Take a look at our newsletter this month!
AUG 2018
HOT-BUTTON ISSUES
2919 Commerce Street, Suite 535, Dallas, TX 75226 | 1900 W. Illinois Avenue, Suite 101, Midland, TX 79701 www.buttonlawfirm.com | 214-888-2216
IMPROVE YOUR QUALITY OF LIFE WITH 1 CHANGE HOW TO BRIDGE THE GAP WHEN YOU LOVE YOUR JOB
This time of year is when most people take vacations. In the past, the only ocean I was diving into was my next case. Now, don’t get me wrong, I’ve always traveled a lot, but most people wouldn’t call it vacation. My vacations in the past always centered around me speaking at seminars or meetings on a case. Being in constant communication with the office meant I was simply moving my work to an off-site location. That was not allowing me to take the time away to recharge. This year, my team and I changed that. What a difference that has made! I love my job, and I don’t really ever turn off. I am always thinking about how to approach an upcoming cross-exam of a witness, preparing for a trial, or outlining case strategy ideas on our cases. Even in my off-time, I’m constantly reading books, listening to CDs, and watching DVDs to improve the law firm. Recently, though, my team gave me a wake-up call. They told me, “You need to take a vacation.” They know that I put 100 percent into my work, just like they do, because we love what we do. But I wasn’t making any time for myself, and my team noticed. Why did I make changes? I always love to find ways to achieve peak performance in all areas of my life: professionally and personally. What I discovered about myself is that the more I get away from constant distractions and take time for myself, the better I am at work. I am more creative, more focused, and much more productive. I’ve found that if I’m able to start earlier and leave work a little earlier, I enjoy my evenings more. Now I’m able to go home to read a longer book, go for an extra walk with Chuie, or cook a meal that takes a little more time. To make all this happen, I made one BIG change. I followed the advice of fellow attorney and mentor of mine in Virginia, Ben Glass. I deleted my work email from my phone! It’s crazy how much I used to look at my phone, even when I didn’t need to. Simply deleting my work email has greatly enhanced my quality of life and productivity at the office. My team always knows how to get ahold of me when necessary, and I still have my laptop and iPad with all our work programs for when I need
it. However, I can no longer check my work email while lying in bed all night. Now I’m able to completely focus on being in the moment.
It’s been so positive that I’ve been encouraging my friends and family to try it. The key to all of this is having an all-star team in place. I’ve realized that my role is not to do every little thing at the law firm, and with a team that can handle those aspects, I’m able to think through the organizational and structural aspects of my firm better. My team is not only capable but better at their jobs than I was, and I know that they can handle whatever comes their way. We are constantly training at my law firm because the more my team can take off my plate, the more time I have to do the things I’m really good at. For example, we are wrapping up three new day care consumer guides and our new car wreck book and a soon-to-be finished book for parents on day care injuries to children. Plus, my team members are great at being leaders in their roles. Our clients love the fact that they don’t have to wait for me to make decisions — most decisions on our cases have already been made in advance every Friday morning during our weekly team meetings. Now I’m taking time to read more books and pursue my passions. I’m even set to take a vacation in the fall — one that is not centered around work events! And I owe it to my team. I’m learning that time isn’t just valuable for me — it’s actually valuable for our entire firm. Taking breaks helps us all do our jobs better. Maybe you’ve encountered this struggle — how do you bridge the gap when you love your job? Is it even necessary? As reluctant as I was to admit it before, I’ve realized that I think better when I set aside time to not think about work. It’s a mindset flip, and I’m learning to make it happen for myself and for the people I work with. How do you find work-life balance? Is it something you’ve struggled with? I’d love to hear how you do it! –Russell Button 214-888-2216
Celebrating Our Most Recent Law School Grad HELIANE’S HARDWORK PAYS OFF
At The Button Law Firm, we are a hard-working, passionate bunch, and when one of our team members has the chance to pursue their dreams, we are here to cheer them on. That was the case this spring with Heliane, our law clerk at The Button Law Firm, who fulfilled her goal of graduating from law school. Heliane has dreamed of being an attorney since she was a child. At 13, she was the youngest person to join her school’s debate team — an experience that fueled her ambition to study law. When speaking about her passion for law, Heliane notes, “I’ve always seen the power in words. When you say something, it could trigger millions of other results. We just have to be on the right side and speak for the underrepresented.” After college, she jumped at opportunities to learn about the legal world, including an internship with the North Texas Tollway Association. Each experience confirmed that law school was the right step to advance her education. “I never stop learning,” Heliane says of her incredible drive. In law school, a unique opportunity in her trial advocacy class took her to Scotland, where she experienced her first jury trial at St. Andrews. There, Heliane put her skills to the test alongside other law students. The experience gave her the confidence boost she needed. In her words, “I just needed to enhance what I have. It’s about honing the skills we already have.”
