises Liability | Wrongful Death
The Berk Family Grew in 2021 And Louis Berk Law Is Continuing to Grow in 2022
As we close out 2021 and welcome 2022, many people traditionally set new goals. I’ve never been one for the word “resolution.” I feel that way too many people give up on them and trash them by the time February rolls around. Instead, I like to plan out the year ahead of me and determine what I would like to accomplish. In 2022, I’d like to be able to reach and assist more people than we did in 2021. Each year, I hope to be the attorney for the Latin community and the individual who needs assistance fending off the big insurance companies. Since day one, this has been my goal. I hope to be a staple in more and more people’s homes and families. It is my priority to make a difference for everyone I have the opportunity to interact with. I’m proud to announce that our firm is growing. The staff I have is a blessing, and without them, I would not be where I am today. Each and every day is a collaborative effort to get the job done to the best of our ability for our clients. Emily, Luz, Laura, Dayle, Stephany, and Vanessa (yes, I am surrounded by women!) are the true backbone of Louis Berk Law.
While 2021 was full of many changes and struggles, I must say that it was also one of the best years of my life. 2021 blessed my wife, Marisa, and me with the greatest gift of all. On Oct. 24, 2021, my daughter, Ziva Ada Berk, was born. It will surely be an experience I remember and hold dear forever. Over the years, my wife has shown me just how strong women are, but on Oct. 24, the birth of my daughter emphasized just how much better women are than men. Watching my wife in labor for 30 hours — helping in every way I could but feeling almost helpless as Marisa did all the work — was absolutely incredible.
I take my job very seriously, and part of my planning for the new year always involves my staff and how my decisions
influence their lives and the lives of their families. Together, we make the dream work. As we dip our toe into the waters of 2022, I wish you and your family much happiness, love, good health, and prosperity! May this be the year you tackle your goals and spread positivity and love to others. Happy New Year! -Louis Bernardo Berk
It was hands down one of the most unbelievable experiences of my life. The adrenaline rush and the love we had for our daughter the second she was born was extraordinary — not to mention the sleep deprivation that nobody really talks about! Baby Ziva is doing very well, and she brings us so much joy. Her arrival makes me want to work even harder to provide the best life for our little family.
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How Much Are Your Favorite Pants Worth? One Man Estimated His at $54 Million
though, was the company’s failure to live up to their “Satisfaction Guaranteed” and “Same Day Service” signs in the window.
Everyone knows that the perfect pair of pants can be hard to come by, but are they worth $54 million? Administrative Judge Roy L. Pearson had a favorite pair of pants, but in 2007, he claimed that Custom Cleaners lost them and returned a completely different pair instead. It all began when Pearson took his pants to the Washington, D.C., dry cleaners for alterations worth $10.50. The pants were sent in error to the incorrect dry cleaner, so Pearson’s pickup was delayed by several
The media had a field day, joking about the case as a “pantsuit” and inspiring a “Law & Order” episode called “Bottomless.” Pearson seemed to relish the spectacle, calling his lawsuit “an awesome responsibility” in court and breaking down into tears on the stand. He also called a witness who compared the Chungs to Nazis. Even though the Chungs offered him a $12,000 settlement to make the case go away, Pearson persevered. He ultimately lost his case. At the end of the trial, the judge declared that no reasonable person would consider the signs at Custom Cleaners to be an unconditional promise — and also that Pearson had failed to prove the returned pants weren’t his. The Chungs ultimately recovered their court costs via a fundraiser, and Pearson lost his judicial appointment. Unsurprisingly, this prompted another lawsuit, which he also lost. In 2020, Pearson was suspended from practicing law for 90 days as a result of his actions in Pearson v. Chung . But for bringing new meaning to the phase “I’ll sue the pants off of you,” his place in legal history is secure.
