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INSIDE THIS ISSUE
1
The Fine Art of Keeping a Law Firm Humming
2
Family Road Trip Hacks You’ll Love
2
A Silent Threat: Distracted Driving Claims Lives Every Day
3
Guarding Against Dog Bite Injuries
3
Hearty Gnocchi Soup
4
Alex Remembers Trying, Failing, and Learning About Cars
The Issues We Face
Fast forward two years, and that same persuasive skill led to my acquiring a car that changed my life forever — a 1995 Nissan 240SX. That was one special car. It had a swapped engine called a SR20DET, and it was quick! But I wanted more. I spent the better part of a year swapping in a Toyota 1JZ engine. I was one of the earliest to complete this engine swap in the United States. It was an inline-6 and created over 500 horsepower. I taught myself everything. I turned every bolt. I tried, failed, and kept learning. I did hours and hours of research. I learned everything there was to know about this particular engine. The result was incredible. It was a product of late nights and the relentless pursuit of building something special. I was actively competing in this car in a Pro Amateur Formula Drift circuit — a type of drifting where competitors purposefully power slide their cars around a designated course.
During an event, I would use roughly 14–20 tires. I competed in this car all over the country, experiencing the perfect mix of adrenaline and precision driving. I cold-called and cold-emailed businesses for potential sponsorships. I did all the maintenance and upkeep on the car. I fine-tuned the car’s suspension and engine control computer for peak performance. Bottom line: I was obsessed. That car taught me so much. It taught me the value of dedication. It taught me the value of the pursuit of information. Most of all, it taught me courage. My toolset has expanded quite a bit since those early days. My love of automobiles translates almost daily into skills I use in my work as a personal injury lawyer. I love learning about the physics of car crash reconstruction and the nuts and bolts of the how and why of each crash. While I do not get to work on a project car much these days, I know the day will come when another fun project car will hit my driveway.
Last month, I wrote about our firm’s in- house crash data retrieval system. The idea dawned on me from my obsession over automotive tools — an obsession that started with my love of cars as a kid. My dad used to take my brother and me to the auto show every year. We tried to collect posters from everywhere. When I was in high school, I convinced my parents to let me buy a project car — a non-running 1980s BMW 5-Series. I loved German cars! With a cheap tool set and a pursuit of learning, I got it running. Alex on His Relentless Pursuit of Building Something Special
Practicing in Missouri and Illinois
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