Leaving on a Jet Plane?
3 Essential Packing Tips
Many people are considering traveling this spring for the first time since the pandemic started. A lot has changed since 2020, but packing for vacation remains a hassle, and baggage fees haven’t gone anywhere. Here are some essential tips to keep your load as light as possible — physically and mentally. Make a list. It’s just as easy to forget things as it is to overpack. Solve both problems at once by creating a packing list in advance. Consider in detail what you’ll need, and put it in writing. As each item gets added to the suitcase, check it off. Writing everything down creates a system to prevent leaving anything behind. And when it’s all on paper, you’re more likely to notice that you probably don’t need that many pairs of sandals. Use your personal item for extra storage. Airlines generally allow travelers one carry-on bag and one personal item. The dimensions allowed vary by airline, but the general rule of thumb is that the personal item needs to fit under the seat in front of you. Don’t bring a small purse or a laptop bag when you can take a large tote or backpack. With the extra room, you can avoid checking another bag.
Never check essential items. Lost luggage is the worst way to start a vacation, but it happens. If your luggage is misplaced, you probably won’t get it back that same day. So, you need to pack all essential items, like prescription medications or glasses, in your carry-on bag. Some experts even recommend tossing an extra shirt or pair of underwear in your carry-on in case your bag gets lost. You’ll be glad to have them if something goes awry. Packing smart will make for a less stressful journey. You can kick back, relax, and enjoy the trip knowing that everything you need is right there in your suitcase, and everything you don’t need is safe at home.
Having It All
MEET OUR NEWEST ATTORNEY, DENELLE DUTTON
Our newest attorney, Denelle Dutton, brings eight years of experience to our firm, most
franchise law back in D.C. and has stuck with it ever since. During the intervening years, she moved to Seattle and joined West Coast Franchise Law in September 2021. “It’s a very tightknit office and a friendly group of people,” she says. She also enjoys the variety of legal needs that come her way. “I’m not limited to one type of work,” she says. “Most people only do transactional law or litigation, but here I have a chance to do both, which is great.” At home, Denelle has a large blended family. Combined with her husband of two years, she has three children and three stepchildren. “I have a 20-year-old, who I don’t see that much anymore, two 18-year-olds, two 16-year-olds, and a 14-year-old.” Unsurprisingly, the house is busy. The family has also adopted a dog named Molly. “I’m not a pet person, but I was talked into it by everyone else in the family,” she explains. “I’m Molly’s favorite person in the whole world, and I’m coming around.” We’re so excited to have Denelle as a part of the team and hope you’ll join us in welcoming her. For her part, Denelle reports already growing in her role. “I do so many types of work here,” she says, “and I feel like I’m learning a lot in areas I didn’t already know before.”
of them in franchise law. In her first few months, she has proven to be a valuable asset to the team.
Denelle grew up on a small farm in Minnesota, but her education took her to North Dakota and California. She later clerked for the U.S. District Court in Pennsylvania before practicing her first years of law in Washington, D.C. But only a few years into her new career, she decided to take time off to raise her family. “I was out for 12 years,” she says.
She rejoined the workforce in 2016, and while she says it was “absolutely” hard coming back after so much time away, she has since found her groove
and niche. Denelle first dipped her toe into
2
westcoastf ranchiselaw.com
Made with FlippingBook Ebook Creator