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CHICAGO OFFICE 161 N. Clark, Ste. 1700 Chicago, IL 60601 (312) 488-1938 DOWNERS GROVE OFFICE 1121 Warren Ave #240 Downers Grove, IL 60515 (312) 488-1938
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MAR 2024
Delivering Ritz-Carlton Service Every Time Running Your Firm Like a Well-Oiled Machine
Now and then, a new book comes along that inspires me and elevates my thinking to deliver a new level of service. With a nod to Read Across America Day on March 2, I recommend you take a look at a book that taught me how to run my law firm like a business — “Traction: Get a Grip on Your Business,” by Gino Wickman and Tom Bouwer. This 2012 bestseller lays out an approach to management called the Entrepreneurial Operating System, or EOS, a set of six components of leadership — vision, people, data, issues, process, and traction. The central idea is that by focusing on and managing each of these components, you can excel in your business. Instead of bumping along and feeling out of control, your firm runs like a well-oiled machine. Here’s a closer look at these six values: VISION. This is a framework of core values that underlies the culture and sets the direction for your firm, including 10-year, three-year, one-year, and quarterly goals, or “Rocks.” Our vision is what sets us apart as a law firm specializing in divorce law — to deliver white-glove service. We are striving to be the Ritz-Carlton of divorce firms. In keeping with National Listening Awareness Month, we also try to demonstrate greater emotional bandwidth than other lawyers. We listen actively to our clients, really hearing them and validating their emotions as they go through what is for most one of the most difficult times of their lives. Our clients often remark on how comforted
they feel in the intake process, when members of our legal team really listen to them, validate their feelings and concerns, and help them feel better about their lives. For us, this emotional availability is a key component of representation. PEOPLE. This component requires getting the right people in the right seats, in positions that are not structured around titles and organization charts, but around the functions and roles you need. At our firm, I don’t want lawyers who just want to file motions and get cases through court. The right people for us are fantastic lawyers in court, but they also have to be compassionate and understanding individuals. DATA. EOS also entails gathering the key numbers that matter and using that data to hold accountable the people responsible for each key task. We set key performance indicators, or KPIs, for any measures that we want to improve. One problem we can measure is the quality of our communication. Too often, divorce lawyers are inconsistent or slow in responding to the client. That is a problem we can measure. We have a KPI on turnaround time for client communication, and we set quarterly goals (Rocks) we want to accomplish. ISSUES. As the name implies, this component covers any troublesome problem or roadblock you need to resolve. For example, if a communication problem surfaces at our firm, we act quickly to resolve it. We want to make sure we’re getting back to all client emails on the same day, and responding to text messages within a certain number of hours.
PROCESS. This element involves eliminating repetition and inefficiencies in the firm’s core tasks. One of the processes we focus on is active listening. This is something I learned early in life. I remember my mother teaching me around age 10 the skill of active listening, letting people know you have heard them, and using “I” statements to avoid blaming the other person for how you might feel. I have made active listening part of the culture of our firm. TRACTION. This final element is the reward for managing all the others well. It requires identifying top-priority goals, making sure they are being met, and having employees meet regularly to assess progress. At our firm, our director of legal operations meets regularly with our attorneys and also with our paralegals to discuss our performance. When we strive to gain traction, we can rest assured that our clients will receive Ritz- Carlton service at the highest level — every single time.
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Grow Your Green Thumb This Spring
Later, in mid to late March, you can start peppers, tomatoes, eggplant, Swiss chard, and tomatillos indoors. Wait to plant your seeds and seedlings in the ground until two weeks after the last frost. Some early cold-tolerant vegetables, like cabbage, broccoli, and head lettuce, can go in the ground early to mid-March. Heat-loving plants like peppers, okra, and eggplant that grow slowly can also be planted in March. Tomatoes are the stars of many gardens. It is best to wait until early April to plant them, though. They are like Goldilocks and prefer everything just right — not too cold or hot. We can’t talk about gardening without giving a few helpful tips for adding color. Plant hydrangea, aster, pansy, sweet peas, garden mums, and Oriental lilies in the spring to invite pollinators and provide blooming color throughout the summer. Spring bulbs, like crocus and daffodils, are the first to bloom. Sometimes, they will even bloom when there is a bit of snow on the ground. But it is best to plant bulbs in the fall so they have time to settle in their roots. A gardener’s best friend is the USDA Hardiness Zone Map. Since most states include three different growing zones, it is a handy resource to choose the best plants for your area. The website at PlantHardiness.ars.usda.gov has a wealth of information, including tips for easy maintenance. So, grab your gloves, get your seeds, and enjoy watching your garden grow!
