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November 2025 FLATTMANN FILES Looking Back and Moving Forward “Quality Is No Accident”
My Journey Through 20 Years of Practicing Law
At the end of October, I reached a milestone that was both humbling and hard to believe: 20 years as a lawyer. Like many things in life, it came quietly — no big party, no plaques or promotions. In fact, I sometimes joke with my wife, Leigh, that as a solo practitioner, I’d love to win “employee of the month” or finally get a promotion. But while the milestone didn’t come with balloons, it gave me the chance to reflect on the journey that brought me here. I was sworn into the Louisiana Bar on Oct. 20, 2005, one day before the official swearing-in ceremony for most of my peers. That’s because I had the honor of being sworn in by Chief Justice Pascal Calogero of the Louisiana Supreme Court. I had interned for “the Chief” during law school, and in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, the Court had temporarily relocated to Baton Rouge. Leigh and I made the trip, and standing in the Chief’s back office, being sworn in by someone I deeply respected, remains one of the most meaningful moments of my career. Not long after, I began working as an associate for Henry “Hank” Dart. For a short while, I made the “reverse commute” from New Orleans to Covington before Katrina ultimately moved us to the Northshore full time. In those first two years, I worked on personal injury and hurricane-related cases across Southeast Louisiana and a few criminal and family law matters. It didn’t take long for me to realize where my passion was: helping people through personal injury cases. Hank was the best mentor I could have asked for. He taught me the complexities of personal injury law, but more importantly, he showed me what our clients were going through after devastating accidents. That early perspective gave me a lasting appreciation not only for the law itself, but also for the people we serve. In 2009, I started Flattmann Law. Even then, my adventures with Mr. Dart continued, working on maritime cases along the East Coast, having trials in Norfolk and depositions in Virginia Beach. Later, when Mr. Dart was appointed special counsel to the Louisiana Attorney General for the BP oil spill litigation, he brought me along. Those were long days — arriving at the office by 4:30 a.m., sorting exhibits from one end of the hallway to the other, preparing for marathon depositions, and spending weeks at the Federal Courthouse in New Orleans. It was demanding work, but I learned so much about preparation, perseverance, and what it means to be truly dedicated to a case. Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of handling every kind of personal injury matter you can imagine. From tragic 18-wheeler death cases to
measuring cobblestone wheelchair ramps at a hotel in New Orleans, inspecting a dredging operation on Chesapeake Bay, deposing casino employees around a massive horseshoe- shaped table in Memphis, and even researching historic preservation laws tied to porch railings in Natchez — each case has been different, but all have carried one common thread: helping people find justice and regain stability after life-changing events. In 2019, we moved into our current location on West 21st Avenue in Covington. I’ve had the privilege of caring for our 120-year-old office building, which has become not just our home base but also a part of our story. Through the years, Flattmann Law has remained fiercely independent, and I’ve been honored to represent hundreds of clients. I couldn’t have lasted 20 years without Leigh’s unwavering support, Hank’s mentorship, the love of family and friends, and most of all, the trust of my clients — something I never take for granted. I’m most proud of our 100-plus five-star Google reviews because they reflect that trust.
What keeps me motivated after two decades is simple: being the person who helps guide others through what
may be the toughest challenges of their lives and helps them find the light at the end of the tunnel. For me, there’s no greater privilege.
-Grady Flattmann
(985) 590-6182 • 1
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Before Smartphones, There Was Water
GETTING OUT OF BED LONG BEFORE THE SNOOZE BUTTON
Members of Generation Z may find it difficult to believe that people used plug-in alarm clocks to help them get up on time in the morning. However, that seemingly archaic means of timekeeping has nothing on how people managed wake-up time before cellphones and even electricity, as we use it today, became staples of daily life. In the 4th century BCE, the Greek philosopher Plato created a method to ensure students at his academy, which once counted Aristotle among its pupils, woke up at the correct time each day. To perfect a foolproof system, he turned to a surprising tool: water. He constructed a set of clocks that operated using two basins. One basin would slowly empty into the other throughout the night; when the second basin was full, rattling pebbles or whistling air awakened students from their slumber. Known as klepsydra (or “water thief”) clocks, these timekeepers were astonishingly accurate. About a century later, Greek inventor Ctesibius of Alexandria expanded on Plato’s design by incorporating mechanics that produced sounds not unlike those of the more modern cuckoo clock. Ctesibius’s version remained popular until the pendulum clock emerged in the 1650s.