days. Once the pants were returned, despite bearing all the correct tags and matching his receipt, Pearson declared that the pants were not his. When the dry cleaner refused his demand for $1,000 compensation, he decided it was time for legal action. Pearson originally sued the cleaner’s owners, Soo Chung, Jin Nam Chung, and Ki Y. Chung, for a whopping $67 million in damages but later reduced the claim to a far more reasonable $54 million. In his suit, Pearson requested $3 million for mental distress, $90,000 for a rental car to visit another dry cleaner, and $500,000 in attorney’s fees (Pearson represented himself). At the heart of his claim,
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a gift or a card to show you’re thinking about them. These gifts cost resources, but as Newswire reports, multiple studies show that customer gifts increase retention. Invest in retention tools. Staying in touch with your customers is the best way to keep them happy and remind them that you care. You can stay on top of this by doing the hard work of reaching out personally each month, but it’s easier and more efficient to invest in recurring communications like automated weekly emails and regularly printed newsletters. Make personalization possible. In order to retain customers, you must build quality relationships with them. This starts with knowing who they are, what they need, and how they interact with your company and your marketing. To figure out those key points, you should gather and interpret a lot of data, both online and off. You can do some of this data-gathering and calculating yourself (for example, you might consider calculating the lifetime value or LTV of each client), but hiring a third-party data analytics company will help you take your retention marketing to the next level. SAS, Alteryx, Kissmetrics, and InsightSquared are great options for small-business owners. Hire (or create) a retention expert. If you truly want to maximize your retention, you need to make it an integral part of your team’s marketing approach. Investing in specialized training for
your team is one way to do this. But you can also hire a retention expert or shift one of your existing team members’ roles to focus exclusively on managing and retaining clients. Yes, hiring is expensive, but remember — increasing customer retention by just 5% can increase profits by as much as 95%. That new team member will pay for themselves in no time! Retention marketing mindset shifts will be game- changers for your company. You can start with one of these tips or dive into all of them. Whatever feels right for you, if you try these ideas, it won’t be long before you’ll see the difference in your bottom line.
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TAKE A BREAK
A CRASH COURSE ON OFFSHORE FINANCE
Like the Panama Papers released in 2016, the Pandora Papers published in October 2021 expose the financial secrets of some of the world’s wealthiest people. In particular, they detail how the very rich use offshore finance to hide the extent of their wealth.
But what exactly is offshore finance? Why do people use it? Is it even legal to use?
Offshore finance gets its name from the island and coastal locations where the practice of creating foreign tax havens originated. Today, offshore finance refers to any financial instruments or assets kept in countries that are not the owner’s country of residence.
DEEP-FRIED NEW YEAR’S ‘COOKIES’
When an offshore account is created, it follows the financial regulations of the nation in which it is held. Countries commonly used for offshore finance often have stricter
What do you get when you mix a cookie and a doughnut? A portzelky! This traditional Mennonite “New Year’s cookie” is perfect for sharing.
privacy laws and allow the creation of shell companies. Shell companies are organizations that exist on paper only, without employees or offices, but act as a legal “shield” against taxation and creditors. (At least 19,000 shell companies exist in the Cayman Islands alone.) Simply having an offshore bank account or shell company is not illegal or even necessarily a sign of nefarious activity. Lawyers and accountants who deal in offshore finance often know exactly how to use the law to their clients’ advantage. They can also propose solutions that are technically legal. But concerns arise since the countries chosen to hold wealth offshore tend to prevent foreign governments from inspecting their accounts; this makes legal vetting next to impossible. A lack of transparency is the main point of contention, and it’s the reason why many people look at offshore finance negatively. Because the U.S. government cannot determine which assets are being held offshore, it cannot impose any taxes on them. Some parties also view hiding wealth offshore as a way of protecting a person’s assets from civil lawsuits, creditors, or investigations in the owner’s home country. It’s estimated that over $1 trillion is held in offshore accounts, and studies indicate that the bulk of this money is owned by the ultra-wealthy. Further, experts believe that the tax revenue lost to offshore finance equals about $800 billion per year worldwide. As to whether or not the Pandora Papers will inspire changes to the law, we’ll just have to wait and see.
Ingredients
• 2 1/2 cups milk, warmed • 1 1/2 tsp salt • 4 cups raisins • 7 cups flour • 4 cups canola oil
• 2 tbsp yeast • 1/2 cup water, warmed • 1/2 cup and 1 tsp sugar, divided • 5 eggs, beaten • 1/4 cup butter, softened
Directions
1. In a large bowl, combine yeast, water, and 1 tsp sugar. Wait 10 minutes. 2. Stir in remaining sugar, eggs, butter, milk, and salt. 3. Fold in the raisins and flour. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise for an hour. 4. In a high-sided pot or deep fryer, heat canola oil to 340 F. Line a plate with paper towels. 5. Drop a rounded tablespoon of dough into the oil. Fry until golden brown, then set aside on the plate. Poke the cookie with a toothpick. If the toothpick comes out clean, it’s cooked through! 6. Repeat until the batter is gone.
Inspired by MennoniteGirlsCanCook.ca
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Referrals Welcome We thank you so much for referring clients to us over the years. We are grateful that you have
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trusted us with taking care of those who need our services.
