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M ay 2023
The Professors Who Taught Me How to Litigate T ricks of the T rade
Teachers are often among the most influential people in our lives. They can challenge, inspire, and shape us into the people we will become. I wouldn’t be where I am today without two law school professors at Georgia State University who pushed me to become the best attorney possible. Paul Milich and Tom Jones were both new professors when I met them, but they each had an impressive background in law. Milich is responsible for the state of Georgia’s evidence code, while Jones was a lifelong district attorney in Fulton County. Having already achieved impressive success, they were eager to mold a new generation of attorneys at the recently opened Georgia State University College of Law. They both taught evidence and trial skills courses, but where I got to know them best was during mock trials. Mock trial is the law nerd’s version of football. You try out to get a place on the team, then go through an intensive program to prepare for competitions with other schools. People who participate in mock trials take it very seriously, and it’s probably the best way a law student can gain early courtroom skills. The experience was life-changing, and I feel incredibly blessed to have been tutored by two of the finest attorneys in the industry on one of an attorney’s most critical
skills. Unfortunately, many family law attorneys overlook their cases’ trial aspects. The Manely Firm prefers to resolve matters out of court whenever possible, but trials remain necessary and frequent. Our focus on building trial skills is one of the things that sets our firm apart from many others. Both Paul and Tom, as I call them today, are larger-than-life guys. They walk into the room and automatically command your attention with their mere presence. Having a big ego is helpful in trial work, so both are dominant, confident characters in the courtroom. But at the same time, they were servants, which ultimately made them great teachers. They didn’t grandstand or self-aggrandize like some professors (and attorneys) tend to do. They were keenly interested in our success as students, and everything they did was for the benefit of us learning to provide outstanding representation to our clients. A trial is like three-dimensional chess, so they had plenty to teach. Paul and Tom provided essential lessons on how to get the results you want in a courtroom. They taught us the rhetorical skills you need for an effective opening and closing statement, how to cross-examine a witness best, and how to help your witnesses shine under direct examination. They’re skills I still use regularly. Their expertise in evidence has also served me well. It’s a tricky subject. Getting evidence admitted (or barred) in a trial can be a battle. How do you present your best argument for or against a specific piece of evidence? When evidence is inadmissible, how else can you prove the same thing? And when testimony is unusable as hearsay, how can you track down the original source? I’m so thankful I learned the answers to those questions early.
Under their tutelage, Georgia State won two state championships while I was a student (and many more since). In a way, we all feel like “founding members” of Georgia State’s law school, and we remain close today. It’s rewarding to have long-term relationships with the people who helped make me the litigator I am, and it’s incredibly humbling to have two powerhouses in the legal community following my career. A great teacher can change your life. But when you can someday call them a friend, that’s the real honor. –Michael Manely 1
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A H am -F isted A ttempt at R obbery INTRUDERS FLEE FROM LUDWIG THE PIG
On the night of New Year’s Eve in 2014, a group of burglars experienced the fright of a lifetime. Expecting to rob a quiet home in Derby, England, the intruders instead came face to snout with Ludwig, a 240-pound potbellied pig. Abandoning all thoughts of crime once they spotted the pig, the burglars instantly fled the scene and ran for their lives. The “hero ham” had already become a popular figure in his town and was well-loved for his gentle demeanor. In fact, Michael Maughan, Ludwig’s owner, is confident that Ludwig wouldn’t have harmed the intruders, even if he does look quite intimidating. Local officers believe the robbers must have heard Ludwig’s Rottweiler-like “growl” and immediately hit the road, leaving the door wide open behind them. The story of this heroic potbellied pig became a sensation throughout Europe. Countless fans have applauded the Canadian-born hog for his loyalty to
his owners. But the owners want to ensure people understand that Ludwig would never hurt anyone. Some fabricated web stories made Ludwig sound
more dangerous than he is, so Maughan spoke to the Toronto Star to dispute any defamations against Ludwig’s kindness. “He’s being painted as a vicious creature when he’s actually quite a sweet animal,” he explained. “He didn’t exactly bare his tusks and charge, I don’t think. I think he got absolutely, ‘Arrgh,’ and they just ran for it.” In fact, Maughan detailed that after a two-month separation during their move to England, the pig shed tears during their reunion. Adorable and affectionate, Ludwig would have probably become friends with the intruders in no time.
