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Justice MONTHLY
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AUGUST 2017
A Long List of Mentors The Professors Who Helped Me Get Where I Am Today
One of the best pieces of advice I ever received was from Elizabeth Decoux, my first-year torts professor, and one of the first teachers I had in law school. It was the first day of the second semester. Following our first battery of exams and the winter break, many of us first-years had experienced a wake-up call. It’s almost impossible to gauge your mastery of law school material, or lack thereof, until the end-of-semester tests come around. That first day, she sat the class down and thought for a minute. “Some of you,” she said, “may have done better on your exams than you expected. Some of you might not have been quite so lucky.” She paused and looked around the room. “But I’ll give you this piece of advice: I predict that — regardless of whatever scores you get in law school — assuming you’re diligent enough to get your degree and pass the bar, you’ll be a successful attorney if you return all your telephone calls within 24 hours.” We all laughed at the prospect of our thousands upon thousands of hours of studying being boiled down to just responding to our voicemails, but it really was sage advice. Regardless of what skills you may be equipped with, following up with people, returning calls, and being a prompt and effective communicator are a huge part of the job. The back-to-school season has me thinking about many moments like this from law school. I remember one professor, Anna
- William F. “Trey” Underwood, III I know I have my many professors at the Florida Coastal School of Law to thank for that success, not to mention the constant support and wisdom I got from my dad. Getting through law school isn’t easy. I’m just grateful I had such incredible mentors every step of the way. Shorstein, who was dedicated to scaring the first-year students. “Brief this case!” She’d order a student, selecting them at random. You’d do your best, hoping your studies the night before would pay off, because she certainly wasn’t going to step in and stop you from floundering. Once, in my contracts class, the adjunct professor, a practicing attorney, threw a student out of class after realizing he hadn’t read the case for the day. But it’s that kind of training that gets you off to a good start in the challenging world of law. In fact, Shorstein ended up being one of my favorite teachers. The day I passed the bar, I was still working in the district attorney’s office, sweating it out in my little office. “Hey,” he said, smiling. “Just so you know, you do have to stay here all day and wait with us until your bar results come in.” He laughed. “Nobody here has ever failed it before, so good luck!” I couldn’t focus all day, consumed by the possibility of failure. But, as I already knew, I’d put in the time and effort, and I managed to pass, to my immense relief. There are few moments as gratifying as passing the bar; let me tell you.
Published by The Newsletter Pro . www.TheNewsletterPro.com
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When Good Ideas Go Bad What happens when a good idea, turned into a viable concept, comes crashing down? In October 2014, Plastc was unveiled. It was a progressive approach to credit card technology. The device — little more than an actual credit card — was designed to replace all of your existing cards, up to 20 different accounts. The single card held the information of the rest of your cards and you could switch between cards as needed. With a built-in e-ink screen, you could see which card was active and swipe. behind Plastc say things fell apart behind the scenes. The company had expected another $3.5 million in funding from various sources by February 2017, but that didn’t happen. Then, they said they were on the cusp of another $6.75 million from an additional source. That too, didn’t happen. Apparently, $9 million raised from the initial 80,000 backers was not enough. The card hadn’t even gone into production. None of those 80,000 had anything to show for their contribution. Many backers demanded a refund, but since Plastc revealed they were completely
The technology came with a price: $155. But that price didn’t get you a Plastc card right away. In October 2014, the card was still a concept that needed crowdfunded support. Turning to social media, Plastc quickly found that support. About 80,000 people pledged $155 for the chance to get a card the following summer, in 2015. In April 2017, Plastc filed for bankruptcy and closed its doors for good. After raising $9 million, Plastc delivered nothing. The creators
out of money, the chance of getting that refund was slim. Interestingly enough, Plastc wasn’t the first smart credit card company to fail. Two other companies, Coin and Swyp, attempted similar concepts, but like Plastc, they left their customers and supporters with little or nothing.
Testimonials
“Mr. William is a great lawyer. I would recommend him to people in the future. He stayed in contact and updated me on my case. He notified me when new information was available. He ALWAYS returned my call if he missed it on the same day. I’m glad I caught the TV commercial for this firm. It was the best choice I ever made!” – S.T. “I would like to thank Mr. Underwood for the great job he did for me. If you ever need help, he’s the man to call!” – N.P.