Although Plato often gets credit for creating aquatic- based alarms, some variation of the klepsydra concept allegedly dates back to at least the 16th century BCE. Archaeologists uncovered a tomb inscription detailing how an Egyptian court official of the era devised a similar system. Regardless of its definitive
inventor, the water clock roused people long before phone apps, proving that nature often provides solutions to problems centuries before human technology catches up. While the water clock was undoubtedly an imaginative masterstroke, it is still reasonable to argue that the “snooze” button remains the most critical time-related creation known to man.
Ice Cream in Your Pocket?
YOU CAN’T EVEN MAKE UP THESE STRANGE FOOD RULES
Finger-Licking Fun … or Else!
When it comes to state laws about food, specific provisions on the books from past years may leave a funny taste in your mouth, and potentially get you in a heap of trouble if you break them. This fact is especially true in parts of the South, where your lunch order may need to come with a side of legal advice. Cones and Captured Horses If you want to stay on the good side of law enforcement in Alabama, always remember that ice cream cones are for licking, not sticking in your back pocket. While it’s pretty safe to assume the thought of engaging in the latter activity hasn’t crossed a single mind in 2025, there was a time when horse thieves would stick ice cream in their pockets to attract equine abductees. Considering that we rarely share the highway with horses these days and most people would prefer not to turn the seat of their pants into a sundae, it’s a safe bet this charge won’t fill up courtrooms for the foreseeable future.
On the subject of making a mess with food items, eating chicken with your hands can be a sticky thrill — and is the only way to partake in poultry eating
without running a-fowl of the law in Gainesville, Georgia. If you want to enjoy tasty chicken in that city, stock up on wet wipes and skip the knife and fork, as eating it with utensils is a crime. Although the ordinance banning knives
and forks when consuming chicken was meant as a joke
by the local police department, chucking the rule may draw some disapproving clucks when dining in the place affectionately known by locals and city officials as “the Poultry
Capital of the World,” especially during its renowned Spring Chicken Festival. Perhaps only a good lawyer can help determine whether
the law also applies to vegan “chik’n” options.
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Dividing Homes, Not Hearts
TAKE A BREAK
Co-Parent Like a Pro After Separation
SOLUTION
Divorce or separation is often stressful, but it should never be used to draw battle lines for your children. Dissolving a marriage or partnership can be as logistically challenging as it is emotionally draining, especially when developing a positive and effective co-parenting situation. Here are a few suggestions for creating and sustaining clear communication and responsibilities when you and your former spouse/partner no longer live or parent under the same roof. The Key Steps Toward Stability First and foremost, all co-parenting arrangements need a consistent plan for success. A written co-parenting plan should include the custody agreement, travel and/or relocation considerations, financial responsibilities for both parties, schedules (e.g., school pick-up/drop-off times and who is responsible for fulfilling these commitments), and details regarding the child’s education and health care needs. A document of this nature helps solidify both parties’ involvement and holds each accountable for what they’ve agreed to do on the child’s behalf. Additionally, it helps prevent disagreements or misunderstandings that could lead to arguing in front of the child/children, a scenario to avoid as much as possible. While a divorce may present logistical obstacles for one or both parents, it is critical to work toward maintaining the child’s existing friendships and activities, even if they require spending more time with one spouse over the other. For example, if your child’s best friend lives closer to your ex-spouse, accommodating the continuation of this close relationship will help your child maintain a sense of normalcy. The Risks of Reticent Relationships When the end of a marriage or relationship results in a breakdown in communication or cooperation, these fractured ties can have a potentially devastating impact on your child. Common effects of unhealthy co-parenting on children include reduced performance at school, lowered self-esteem, and difficulties in maintaining healthy relationships with others. If communication has devolved into acrimony or has resulted in either side failing to fulfill their parental duties, seeking counseling from a trained professional is one way to help steer the ship in the best possible direction for your child’s health and peace of mind.
SLOW COOKER BRISKET
Ingredients
• 1 (1-oz) envelope onion soup mix • 1 tbsp brown sugar • 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt • 1/2 tsp ground black pepper • 1 3-lb piece of beef brisket (flat cut)
• 1 lb carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces • 1 lb baby golden potatoes • 3 celery stalks, cut into 1-inch pieces • 1 large sweet onion, cut into 8 wedges • 2 1/2 cups beef stock • 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce • 2 tbsp cornstarch
• 8 fresh thyme sprigs • 8 whole garlic cloves • 2 bay leaves
Directions 1. In a small bowl, combine soup mix, sugar, salt, and pepper. Sprinkle over brisket. 2. Place meat, fat cap side down, into an 8-qt slow cooker. 3. Top brisket with thyme, garlic, bay leaves, carrots, potatoes, celery, and onion. 4. Whisk stock, Worcestershire sauce, and cornstarch until fully dissolved. Add to slow cooker. 5. Cover and cook on high for 5–6 hours until tender. 6. Remove to a cutting board, fat side up. Remove thyme and bay leaves. 7. Thinly slice brisket against the grain. 8. Serve with vegetables, drizzled with gravy from the slow cooker.
