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THE SLG ADVISOR
SEPT 2023
SPADA LAW GROUP’S 25TH ANNIVERSARY! The History of Spada Law Group
Twenty-five years is a long time. You can watch the world change right before your eyes within any 25-year span. Then, we didn’t have smartphones, tablets, or many of the other technological advancements that have made our lives easier. And 25 years before that, the world looked even more different. Still don’t think 25 years sounds like a long time? To celebrate our 25th anniversary, join me as I reflect on two and a half decades to the very beginning of Spada Law Group. Back in 1997, I was working for a large law firm in Boston when I met Vin Zullo in federal court. Vin and I grew up in the same neighborhood and had heard of each other, but never actually met before this point. Vin started his own law firm in 1994, almost immediately after graduating from law school. The two of us became fast friends, regularly bouncing legal questions off one another. Vin and I both welcomed our first children, both sons, in 1997 and early 1998, which strengthened our bond even more. With my courtroom experience and Vin’s ability to attract clients, we knew we would make a strong team.
It wasn’t until August 1998 that I finally took Vin up on his offer to become
a partner. Thus, Spada & Zullo, LLP was born! We started out in a tiny office in Revere before moving to a larger space in Chelsea. At this point, our firm handled a wide variety of cases, from criminal and real estate to divorce and personal injury. I took care of the criminal and personal injury courtroom work, while Vin handled everything outside of the courtroom. We were a great team! Life continued to move at a rapid speed. Within two years of opening our practice, we had already outgrown our rented space and decided to purchase an office condo in Chelsea. We quickly outgrew this spot and had to buy the adjacent property. This was also when we started to hire staff to assist us with our growing practice. Everything went as smoothly as it possibly could for the next decade and a half. We focused our practice to exclusively handling personal injury cases and we were doing well. And then everything changed in June 2016. At 8:30 in the morning on June 13, I received a call that broke my heart. Vin, my longtime friend and partner, had passed away unexpectedly at home. He was only 53. We had shared so much together through the years. Everyone was devastated, and I didn’t know what to do. To make matters even more stressful, two weeks after Vin passed, I was diagnosed with cancer. Safe to say, the team at Spada & Zullo, LLP thought
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America’s Banana King
Meet T OUR DEDICATED AND
At Spada Law Group, we’re committed to hiring the best possible candidates for our team. We want people who are compassionate, understanding, and willing to go the extra mile to help our clients with whatever they may need. Whenever you interact with a member of our staff, we want to leave you feeling confident that you’re placing your trust in the right place. This past June, we brought Tony Ramos onto our team as a new Case Manager. A few years back, Tony was managing a chiropractic office in Florida when he felt like he needed an industry
The Remarkable Journey of Sam Zemurray
Many of us grew up hearing stories from our relatives and family friends about their journeys to America. They grew up living difficult lives in faraway places, dreaming of coming to America, the land of opportunity, where they could accomplish anything they set their minds to. Their stories are often fascinating and inspirational. I recently read a book that focused on a lesser-known entrepreneur with one of the greatest rags-to-riches stories I’ve ever heard. “The Fish That Ate the Whale: The Life and Times of America’s Banana King” tells the story of Sam Zemurray, a man who emigrated from Russia to Selma, Alabama, in 1891. At that time in history, many Americans considered bananas a delicacy, and their popularity was growing quickly. As a teenager, Zemurray wanted to get into the banana trade. So, he went to Mobile, Alabama, bought cheap bananas that were in danger of becoming overripe, and sold them along a rail line. Zemurray started with only $150 to his name, but by the time he turned 21, he had saved over $100,000. Zemurray wasn’t ready to stop; this was only the beginning of his banana empire. He went on to start his own fruit company (the Cuyamel Fruit Company), bought 5,000 acres of land in Honduras to grow his bananas, and even played a role in the overthrowing of Honduras’ president at the time to get better tax rates. Zemurray participated in every aspect of his business, even helping harvest his crop alongside his field workers. Eventually, Zemurray sold his company to United Fruit, but he quickly grew tired of how they operated the business. During the Great Depression, he became the majority shareholder of United Fruit, took over the company, and successfully ran it for a couple of decades. “The Fish That Ate the Whale” is a fascinating book I highly recommend to anyone who enjoys nonfiction or is looking for entrepreneurial inspiration. You’ll learn many lessons about dealing with adversity, managing a business, and maintaining personal responsibility. You’ll think back on this story long after you’ve finished reading the final page.
change. He was already familiar with personal injury law from a medical standpoint and began to research the legal industry with help from his brother. Tony felt he would really enjoy
working with lawyers, so he took a leap of faith and began working as a case manager at a personal injury firm in Aventura, Florida. As the legal landscape in Florida changed, Tony decided he
Review of the Month
“Len and his team have a great reputation, so they were the first ones I went to after my car was totaled in an accident. Not only did I get more than expected for my car, but also the genuine care and professionalism that the entire team showed throughout left me without any doubts that I was in good hands. Joan recommended a physical therapist who would work with my insurance and kept me in the loop with any progress on my case. I would definitely recommend Spada Law to anyone looking to be treated as more than just a case number on a legal file. This team cares about their community members, and it shows in their results.” –Christina R.
