Check out our October newsletter!
October 2022
720 Goodlette Rd. N, Suite 304, Naples, FL 34102 • www.AttorneyShapiro.com
DRESSED TO IMPRESS!
CARVING OUT GOOD TIMES WITH THE TEAM
Here at the office, we like to do different events throughout the year to celebrate the holidays with each other. We have a Thanksgiving potluck and Christmas party, and now we’re adding a Halloween celebration to the mix! Last year, we celebrated Halloween together, which gave me the idea to create this tradition. We encouraged everyone to dress up and had different areas of the office decorate their departments. We had the litigation department, pre-litigation department, and even the title company department join in on the fun. There was a prize for whoever had the best department decorations, which always encourages people to go above and beyond! Everyone in the office invited their kids in right after work, and they were able to go around to each department and trick-or-treat. We had refreshments, good food, and all kinds of fun costume contests — and plenty of pictures to prove it! One of our employees actually dressed up like the Tin Man, and when I say dressed up, I mean he literally painted himself silver! He sat in his little cubicle in full costume, and it was hilarious.
There are some areas in Naples that take Halloween pretty seriously, though! The Lake Park area near my office as well as Victoria Park have people coming from all over. There are certain areas and streets that are flooded with people and trick-or-treaters, and I just think it’s a great time to spend with your families and make memories that’ll last a lifetime. The houses in my neighborhood are pretty spaced out, so there are not too many people trick-or- treating in my area. We typically
go to a neighborhood near my office so the kids can trick-or-treat there. My kids are getting older now — my youngest is 11 — so they’re getting to the age that they’re almost grown out of it, but not quite yet!
When they do get into the Halloween spirit, we let them pick out their own costumes and things like that, so they still always have a great time.
There was another time before Halloween when some of the marketers that work for me had snapped a goofy shot of my face, blew it up, printed several copies, and glued them to cardboard signs. So, everyone in the office had these signs with my face held up to their faces — and they even put one on Milo’s
I’m looking forward to keeping this Halloween tradition alive because it’s something to keep our work culture fun, and it’s important to have the employees feel like they’re all working toward a common cause. When we work together and have fun with one another, it really strengthens our relationships as a team.
Believe it or not, it helps the clients too! If you have a team working toward a common goal and many heads collaborating versus an individual, it strengthens the team’s effort to provide the best services to the clients. -Marc L. Shapiro
face — and we all got a good laugh from that.
(239) 649-8050 • 1
HAVE A SPOOKY GOOD TIME While Keeping Safety in Mind
Halloween is all about letting the ghoul times roll, but monsters and ghosts aren’t the only things parents need to worry about this holiday. Most older kids don’t want an adult chaperoning — they want to venture off with their friends to enjoy the night all on their own.
Here are a few safety tips so that you and your older kids can enjoy the spooky evening with no worries.
Pack the essentials. Always make sure your child has their phone on them in case of an emergency, no matter if it’s to call you or an emergency line. You could even share locations so that you’re able to track where they are or use another location tracking app like Life360 or FamiSafe that’s available on your devices. If they plan to stay out for a while, have your child take water bottles, flashlights, and even a small first-aid kit with them. They actually come in handy when exploring the Halloween night and the unexpected happens. Older kids deserve a bit of freedom, as long as they can do it responsibly. Consider these tips to make sure the night is trick-free and full of the best treats.
Plan a route and curfew. Some older kids still love the nostalgia of trick-or-treating, or maybe they plan to pull some Halloween pranks with their friends. Whatever the reason may be, they may want to enjoy the evening without a parent. One of the best ways to make sure they’re staying safe is to plan a route and a curfew. Pick and choose which routes you feel comfortable with them going on, either somewhere nearby or somewhere in the neighborhood. And choosing a curfew time is essential so you know when to expect their return. This way if something happens and you cannot reach them or they aren’t back in time, you have a general idea of where they can be on the route.
The Backbone of a Law Firm RECOGNIZING OUR PARALEGALS
Paralegals are a vital part of an attorney’s administrative team, and on National Paralegal Day — an annual event held on Oct. 23 — we celebrate the mountain of legal work paralegals tackle every year to help law firms and their clients succeed. Paralegals are often seen as the backbone of every law firm. They fulfill a very critical role within the legal community. These legal professionals are essential in preparing attorneys for trial, as they conduct research, draft plea deals and contracts, and do so much more every day.