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE
1
2022: The Year of Growth
2
The Case of the $54 Million Pants
Deep-Fried New Year’s ‘Cookies’ Offshore Finance 101
3
4
6 Retention Strategies That Actually Work
Stop Losing Clients Today! 6 Ways to Rethink Your Retention Marketing
If you don’t have appropriate retention strategies in place, 2022 is the perfect time to make a change! Here are six ways to completely rethink your retention marketing that will save your team time and money. Reallocate your resources. Don’t just talk the retention talk — walk the walk! In order to truly change your company’s ways, you need to invest in retention and reallocate your resources. Provide your team with additional training on customer service. Important points to emphasize for retention (per Forbes magazine) include frequent and friendly customer communication, transparency, active listening, and the value of relationship-building. Create a fund for customer perks and gifts. Celebrating your clients allows you to give them attention when they might appreciate it most. If you know a customer who recently had a baby or is going through a difficult time, consider sending
Retention is crucial to your business. According to Investopedia, acquiring a new client can cost five times as much as retaining an existing one. And if that doesn’t convince you, research from Bain & Company and the Harvard Business School both show that a 5% increase in customer retention can boost profits by as much as 95%.
Continued on Page 2 ...
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¿Cuánto valen tus pantalones favoritos? Un hombre estimó que los suyos valían $54 millones
Los medios de comunicación aprovecharon la situación al máximo, bromeando sobre el caso al referirse al mismo como un “pantsuit” (juego de palabras en inglés en referencia a la palabra para pantalón, “pant”, y demanda, “suit”, la cual también significa “traje”). También inspiró un episodio de la serie de televisión “La ley y el orden”, llamado “Bottomless” (Sin pantalones). Pearson parecía deleitarse con el espectáculo, refiriéndose a su litigio en la corte como “una responsabilidad sorprendente” y rompiendo en llanto en el estrado. También llamó a un testigo que comparó a los Chung con los nazis. Y aunque los Chung le ofrecieron un acuerdo por $12.000 para que se olvidara del caso, Pearson perseveró en su intento. Finalmente, perdió el caso. Al concluir el juicio, el juez declaró que ninguna persona razonable consideraría los avisos en las ventanas de Custom Cleaners como promesas incondicionales, además de que Pearson no pudo probar que los pantalones que le regresaron no eran los suyos. Por ultimo, los Chung recuperaron sus costos legales mediante una recaudación de fondos, mientras que Pearson perdió su nombramiento judicial. Como era de esperarse, esto provocó otro litigio, el cual también perdió. En 2020, Pearson fue suspendido de la práctica legal por 90 días como resultado de sus acciones en el caso Pearson contra Chung. Pero, por haberle dado un nuevo significado a la frase “te haré una demanda que te bajará hasta los pantalones”, su lugar en la historia legal quedó asegurado.
Todo el mundo sabe que el par de pantalones perfecto es algo difícil de conseguir, pero, ¿acaso pueden valer $54
millones? El juez administrativo Roy L. Pearson tuvo un par favorito de pantalones, pero en 2007 denunció que la tintorería Custom Cleaners se los perdió y le regresó un par completamente distinto. Todo comenzó cuando Pearson llevó sus pantalones a la tintorería, ubicada en Washington, D.C., para que les realizaran alteraciones por un valor de $10,50. Los
pantalones fueron enviados por error a la tintorería equivocada, por lo que la devolución a Pearson se vio retrasada por varios días. Una vez que los pantalones le fueron regresados, y a pesar de tener todas las etiquetas correctas y de concordar con lo que decía su recibo, Pearson declaró que los pantalones no eran los suyos. Cuando la tintorería rechazó su exigencia de una compensación de $1.000, Pearson decidió que era el momento de tomar acciones legales. Pearson originalmente demandó a los propietarios de la tintorería, Soo Chung, Jin Nam Chung y Ki Y. Chung, por la enorme suma de $67 millones en daños, pero luego rebajó su exigencia a unos mucho más razonables $54 millones. En su demanda, Pearson solicitaba $3 millones por angustia mental, $90.000 por un vehículo de alquiler para visitar otra tintorería y $500.000 en honorarios legales (Pearson se representó a sí mismo). Sin embargo, en el centro de su demanda estaba la incapacidad de la empresa en cumplir con lo que decían los avisos en sus ventanas: “Satisfacción garantizada” y “Servicio el mismo día”.
‘GALLETAS’ FRITAS DE AÑO NUEVO
¿Qué es lo que se consigue cuando se combina una galleta y una dona? ¡Una portzelky! Esta tradicional “galleta de año nuevo” menonita es perfecta para compartir.