A Spring Gardening Guide
Spring is in the air; the chirping birds and warm air call you outdoors. It’s the perfect time to start your garden. Even as a beginning gardener, you can find plants and flowers to bring you joy throughout the summer. Carrots and radishes are quick, easy, and grow well in most areas. Carrots are versatile veggies great for
snacking and cooking; even your dogs will love them! They need to be planted early, though, as they take about three months to germinate. Radishes are cool-season vegetables you can start indoors and plant outside after the last frost. Other vegetables can also be started from seed indoors in late February to early March. Try cabbage, kale, broccoli, cauliflower, onions, leeks, endive, and lettuce.
Getting Divorced? Get Off Social Media
During a divorce, it can be tempting to air your feelings and frustrations targeted at your partner. Social media can be a source of catharsis or contention, depending on your mood and the algorithm curating your feed. However, you need to be aware of the possible implications of your online activity, and that your behavior on social media can have a direct impact on divorce proceedings. Your online activity is not yours alone: It can also serve as evidence against you. Photos, comments, posts, and even location data can all be sourced from social media. That’s right. Lawyers may use location data from your posts to establish your whereabouts leading up to the divorce, in order to gather evidence of infidelity or other illicit behavior. • Be mindful about what you post online: A picture is worth a thousand words. • If your claimed financials are in contrast to the lifestyle you portray online, that may be used against you. • During a divorce, both parties’ lawyers will be scouring social media for information to use as evidence of undisclosed assets, income, or lavish spending habits that may provide insight into someone’s financial situation. • Because of this, your online persona may even have an impact on settlement negotiations. • In the run-up to your divorce, any negative posts or comments about your partner could have a direct impact on your case. How Online Activity Can Affect Your Case
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It is important that you do not slander your partner online, or post negatively about them in comments or on your feed. It is worth informing your family and friends of your plans to get a divorce, and advising them to avoid posting negatively about your partner online.
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• It’s a good idea to remove your spouse from your friends and follower lists and make your accounts private during a divorce. • You should be on the lookout for your partner’s friends whose profiles may be used to spy on you during proceedings; you are going to want to remove them as well. While social media can be an integral part of many people’s lives, it is important to police yourself online. Settlements and custody agreements can be affected by your online activity. If you are looking for help with a divorce, please call our offices at (312) 248-6170 , and we will provide assistance in this trying time.
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Moving on After Divorce What to Do and What to Avoid
It’s important not to view divorce solely as the end of a relationship, shared plans, and dreams for the future. It is also the start of an exciting new chapter in your life, full of possibilities not yet imagined. Divorce is a difficult process to go through, and it can
be hard to know how you should proceed afterward. Here are three things you may find helpful as you navigate this new stage in your life. DISCOVER YOUR PASSIONS In this new stage of your life, you are free to explore what makes you happy and fulfilled. Look at this time as an opportunity to grow and discover — or rediscover — what you enjoy, what gives your life purpose and meaning, and how you want to spend your time going forward. A new lease on life can be just what you need, and by getting into new activities, you will make new friends, learn new skills, and become a better person for it! DON’T ISOLATE YOURSELF You may be feeling alone, like you have lost companionship, support, and a vision for your life. But you are not without companionship: There are friends and family who care about you deeply. Share your feelings with those closest to you, it can help you deal with any anger, sadness, or confusion you may be facing presently. Another option is joining
a support group. There are many others out there who are going through similar experiences, and talking out your feelings with others going through a divorce can be incredibly cathartic and worthwhile. It’s important not to go through this alone: Isolation can exacerbate any negative feelings you have and make coping with your divorce more difficult than it has to be. NEGATIVITY GETS YOU NOWHERE While it can be tempting to badmouth your ex-spouse, it is important for your healing process to try to avoid unnecessary negativity. Especially when it comes to your relationship with your children, speaking ill of your ex-spouse can have unintended and largely negative consequences. Divorce is hard for everyone, including your children, and involving them in your frustrations with your ex-partner is not helpful for anyone. To move forward and heal, it’s important to communicate healthily and not dwell on the negative aspects of your divorce. This is a new lease on life, and it’s time to look forward, not back.