When you think of the qualities a person must have to take on this role, we can definitely say that our paralegals go above and beyond and portray each and every qualifying standard to the highest degree. Our paralegals have an awareness of their cases and actively listen to the attorneys and their clients. They are detail-oriented — which is a key component to their success — and can catch small things we may overlook or not notice immediately. They have great intuition and can read clients, judges, and attorneys to add insight into a case or anticipate the attorney’s needs before they even ask. Our paralegals serve as a second pair of eyes to help the attorney ensure they have all their bases covered when preparing a case, and their passion for law truly shows the respect they have for it. On this year’s National Paralegal Day, we wanted to let them know their hard work never goes unnoticed. Without the support of the paralegals here, at the Law Offices of Marc L. Shapiro, P.A ., it’s safe to say that many individuals would not see justice. So, we wanted to take a moment to sincerely thank these hardworking individuals as they are essential to strengthening and upholding Florida’s civil justice system and protecting the rights of our clients.
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‘Impressed With Their Caring and Professional Manner’ WHAT OUR CLIENTS ARE SAYING “A friend recommended Marc Shapiro and his staff. I was instantly impressed with their caring and professional manner. I had some serious back injuries and a lot of pain after a car accident. They immediately copied all my medical procedures, tests, and X-rays and set me up with an appointment to see Dr. Roush, a spine surgeon on the East Coast for examination and recommendation. I was so impressed with Dr. Roush and had a great surgical experience with my lumbar microdiscectomies. The surgery went well, and I had a wonderful outcome and recovery. I would highly recommend Marc Shapiro to anyone.” –S.H.
Your reviews offer us valuable feedback, but when you recommend our services to others, that’s the ultimate form of praise! Please share your experiences with the Law Offices of Marc L. Shapiro, P.A., on Google or on Facebook.com/attorneyshapirolaw. Your comments empower us, make us better, and allow us to help others.
Word Search
MUMMY BONES DOG TREATS
Inspired by TheCottageMarket.com
Ingredients
• • • • • •
1 egg
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1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tbsp honey
1 1/2 cups whole-wheat flour
3/4 cup almond milk or water
1 tbsp baking powder
1 cup canned pumpkin 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 1/2 cup peanut butter
1 tsp cinnamon
Yogurt chips
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 325 F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 2. In a large bowl, mix wet ingredients together (egg, honey, almond milk, pumpkin, vanilla extract, and peanut butter). 3. In a separate bowl, mix dry ingredients together (flour, whole-wheat flour, baking powder, and cinnamon). 4. With your hands, combine the wet and dry ingredients until the dough is pliable. 5. Roll the dough until it’s about 1/2-inch thick. 6. Using cookie cutters, cut the dough into shapes of your choice. 7. Place “bones” on the baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. 8. Flip the bones and bake for another 15 minutes. Allow to cool. 9. In a small bowl, melt the yogurt chips in the microwave, stir, and use as icing. 10. Serve to your pups — and watch them enjoy!
BATS BROOMSTICK CEMETERY CREEPY
GRAVE HALLOWEEN HARVEST MAZE
MONSTER SCARECROW SKELETON TREATS
(239) 649-8050 • 3
PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411
720 Goodlette Rd. N, Suite 304 Naples, FL 34102 www.AttorneyShapiro.com
Inside
Our New Halloween Tradition Page 1
Halloween Safety Tips
Celebrating National Paralegal Day Page 2
What Our Clients Are Saying
Mummy Bones Dog Treats Page 3
Taking Each Moment as It Comes Page 4
NEVER A DULL MOMENT Why We Should Live for Today
We can’t change the past, nor can we predict or guarantee the future. In the end, all we have is the present, yet most of us live our lives ignoring its many possibilities. It’s easy to tune out the life around you, especially if you do many of the same things every day. Taking care of the kids, commuting, working, and running errands can blur together. Just as bad, when life isn’t going the way we want, it’s easy to fantasize about how things “should” be or how they once were. When we live busy or stressful lives, worrying or planning can also make us feel more in control. The problem with these strategies is that they don’t change anything. They help us discount the only thing we can control: what we do now. Life can pass you by that way if you’re not careful. The solution is to exist in the present moment as much as possible and enjoy the good things around us while we have them. Studies show that living this way makes people happier, healthier, and more likely to form strong relationships. But how do you even get started? The process requires a different way of thinking called mindfulness. Mindfulness is about focusing on what is happening in the present moment — not that work deadline, the movie you just watched, what’s for dinner, or the kids’ extracurricular schedule. It takes practice, and many people use meditation or breathing to help.
When mindful, we concentrate on what others say and become more fully present. We also start to notice the small things we usually overlook: the cool breeze on our skin, the sound of the birds, the feel of a sweater, or the sight of our loved ones smiling. Our lives become fuller. And our stress decreases because we’re not clinging to things beyond our command. No one ever stops worrying entirely, and some planning is necessary to live a successful life. But too much can leave us with no energy or time to enjoy it. John Lennon once sang, “Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans.” Start living in the present so you don’t blink and miss yours.
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