• 2 cucharadas de levadura • Media taza de agua caliente • Media taza de azúcar y una cucharadita de azúcar, separadas • 5 huevos batidos • Media taza de mantequilla ablandada Ingredientes
Instrucciones 1. Mezcle la levadura, el agua y una cucharadita de azúcar en un recipiente grande. 2. Vaya agregando el azúcar restante, los huevos, la mantequilla, la leche y la sal. 3. Añada las pasas y la levadura. Cubra el recipiente con un envoltorio plástico. Deje que la masa madure durante una hora. 4. Caliente el aceite de canola en una olla que tenga un buen fondo o en una freidora de inmersión, hasta que alcance un temperatura de 340 grados Fahrenheit. Cubra una bandeja con toallas de papel bien alineadas. 5. Deje caer una cuchara llena de masa en el aceite. Fría hasta que la masa se dore, luego retírela y póngala en la bandeja. ¡Si el mondadientes sale sin nada de masa, eso significa que ha cocido bien! 6. Repita hasta terminar toda la masa.
• 2 tazas y media de leche caliente • 1 cucharadita y media sal • 4 tazas de pasas • 7 tazas de harina • 4 tazas de aceite de canola
Inspirada por MennoniteGirlsCanCook.ca
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www.LouisBerkLaw.com 407-906-0500 January 2022
Car Accidents | Truck Accidents | Pedestrian Accidents | Slip & Fall/Premises Liability | Wrongful Death
La familia Berk creció en 2021 Y Louis Berk Law seguirá creciendo en 2022
A medida que finalizamos el 2021 y damos la bienvenida al 2022, muchas personas se fijan por tradición nuevas metas. Nunca he sido partidario de “los propósitos de año nuevo”, porque creo que demasiada gente se da por vencida y los descarta cuando llega febrero. En cambio, me gusta planificar de forma más detallada el año que tengo por delante y determinar lo que me gustaría lograr. En 2022, me gustaría poder acercarme y ayudar a más personas que en 2021. Cada año, espero ser el abogado de la comunidad latina y de la persona que necesita ayuda para defenderse de las grandes compañías de seguros. Desde el primer día, este ha sido mi objetivo. Espero poder ser una persona de referencia en los hogares y las familias de cada vez más personas. Mi prioridad es marcar la diferencia para todas las personas con las que tengo la oportunidad de interactuar. Me enorgullece anunciar que nuestro bufete está creciendo. El personal que tengo es una bendición y, sin ellos, no estaría donde estoy hoy. Cada día es un esfuerzo en conjunto para cumplir con el trabajo de la mejor manera posible para nuestros clientes. Emily, Luz, Laura, Dayle, Stephany y Vanessa (¡sí, estoy rodeado de mujeres!) son el verdadero pilar de Louis Berk Law. Me tomo mi trabajo muy en serio y parte de mi planificación para el año nuevo siempre involucra a mi personal y cómo mis decisiones influyen en sus vidas y en las de sus familias. Juntos hacemos que el sueño funcione.
Si bien el 2021 estuvo lleno de muchos cambios y dificultades, debo decir que también fue uno de los mejores años de mi vida. 2021 nos bendijo a mi esposa, Marisa, y a mí con el mayor de los regalos. El 24 de octubre de 2021 nació mi hija, Ziva Ada Berk y, definitivamente, será una experiencia que apreciaré y recordaré por siempre. A lo largo de los años, mi esposa me ha demostrado lo fuertes que son las mujeres, pero el 24 de octubre, el nacimiento de mi hija puso de relieve que las mujeres son mucho mejores que los hombres. Ver a mi esposa en el trabajo de parto durante 30 horas (ayudando en todo lo que podía, pero sintiéndome casi impotente mientras Marisa hacía todo el trabajo) fue totalmente increíble.
¡Mientras avanzamos hacia el 2022, les deseo a ustedes y a sus familias mucha felicidad, amor, buena salud y prosperidad! Que este sea el año en el que logren todos sus objetivos y que difundan la positividad y el amor a los demás. ¡Feliz Año Nuevo! -Louis Bernardo Berk
Fue sin duda una de las experiencias más increíbles de mi vida. El subidón de adrenalina y el amor que sentimos por nuestra hija desde el momento en que nació fueron extraordinarios, ¡sin mencionar la privación del sueño, de la que nadie habla! La bebé, Ziva, está muy bien y nos trae mucha alegría. Su llegada me hace querer trabajar aún más para proporcionar la mejor vida a nuestra pequeña familia.
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