TAKE A BREAK
Sesame Garlic Ramen
This recipe will transform ramen into a main dish dazzler.
Ingredients: • 2 6-oz packages of ramen noodles • 2 tsp of sesame oil • 2 cloves of garlic, minced • 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1 tbsp
brown sugar • 2 tsp Sriracha • Chopped green onions, for garnish
Directions: 1. Cook the ramen noodles according to the instructions on the package. Toss the seasoning packet or save for another recipe. 2. Heat sesame oil in a small saucepan or skillet over medium heat. 3. Add garlic and sauté for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly so it doesn’t burn. 4. Remove pan from heat, whisk in soy sauce, brown sugar, and Sriracha until well combined. Feel free to add more heat or sweetness to taste. 5. Drain noodles and combine with sauce, tossing gently. 6. If desired, add your choice of cooked meat or tofu and mix thoroughly. 7. Garnish with green onions.
Aquamarine Basketball Butterfly Clover
Daffodil Green Ides Leprechaun
Madness Spring Tangerine Women
Inspired by TheSaltyMarshmallow.com
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161 N. Clark, Ste. 1700 Chicago, IL 60601 (312) 488-1938 rbbfirm.com
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IN THIS ISSUE
1.
Ensuring White Glove Excellence in Divorce Law
2.
Bring Color and Joy to Your Garden
How Social Media Can Affect Your Case
3.
How to Move on After Divorce
Sesame Garlic Ramen
4.
Exploring Sintra, Portugal
This Beautiful City Is Straight Out of a Fairy Tale
Add Sintra, Portugal, to Your Travel Plans!
As spring break nears, you might already have plans to travel to Punta Cana, London, Key West, Paris, or a similar destination city. One more to add to your travel checklist is Sintra, Portugal. This beautiful town rests on the hills of Serra de Sintra, just outside the capital, Lisbon. The two castles within the city are the main draws, and it’s easy to see why. PENA PALACE AND GARDENS The National Pena Palace and Gardens are absolutely stunning. The palace is adorned in primary colors, with intricately carved yellow, red, and blue buildings. It’ll cost you 10 euros to explore the grounds and a couple of extra euros to go inside, but it’s worth it! The carvings include many styles, including Neo-Islamic and Neo-Renaissance. Everything is opulent, and you’ll have a great time as you take in the extravagance. Some rooms are painted as an optical illusion, with doors and hallways looking three-dimensional when they’re just flat.
Once you head back outside, the rest of the grounds are just as lovely. The enormous gardens have many trails, marked and unmarked. You can get lost in the beautiful oasis, and we encourage you to put aside at least half a day to explore the gardens. QUINTA DA REGALEIRA Quinta da Regaleira is the city’s second significant castle boasting beautiful gardens, but its main draw is the initiation well. This 80-foot-deep well is a wonder as it sinks into the earth with mossy walls. We suggest you go early, as this is another big attraction for those visiting the city, and officials try to keep people moving as they arrive, mainly as it’s one-way traffic on the steps themselves. Once on the grounds, you can explore many grottos by following their main paths. The castle itself isn’t as opulent as Pena Palace, but it’s still a lovely location to visit. Sintra is perfect for any vacation, and though these are the main draws for the city, by no means are they the only ones. We encourage you to check out this city and see if it fits your travel plans.
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