Inspired by ThePioneerWoman.com
(985) 590-6182 • 3
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Flattmann Law (985) 590-6182 FlattmannLaw.com 213 W. 21st Ave. Covington, LA 70433 “Quality Is No Accident”
PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
From Swearing-In to Standing by Clients: Grady’s 20-Year Legal Story
1
What Snooze Button? The Ingenious Ways People Used to Wake Up
2
Who Knew Eating Could Get You in Legal Trouble?
Slow Cooker Brisket
3
Divorce Isn’t Easy, but Co-Parenting Can Be
The Chocolate Event That Had Kids Crying, Not Smiling
4
When AI Marketing Goes Horribly Wrong Willy’s Ruined Chocolate Experience
Never fail to deliver on a promise of chocolate to children.
(in some instances) a single jellybean served in what appeared to be an abandoned warehouse. The scenery was cheap, while the actors struggled to perform through hastily provided scripts. One character, The Unknown, was a masked and frighteningly attired figure that prompted youngsters to recoil and cry in fear. Perhaps most disturbingly, there was no chocolate to be found. Naturally, people called the police amid demands for refunds, and the lackluster affair was shut down. Subsequent revelations that creators used AI to generate the online marketing images and that the $44 event was not an officially sanctioned “Wonka” undertaking also brought into question House of Illuminati owner Billy Coull’s background, including his history of publishing AI-generated books on conspiracy theories and taboo subjects. Although Coull’s fraudulent and exploitative marketing scheme was reprehensible, it’s far from his worst transgression. Around the time House of Illuminati was shuttered in late 2024, he was forced to register as a sex offender after it was revealed he had followed up his “Willy’s Chocolate Experience” fiasco by sending unwanted explicit messages and images to an unidentified woman.
House of Illuminati, a London-based event company, learned this lesson the hard way when it hosted what angry parents and disappointed kids in Glasgow considered one of the biggest scams in children’s entertainment history. The disastrous day went from offering scant amounts of lemonade and jellybeans to prompting cries of terror and calls to Scottish police, and artificial intelligence was at least partially to blame. In early 2024, social media feeds in the U.K. were abuzz with vibrant images promoting “Willy’s Chocolate Experience,” an immersive event boasting chocolate fountains, costumed characters, and “a day of pure imagination and wonder.” Naturally, people assumed the event was a tie-in with the then-recently released film “Wonka” and a nod to the imaginary world created by the classic 1971 movie “Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory.” Unfortunately, what attendees experienced when “Willy’s Chocolate Experience” arrived that February was far from a fairy tale. Instead of rivers of sweets, they were treated to half-filled cups of lemonade and
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PLEASE HELP US FINISH 2025 THE RIGHT WAY … PROJECT CHRISTMAS!
Thanks to your amazing support and generosity, we provided Christmas gifts and clothes for 30 children last year! (Overall, St. Tammany Project Christmas provided clothes, gifts, and Christmas joy for 1,679 angels.) You guys are awesome! Flattmann Law is proud to be helping St. Tammany Project Christmas for the 7th year in a row (WOW), and we need your help! What is St. Tammany Project Christmas? St. Tammany Project Christmas is an established, local, needs-based organization committed to providing the magic of Christmas to children who would otherwise not have one. Applicants must provide documentation demonstrating need and are thoroughly vetted against the lists of other organizations. Each child can request three gifts. Typically, $100–$150 is spent per child. Project Christmas collects the gifts from community partners (like us) and coordinates with the families to help parents provide the gifts to each child. More information is available on their website: StProjectChristmas.org .
How can I help? By mid-November, we will receive our list of Angels and their gifts . We will then post a list and instructions using SignUpGenius , where you can sign up to supply one or many specific items. W e will email you the link and post it on our Facebook page: Grady J. Flattmann, Attorneys at Law, LLC. (Please be sure we have your email address and that you are following our Facebook page.) Gifts/clothes may be delivered to our Covington office any time before Monday, Dec. 1 . If you are able to drop them off before then, that would be great! THIS IS THE EASIEST CHRISTMAS ANGEL PROJECT TO SUPPORT … EVER!
• Help as much as you want. You will be able to select one item or many.
• No wrapping! Gifts must be in original wrapping, and clothes must be new.
• Shop and click from the comfort of your own home! Have items shipped directly to our office (213 W. 21st Ave., Covington, LA 70433). Just let us know so we can look out for them.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your support throughout the years! I appreciate you.
-Grady
(985) 590-6182 FlattmannLaw.com
213 W. 21st Ave. Covington, LA 70433
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