Will You Read With Us? 5 NEW BOOKS TO CHECK OUT, AND A WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH READATHON
kick your bad habits, and form new ones, this book is for you. In it, Clear explains how small changes can make a big difference in our lives and set us up for success. ‘Bear Town’ by Fredrik Backman This book follows a small-town hockey team, but it’s more about the community than sports. We won’t give too much away, but it’s fascinating to see how the characters deal with a controversial event that could change their town forever. ‘The Paris Architect’ by Charles Belfoure This is a compelling story about an architect living in Paris during World War II who designs hiding places for Jewish people fleeing the city. At first, the architect is motivated by financial gain, but as the story unfolds, he has a change of heart. ‘Just Mercy’ by Bryan Stevenson Even if you’ve seen the “Just Mercy’’ movie, you should still pick up the book. By talking about his experiences defending juveniles and people on death row, Stevenson reveals the racism in our prisons and legal system. This is a must-read for anyone with a connection to the court system, lawyers, or police — including you!
A few days ago, our team discovered a lucky coincidence: Read Across America Day and Women’s History Month both fall in March! To celebrate, the women in our office are taking turns sharing books by women authors all month. We’ll pick a different book every Saturday and post about it on our Instagram. Follow @OCLawNY to find your next big read! In the meantime, if you want to get yourself in the reading mood, check out these five books recommended by O’Connor Law founder, Mary Ellen. Only one of them is by a woman author, but they’re all worth your time.
‘The Great Alone’ by Hannah Kristin This sad but beautiful book is set in Alaska and explores the impact that PTSD has on a Vietnam veteran and his family. It’s a great reminder that as a society, we need to find better ways to support our military and their loved ones.
‘Atomic Habits’ by James Clear If you want to learn how to be more productive,
3 Ways to Help Your Legal Case Move Faster (And 3 Ways to Mess It Up)
Every legal case proceeds at its own pace. The Myra Clark Gaines litigation — a fight over an inheritance that began in 1834 — famously lasted 55 years. Even simple car accident cases often take more than a year to resolve. Frustration during the legal process is normal, but if you’re feeling it, there are a few things you can do to help your lawyers move things along: • Respond to communication quickly. • Share all of the details about your case. • Keep your emotions in check. This might seem like common sense, but you’d be surprised by how quickly ignoring these three items can send your case off the rails. Be Quick to Click When your attorney emails or calls you, it’s vital to answer as soon as you can. Some steps of the legal process are time-
to continue prodding you for information, and it could also save your case! Your lawyer won’t be able to defend you well unless they have all of the relevant information. Plus, if opposing counsel discovers something you’ve been hiding, your case may fall apart. Tamp Down Your Temper Court cases can get emotional, especially if something like child custody is at stake. Even so, if you have to appear in court it’s vital you keep your emotions in check and listen to your attorney’s advice about what to say and do. If you lose your temper or disrupt the court process, the judge could hold you in contempt of court — potentially triggering a fine or even jail time. This will certainly derail your case’s timeline. For proof, consider a defendant in a burglary case, Manson Bryant, who was sentenced to 22 years in prison. When he heard the verdict, Bryant started shouting at the judge — who added six more years to his sentence on the spot.
sensitive, and if you ignore your attorney or wait hours or days before responding to them, you could miss a crucial window. Your lawyer might even walk away from your case, like the attorney in the 2002 Garden v. Garden case who withdrew when his client stopped responding. That said, it’s vital not to overcommunicate with your lawyer either. Always respond when they reach out, but don’t flood their inbox with emails or load their voicemail with messages. Clogging their information channels will just slow down their work, and it might end up costing you. Your attorney’s billable hours may include time taken to respond to emails.
Don’t Hide the Details Some facts of your case could be
embarrassing or hard to talk about, but the best way to keep things moving is to share everything with your lawyer upfront. This will save time because your lawyer won’t have
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