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AUGUST 2021
Combating the Butterflies
MY BEST TIPS FOR SPEAKING IN FRONT OF OTHERS — ESPECIALLY IN COURT
As an attorney, I give a lot of presentations, and like anyone else, I experience the butterflies that come with speaking in front of a group of people. No matter what I’m doing, be it speaking in court or presenting at a conference, I always have a few nerves that keep me on edge. But as I practice and speak in front of people on a more frequent basis, I’ve found it’s not that scary. I can usually fall into a good rhythm while speaking, but that’s not to say it’s perfect every time! I'll never forget one speaking engagement at a conference for the Association for Women's Attorneys (AWA) sweating, nervous about the technology, and really uncomfortable. So, when I discovered that Aug. 7 is Professional Speakers Day, I knew this was the perfect opportunity to share some of my “secrets.” You may not find yourself speaking to hundreds of people at a professional conference, but if you are a client of ours, you may have to tell your story to juries, judges, and other legal professionals. These experiences can be intimidating, but as you will learn, it doesn’t have to be. In the above scenario, where everything that could go wrong at the AWA conference seemed to go wrong, I was able to persevere. I still gave what I consider to be a helpful presentation to attorneys looking to start their own firms, and I was only able to do so because I was confident in my material. I knew what I was talking about. I had practiced it, refined it, and could speak as an expert — because I was an expert! It’s an important lesson for anyone who wants to get better at speaking in front of others. You have to know your material and know it well enough to overcome any distractions that may come your way. However, there is a caveat to this technique: Don’t try to memorize what you want to say. I never have a fully written speech prepared for court or a presentation. I’ve found that this makes the material robotic and unempathetic. My greatest success comes from trusting that I know the material enough from an outline of what I need to say to keep the audience engaged. Another trick is to exude confidence — even if you don’t have any. In almost every scenario where you are presenting or speaking in court, you are trying to persuade your audience to believe what you have to say. The audience is more likely to believe the confident, well-rehearsed, and well-dressed speaker than someone who comes wholly unprepared and nervous.
Confidence comes from within, so create scenarios that make you confident. Wear nice but comfortable clothes so you feel good about the way you look. Remember that no one is as focused on the little things you are worried about as you are. And my favorite trick for appearing confident is to maintain eye contact. Averting your eyes or darting them around the room gives off a lot of nervous energy. Your audience, a jury, or a judge will feed off that. At Douglass & Runger, we try to instill confidence in our clients and witnesses through preparation. We warn them about what they may experience on the witness stand, and we often provide additional guidance on how to act in or respond in court. We understand that it’s a very different environment than the one most people function in, but it’s our job to make you a one-time expert. We want our clients and their witnesses to tell their whole story without fear or stress. Speaking in front of other people will always be nerve-wracking. But the more you do it and the more confidence you create for yourself, the more productive and powerful your words will be. You may never be as comfortable in front of a crowd as I am, but if I have learned one thing during my time as an attorney, it’s that we’re all a lot stronger than we think.
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While you’re meditating on the ethics of chewing up football players for three years and spitting them out, all in the name of entertainment, consider the case of another similar story that was turned into a movie, that of Vince Papale — played by Mark Wahlberg in “Invincible.” Of course, Papale — whose flag football prowess in his late 20s overrode his lack of college ball experience — signed with the Philadelphia Eagles in the 1970s. Modern football has come a long way, critics will argue. But there’s no denying the old-school toughness and tenacity Papale showed in making it to the NFL. NBA player Pablo Prigioni’s career was twice as long as either Morris’ or Papale’s was, with four years in the big leagues starting in 2012 at age 35. But basketball is arguably less demanding on the body than football and even baseball if we look at the potential damage major league pitchers can do to their throwing arm. Their careers may not have been the stuff of dreams, but these three men showed something we all like to see: tough players hanging on long past their “prime.” And they lived the dream — if only for a while. We all love that! THE ROOKIE 3 OLDEST ROOKIES IN SPORTS HISTORY
Have you ever felt that fate meant for you to take a different path than the one you took? In some fields, making that change is possible, or even common — as any law student can tell you, where the “average” age of students is in their 30s. But other worlds, like the world of professional sports, are less welcoming to those over 25.
Which only makes for a better story when it does happen, of course.
That’s what Jim Morris discovered when he signed with a Major League Baseball team in 1999 after his 35th birthday. Morris’ life became the subject of the 2002 Dennis Quaid movie “The Rookie,” filmed just after Morris’ major league career had ended. You might think that two years is a short time in the majors, but hey, you try throwing 98-mph fastballs for hours a week, 104 weeks in a row! Besides, the careers of pro athletes aren’t nearly as long as icons like Tom Brady or Peyton Manning would have you believe. The average MLB career may be a few years longer than Morris stuck it out, but in the NFL? Most players make it less than three years and quit, depending on the position.
How Much Should I Gift My Children?
Creating a legally binding and sound estate plan is one of the most responsible and caring actions you can take for your loved ones. However, the way you create your estate plan can have just as much of an impact on your loved ones’ peace of mind. One of the biggest concerns for clients is how to fairly distribute their assets among their children. Should each child get the same amount, should one child receive more, or should a child be cut out entirely?
The answer is that it depends.
Many people choose to divide their assets equally among their children, and this makes sense in a lot of scenarios. In cases where children are independent and earning similar incomes, it’s best to leave children with equal pieces of your estate pie. And this doesn’t have to be done by literally equally splitting everything. If you have one child who lives in town and another who lives across the country, you may leave your home to the local child and give an equal value in other assets to the second child. It’s equitable and logical. However, families are complex, and in some cases, leaving more assets to one child over the others is reasonable. For example, if you have a child who cannot care for themselves, you may leave more of your estate to them through creating a special needs trust. You may also consider leaving more assets to children who provided more care or support to you as you aged.
