RECENT GRADUATE SUES HER COLLEGE I Want My Money Back!
College graduates are eager to get into the workforce and start using their newly acquired knowledge in the “real world.” However, according to the National Association of Colleges and Employers, only 20% of U.S. college students in 2009 had a job after they graduated. In 2009, Trina Thompson found herself in that 80% of unemployed graduates, and she wanted to do something about it. After graduating from Monroe College in New York, Thompson couldn’t find a suitable job. So she filed a $70,000 case against her school (the amount of her tuition for her bachelor’s degree) and $2,000 to compensate her for what she endured
while searching for a job. In her lawsuit, she claimed that the college’s career counselors promised career advice and job leads but didn’t work hard enough to find her a job. In addition, she suggested that Monroe’s Office of Career Advancement shows preferential treatment to students with high GPAs — not students like herself who had a low GPA. In response to the case, Monroe College spokesman Gary Axelbank said, “The lawsuit is completely without merit. While it’s clear that no college, especially in this economy, can guarantee employment, Monroe College remains committed to working with all its students … to prepare them for careers and to support them during their job search.” But Thompson or the college didn’t have to worry about attending trial because the case didn’t make it that far. Her case might have stood up in court if she hadn’t received a job offer. Her media attention and IT degree caught the eye of Steve Bellamy, CEO of The Ski Channel. He loved her hunger and willingness to put herself out there, and he offered her a position at his company. Thompson got the job, so her case was eventually dissolved.
5 Wacky Thanksgiving Laws HAVE YOU BROKEN ANY OF THESE?
Every state has its own “loony laws” — super-specific, outdated rules that even lawyers often overlook. On Thanksgiving, people around the country face a loony law landmine. Here are five of the wackiest Thanksgiving laws we could find. Some are just plain silly, but others make good sense despite their strangeness. 1. IN ARIZONA, IT’S ILLEGAL TO WASTE WILD TURKEY. According to Delish, in the Grand Canyon State, “it’s illegal to hunt a bird, fish, or other mammal and ‘knowingly permit an edible portion to go to waste.’” Hopefully, Arizonans who bag wild turkeys for the Thanksgiving table this year are ready to eat a lot of leftover sandwiches. 2. YOU CAN’T FRY GRAVY IN CALIFORNIA. Speaking of leftovers, in Redwood City, California, it’s illegal to fry up gravy after Thanksgiving (or any time of year). If you planned to make turkey croquettes with your leftovers, kiss those dreams goodbye. 3. FLORIDIANS CAN BE PUNISHED FOR KITCHEN DISASTERS. We’ve all experienced at least one epic food accident on Thanksgiving. Well, in Florida, that catastrophe
could end up on your record! Delish reports that it’s illegal to break more than three dishes per day in the Sunshine State. Even chipping the edge of a cup can get you in trouble if you do it more than four times in a row. 4. YOU CAN’T BUY BOOZE — OR EVEN BEER — ON THANKSGIVING IN MANY STATES. Liquor stores close for Thanksgiving every year in more than a dozen states due to local liquor laws. These include Kansas, Utah, North Dakota, Texas, Virginia, and more. In Alabama, you can’t buy spirits on Turkey Day, but you can purchase beer and wine. 5. IN NORTH CAROLINA AND MINNESOTA, THE LIGHTS MUST RUN ON TURKEY POWER. According to the University of Buffalo School of Law, both states have legislation on the books requiring utility plants to use turkey waste from farms to generate electricity. That means on Thanksgiving, turkey provides sustenance and the football on TV! As far as we could find, here in Georgia, we’re safe from the Thanksgiving loony law landmine. As long as you don’t drink and drive, you can celebrate to your heart’s content!
You can always reach Kevin directly at 404.566.8964 or Kevin@PatrickTrialLaw.com. (If you ever need it, his cellphone is 404.409.3160.)
2 • KEVINPATRICK.LAW I 404.566.5880
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