Even if his “bark” is worse than his bite, Ludwig succeeded in keeping his owners safe while also
protecting their home. This 240-pound potbellied pig continues to enjoy his comfortable home in Derby and is considered a town hero. Anyone looking for a guard dog may want to consider a hefty hog instead! F rom R eception to L aw S chool Paralegal Karen Perez’s Astounding Journey
For Karen Perez, the last five years have been a whirlwind. She began as a receptionist at The Manely Firm before advancing to the client care coordinator position in less than a year. Within one more year, she became a junior paralegal. Karen has now been a senior paralegal for two years — and is planning to begin law school this fall. “The Manely Firm loves promoting from within,” Karen explains. “So, they create those opportunities for us, and it has been really exciting.” Thanks to her fluency in Spanish, Karen has been an excellent fit for The Manely Firm’s international cases from the start. “I love the value the firm places on diversity,” she says. “The international cases we do are some of the most exciting ones. There’s talking to experts in other countries, interpreting, and translating documents — that work always seems to be the most gratifying to me.” As the oldest of four children to parents from Guatemala, Karen says, “I’ve always grown up in this international community.” Her talents are particularly beneficial in cases of international abductions, also known as Hague cases. “We’ve
had quite a few of those through Spanish-speaking countries in the past year,” she says. “We returned a child to Mexico and two girls to Chile. Those cases require a lot of translation, and it has been extra rewarding to be a bridge between our attorneys and foreign attorneys.” She also adds, “No one else does the level of Hague work we do at The Manely Firm. There are Spanish- speaking attorneys at other firms, but none are like Michael Manely or the other attorneys we work under.” Karen especially loves interacting with the firm’s clients, many of whom have had difficulty hiring an attorney. “It’s rewarding to get Spanish-speaking calls,” she explains. “These clients have been trying to find someone who understands them, and they’re relieved when we can help. It’s so satisfying to get those cases.” She is most excited to begin law school later this year — a path she never saw herself taking before joining The Manely Firm. “I came here looking for a job, and now I have this career in front of me,” Karen says. “It’s really humbling to reflect on the past five years. The way the firm has molded and encouraged me is really quite special.”
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F ind the R ight F ocus
“Courage is the most important of all the virtues because without courage, you can’t practice any other virtue consistently.” –M aya A ngelou
How the Empowerment Dynamic Produces Better Outcomes
Is your self-perception self-limiting? It is for many of us, and we don’t even realize it. As a part of The Manely Firm’s continued learning efforts, we are taking a course based on David Emerald’s book “The Power of TED* (*The Empowerment Dynamic).” We’ve already learned much about how we relate to ourselves, others, and our goals. Emerald explains the Empowerment Dynamic by starting with another one: the Dreaded Drama Triangle (DDT). In a DDT, we all take on shifting roles as victims, persecutors, and rescuers. Victims feel innocent, powerless, and
R hubarb C risp
Inspired by FoodNetwork.com
hopeless in the face of someone else’s actions or life events. Persecutors can be people or uncontrollable circumstances, but the people tend to lack empathy and blame others. Finally, the rescuer intervenes between the victim and persecutor, often due to a people-pleasing nature. The DDT roles aren’t necessarily bad or even an inaccurate way to describe the circumstances, but they are limiting. We can take control of negative situations by reenvisioning ourselves as creators, challengers, and coaches. We choose how we respond and become empowered. In family law, it’s easy for our clients to become victims, their spouses persecutors, and our legal team rescuers. But that doesn’t ultimately support the best outcome for everyone or get our clients closer to fulfilling their hopes, dreams, and aspirations. So, how can we learn to relate to each other in more empowering ways? It starts with three vital questions. We’ll cover them all in the coming months, but let’s start at the beginning. The first vital question is this: Where are you putting your focus? Our focus determines our emotional state and, ultimately, how we behave — and many of us put all of our energy into the problem when we could use it to create the outcomes we want. When we focus on problems, finding solutions ironically becomes more difficult. We default to our victim mentality and instinctive reactions of fight, flight, freeze, or fawn. These responses are based on emotion, not reason. If we instead shift our mindset to outcomes, we can take rational steps to make them a reality. We encourage our clients to focus on outcomes to help them build their desired futures. Where do they want to land in 10 years? What do they want their story to be? They can create that experience by finding the appropriate focus and forging a path ahead.