In other scenarios, you may worry about what your children will do with the assets they have been given. It’s reasonable to be skeptical about leaving these children anything at all, but remember that cutting a child from the will may likely lead to anger and confusion. It may even lead a child to sue the estate. They need a valid, legal reason for the case to progress, but the simple act of doing so could damage family connections. Regardless of where you fall on this spectrum, your attorney can help you parse what’s best for your family and you. Once a decision is made, be sure to share this information with your children. Greater conflict can arise when what’s left among the siblings is a surprise.
If you would like to learn more about how to best split your assets, or if you have other legal questions, please visit DouglassRunger.com.
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Pet Protection
Easy Foil- Grilled Sausage and Vegetables
HOW YOUR ESTATE PLAN CAN HELP SECURE YOUR FURRY FAMILY MEMBER’S FUTURE
Our pets are more than just animals; they’re family! And like any member of your family, you want to protect them in the event you become incapacitated or pass away. As with others you love, the best way to protect your pets is to include them in your estate plan. However, this is where pets deviate from family. Pets are not like the other loved ones named in your estate plan because, legally speaking, pets are property. That means you cannot leave any money or assets to your pets because, as property, they cannot “own” anything. But you can still easily protect them. The first step is finding someone you trust to care for your animal if you cannot and adding this provision to your estate plan. This person should be someone who knows your pet well and agrees to take on this responsibility for you, if they need to. You will also need to designate a backup caretaker, should the person you assign to this role be unable to do so. Another option is to specify with your estate plan that your pet go to a specific rescue, no- kill shelter, or farm. As with the people you ask to care for your animals, you will need to confirm with the organization that this is possible. The second step in this process involves setting up funds to help those who will take charge of your pet after you pass. For example, you may choose to leave money or set up a trust to help cover the added expenses your pet’s new owner will incur. Finally , including your pet in your estate plan or in other long-term planning can ensure that you don’t have to give up the companionship of your favorite furry, feathered, or scaled friend while you’re still living. You can make arrangements with at-home care services, or we can draft living wills that can help you establish your wishes for treatment your pet may receive in the event you’re unable to make those decisions due to incapacitation or recovery from surgery or other ailments. The courts may consider your pet property, but the legal steps you can take to protect them are designed to allow you to make plans like you would for any other member of your family. At Douglass & Runger, we can help you establish plans to protect your pets. Visit DouglassRunger.com to learn more, including further details about our other legal services.
Inspired by NutmegNanny.com
Dinner is ready in 30 minutes with this easy, seasonal August sausage and vegetable bake.
INGREDIENTS • 4 sausage links of your choice • 1 lb green beans • 1 red bell pepper, diced • 1 yellow bell pepper, diced • 1 red onion, diced • 1 zucchini, diced • 1 yellow summer squash, diced
• 3 tbsp olive oil • 2 cloves garlic, grated
• 1 tbsp thyme • 1 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp basil • 1 tsp salt • 1 tsp crushed red pepper (optional)
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat your grill to medium heat or your oven to 425 F. 2. In a large bowl, add all of the ingredients and mix well. Divide into four equal portions. 3. Prepare four 16-inch pieces of foil and place a portion in the middle of each section. Wrap each foil piece tightly and avoid holes. 4. Grill each foil packet for 20 minutes, flipping halfway through. You can also bake each packet for 20 minutes at 425 F.
INSPIRATION “Quality is not an act, it is a habit.”
– Aristotle
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2820 Summer Oaks Drive Bartlett, TN 38134 901-388-5805 www.DouglassRunger.com
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Advertising Material
1 Curt’s Pro Tips for Public Speaking 2 The Rookie: 3 Oldest Rookies in Sports History How Should You Split Your Estate Among Your Children? 3 How Your Estate Plan Can Protect Your Pets Easy Foil-Grilled Sausage and Vegetables 4 Meet Odin, the Fireproof Dog Inside This Issue
Meet Odin, the Fireproof Dog THIS GREAT PYRENEES GUIDED HIS GOATS THROUGH A WILDFIRE
“I said, ‘Okay, Odin, take care of the goats. You'll be fine,’” Roland Hendel told ABC News.
In October 2017, California was in flames. One of those blazes was the Tubbs Fire, which charred its way through 36,800 miles of forests and vineyards in both Napa and Sonoma County. More than 5,600 buildings were destroyed, and 22 people were killed. But when the flames finally died, a four-legged hero emerged from the ashes: Odin, the Great Pyrenees dog. Odin belonged to Ariel and Roland Hendel, two farmers in Sonoma County. When the Tubbs Fire threatened to char their home, they packed up as many of their animals and precious items as they could. Unfortunately, their flock of goats wouldn’t fit in the getaway vehicle — and their goat- herding dog, Odin, refused to abandon them. Great Pyrenees are prized livestock guardian dogs that will do anything to protect their charges, and Odin lived up to his breed.
Both Hendels were sure they were seeing their dog for the last time. Their hearts sank even further when they heard their home had burned down completely. But on a trip back to examine the ashes, something amazing happened. “In the distance, I saw Odin's tail,” Roland told ABC. “Sure enough, there was Odin coming at the head of all his goats.” Not only did Odin survive the fire and run right up to the Hendels for belly rubs, but he also kept every single one of his goats safe! A few wild deer even joined the goats, and he shepherded them through unscathed. The incredible story made the news, and Odin became a local legend.
Unfortunately, even legends don’t live forever. This April, Odin passed away after a long life of tail-wagging, treat-eating, and goat-saving. In his honor, Great Pyrenees Rescue of Missouri gifted the Hendels two new Great Pyrenees pups: Buddy and Snowflake. They’re following in Odin’s pawsteps, protecting the goats he loved so much.
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