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Tony Ramos COMPASSIONATE CASE MANAGER
wanted to move somewhere else. Being away from his family became difficult, so he moved back to the Boston area, where he found Spada Law. All it took was one phone call with Len, and everyone knew this was going to be a perfect fit for all involved parties. Although he’s only been with us for a few months, Tony is already impressing us with his ability to turn any negative into a positive. He actively listens to our clients and tries to help them however he can. He’s always willing to go above and beyond to ensure our clients are taken care of and happy. Outside of work, Tony puts his mental and physical health first. He loves to stay active, and you can regularly find him working out, playing basketball, or hiking through the wilderness. He also enjoys music production and traveling whenever he can get away for a weekend.
We’ve greatly enjoyed the first few months with Tony on the team and know that he has a bright future ahead of him!
INGREDIENTS • 2 6-oz boneless, skinless chicken breast halves • 1/4 tsp salt Honey- Pecan Chicken Breasts Inspired by TasteOfHome.com
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder • 1/8 tsp black pepper • 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tbsp butter • 3 tbsp honey • 2 tbsp finely chopped pecans DIRECTIONS 1. Pound chicken with a meat mallet to 1/2-inch thickness. Sprinkle with salt, garlic powder, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. 2. In a large nonstick skillet, heat butter over medium heat; brown chicken on both sides. Cook covered until chicken is no longer pink, about 6–8 minutes, turning once. 3. Drizzle with honey and sprinkle with pecans. Cook covered until chicken is glazed, about 2–3 minutes.
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the journey was over, and the few employees we had started to update their resumes. However, we did not quit. I had surgery July and was back to work, fully recovered by August. Due to regulations in Massachusetts, I had to reorganize the firm and change our name. We’ve been known as Spada Law Group, LLC since then! Life continued once we stabilized from the shock of Vin’s death. It took a few years to get back on our feet as I learned to run the firm without the help of my dear friend and partner. Eventually, we focused not on survival, but growth.
I can say with much pride that we have assembled an amazing team of younger professionals and seasoned experts. We currently have a team of 13 and are preparing to hire another as this newsletter goes to print. Yes, we have almost tripled our impact in seven years. That blows my mind, and I am so very grateful that we are able to help more and more people each year. So here’s to 25 more years of helping our clients get the results they deserve!
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617.889.5000 | SPADALAWGROUP.COM
111 Everett Ave., #1F Chelsea, MA 02150 INSIDE Explore Spada Law Group’s Humble Beginnings
‘The Fish That Ate the Whale’
Get to Know Spada Law’s Newest Case Manager
Testimonial
Honey-Pecan Chicken Breasts
Money-Saving Hacks for Your Fall Garden
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Grow a Thriving Garden While Saving Money BE SURE TO FOLLOW THESE STEPS!
Step 2: Add sticks and small logs. Similar to cardboard, adding sticks and logs will prevent weeds and other invasive plants from growing in your garden. And these limbs and twigs will provide much-needed bulk, minimizing the amount of soil needed to fill your containers. Step 3: Sprinkle grass clippings and shredded leaves. Nitrogen and carbon are essential to any garden because plants need nutrients to grow. While you can purchase nitrogen fertilizer at the store, recycling grass clippings and shredded leaves is a cheaper and environmentally friendly alternative. You can also toss food scraps on this layer for additional nutrients! Step 4: Top with soil and compost. Finally, you can begin adding your soil. Because the bed is
While it may be the fall season now, the temperature is still warm enough to encourage root growth for a garden! During the fall, you can plant blueberries, broccoli, garlic, radishes, spinach, lettuce, and several flowers such as asters, calendulas, and cosmos. However, planting can become expensive, especially if you have large metal raised beds for your garden. It may take several bags of soil to fill your garden bed, which can quickly put a dent in your wallet. Is there anything you can do to save money? Yes! Follow these four steps and watch your garden — and greenbacks — flourish. Step 1: Lay down cardboard. After setting up your raised garden bed, add a layer of cardboard (any type of cardboard will do) to the bottom of it. This layer will prevent
filled with other materials, you won’t need as much! After applying a good amount of soil, you can add compost to the mix if desired. Once everything is to your liking and your beds are full of soil and nutrients, you’re ready to plant. Happy harvesting, everyone!
weeds from the dirt underneath the cardboard from sprouting and growing in the soil you will add later.
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