I ngredients
Topping: •
Filling: •
1/4 cup roughly chopped walnuts 1/4 cup old-fashioned oats (not instant)
2 1/2 lbs rhubarb, cut into 1/2- inch pieces
•
• •
1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp sugar 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
• • • • •
1/4 tsp cinnamon
3/4 cup flour
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1 tbsp sugar
4 tbsp unsalted butter
D irections 1.
Preheat oven to 400 F. Set rack in the center of the oven.
2. In a food processor, place all topping ingredients. Pulse until the mixture is crumbled to the size of small peas. Do not over-process. Set aside. 3. Into a large, shallow baking dish, pour the rhubarb and sprinkle with sugar and flour, coating the rhubarb evenly. Spread crisp topping over entire filling mix. 4. Bake until crisp is bubbly and the top is golden brown, approximately 30–40 minutes. Serve warm or room temperature. Enjoy!
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211 Roswell St. NE Marietta, GA 30060 (866) 687-8561 www.allfamilylaw.com
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The Professors Who Shaped Michael
Potbellied Pig Terrifies Burglars The Sky’s the Limit for This Paralegal
Are You a Victim or Creator? Rhubarb Crisp
Want the Best Sleep of Your Life?
3 H otels to V isit for a G reat N ight ’ s S leep
THE TRAVELING SLEEP TREND SHAPING HOTELS
The Cadogan, a Belmond Hotel (London): This hotel offers a “sleep concierge,” which boasts prerecorded sleep meditations and a pillow selection menu for every type of sleeper. Sleepers can even benefit from the hotel’s weighted blankets, scented pillow mist service, and their proprietary sleep tea. Zedwell (London): The first ever “sleep-centric” hotel, Zedwell uses recycled materials to insulate every door, wall, and floor from sound. This hotel also purifies the air within the hotel and fills every space with ambient lighting.
If you’ve ever planned a vacation, you’ve probably picked a few key places to visit, like a museum, restaurant, or historic site. However, a new vacation trend is becoming increasingly popular: sleep tourism, where a traveler plans their entire vacation to get the best quality sleep during their time away. Before, common goals for vacations were to eat delicious foods, stay up late to see the sights, and fit in as much activity as possible. However, this left travelers completely exhausted. And as our culture continues to understand how important sleep is to our health, more people are prioritizing rest even while they’re away. But being a sleep tourist is about more than going to bed early and ensuring you get your recommended 8 hours of rest. It’s about building your vacation around sleep. Some hotels even offer rooms tailored to sleep tourists, with amenities so popular that their sleep options have become regular offerings. So, if sleep tourism sounds like something you’d be interested in, here are three hotels that help you catch those z’s. Park Hyatt New York (NYC): This hotel features a “Sleep Suite” designed by Bryte, a company that uses AI to facilitate sleep. The room touts an intuitive “Restorative Bed,” which adjusts to relieve pressure points and controls climate temperature throughout the night, according to each person’s needs. This suite also includes an array of soothing essential oils, a diffuser, and books about sleep.
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