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After a Workers’ Comp Claim, They’re Watching You
Do you get the feeling you’re being watched after you file a workers’ compensation claim? The truth is, you probably are. Companies will go to great lengths to find reasons to underpay you or avoid paying altogether. If they can gather any evidence that you aren’t as injured as you say, they will use it against you. How Are They Watching You? We aren’t saying they’re tapping your phones. But when an insurance company has you watched, they often commission a private investigator to watch what you’re doing and take pictures of anything that might make you look unrestricted. There are more than 50,000 private investigators in the United States, and many are employed by insurance companies. The private investigator doesn’t have access to the inside of your house, but they can stake out your home with an unmarked vehicle and record what you do. If you carry your own groceries, lift your children, or even walk your dog, it could be interpreted that you’re better than you seem. We understand that anyone recovering from a workplace injury has good days and bad days. But those pictures can be used as “evidence” to pressure you into settling for less. They may even use them in the courtroom if it comes to that. What About the Internet? Things posted to social media sites are considered public domain, and you can bet a private investigator will look into what you’re posting on social media. Sometimes, it doesn’t even take a private investigator.
We usually post things on Facebook that portray us as happy and enjoying life. However, a picture of you and your friends at a tailgate party or on a boat doesn’t portray the level of suffering you’re probably experiencing below the surface as you try to function normally. If your friend posts about it, you can still expect the post to be used. After a workers’ compensation case, we encourage you to be careful how you behave in public and on social media. In the meantime, let us know how we can help as you seek the right compensation for your workplace injury.
Grilled Mexican Street Corn
Have a Laugh
Make the most of these remaining summer weeks and take dinner outside to the grill! You don’t need to visit the fair for this delicious, classic street food.
Recipe inspired by seriouseats.com.
Ingredients: • ¼ cup mayonnaise • ¼ cup sour cream • ½ cup finely crumbled feta cheese
• ½ teaspoon chili powder • 1 medium clove garlic, minced
• ¼ cup finely
chopped cilantro leaves • 4 ears corn, shucked • 1 lime, cut into wedges
Directions: 1. Set burners of gas grill to high heat and allow to preheat for 5 minutes. 2. Combine mayonnaise, sour cream, cheese, chili powder, garlic, and cilantro in large bowl. Stir until well-combined and set aside. 3. Place corn on hot grill, rotating occasionally. Grill until cooked
through and charred in spots on all sides, for about 8 minutes.
4. Transfer corn to bowl with
cheese mixture and use large spoon to evenly coat each ear on all sides. Sprinkle with extra cheese and chili powder and serve immediately with lime wedges.
Recipe inspired by Mantitlement.com.
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inside A Long List of Mentors PAGE 1 Don’t Let Your Plastic Fail You PAGE 2 Here’s What They’re Saying PAGE 2 You’re Not Paranoid! PAGE 3 Grilled Mexican Street Corn PAGE 3 Hieroglyphics Tell All PAGE 4 515 N. WESTOVER BLVD., SUITE C. ALBANY, GA 31707
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A ‘New’ Pyramid Unearthed Excavators Continue to Make Discoveries in Egypt
Even after thousands of years, excavation teams are still making incredible discoveries in Egypt. Most recently, a team 25 miles south of Cairo has discovered the remains of a pyramid that dates back to the 13th dynasty, about 3,700 years ago. Ten lines of hieroglyphics in excellent condition were among the findings.
Dahshur necropolis, said that the newly discovered remains could belong to the Bent Pyramid, which is believed to have been ancient Egypt’s first attempt to build a smooth-sided pyramid. The general manager of the Egyptian Ministry for Antiquities, Essmat Sonay, celebrated the discovery by posting photos to social media. Though experts are not sure who the pyramid officially belonged to — King Ameny Qemau’s name was mentioned in the discovered hieroglyphics, though his pyramid was
The “new” pyramid, which is still being excavated, is located north of King Sneferu’s Bent Pyramid in the Dahshur royal
necropolis, and it’s not as old as other pyramids in the area. Sneferu’s son and successor, King Khufu, built the famous pyramids at Giza. While the pyramid- shaped upper section is gone, the substructure still remains. Adel Okasha, head of the
discovered in 1957 — the Ministry for Antiquities plans to continue excavations and hopes to find more evidence.
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