Heliane had considered becoming a corporate lawyer until she was introduced to personal injury law. When she met attorney Russell Button and saw the way he helped people in the community, she knew she’d found the type of firm she wanted to work for. Russell recognized her determination and skill right away, and Heliane is “grateful and humbled by that.”
Outside of studying for the bar, Heliane is a devoted mom to her puppy, Muffin, a welcome member of The Button Law Firm team. “I usually spend most of my time when I’m not studying or working hanging out with Muffin — she’s in training too,” says Heliane. We’re grateful to have such an educated and knowledgeable team member at The Button Law Firm. Congratulations to Heliane on her huge achievement!
CLIENT TESTIMONIAL
... Continued from Page 4 My daughter is an animal enthusiast with a
tremendous patience for small animals. She has a cat, a leopard gecko, and a mouse. My son loves anything related to automobiles and airplanes. He also plays the drums and attends the School of Rock. BIND is an extension of our family. What do you have envisioned for BIND in the next five years? In five years, we will be settled into our new permanent facility and we will also have one additional location opened in a different area. Hopefully we will have two facilities in Texas. I’d love to grow our network of support and serve more brain injury survivors. Each day in Texas, 400 people are hospitalized for a newly acquired brain injury. At BIND, we are scaling to full capacity at the Plano location, but the need is everywhere. Right now, we are open five days a week with 47 Members and three full-time employees. Only three years ago we were completely volunteer-run and served 8 members one day a week. To learn more about BIND and get involved, visit thebind.org.
“Russell Button and his team are awesome. From the moment I met Russell, he made sure that I was okay and put me first as a client. He and his team are awesome at responding to you in a very timely manner. His knowledge of the law made everything so easy from start to finish. Russell himself called me at every step in my case, explaining every single thing I needed to understand while being so patient with me. Russell knew every step to take to get my case resolved in a timely manner. He even gave me advice on some other legal issues and directed me to whom I needed. Most people don’t help you if it’s not putting money in their pockets. Russell Button is a great attorney and a great person. You will not be disappointed in having Russell and his team assist you in your time of need. Thanks so much to Russell and his team.” –Shawn HEAR WHAT OUR CLIENTS ARE SAYING
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100 PERCENT PREVENTABLE
LEA ING KIDS IN THE CAR IS UNACCEPTABLE
• Multiple employees at the day care for checking that they come out of the van and into the day care as well as personnel checking the van area after all kids are inside. • Have accountability to ensure that all kids are protected and safe. • Enforcement when the action items are not done or done improperly. Allowing bad conduct to take place will allow it to happen again. WHAT CAN YOU DO? Report abuse, including children being left in vans. If you see abuse happening at a Texas day care facility, don’t let them get away with it. Report the situation at www.dfps.state.tx.us by clicking on the ‘Report Abuse’ button. You can also follow the steps laid out in our guide at www.buttonlawfirm.com/reports. It can make a world of difference. HOW CAN THE BUTTON LAW FIRM HELP? Since our firm primarily focuses on day care injury cases, we have been able to create the perfect toolkit for working parents who want to learn more about day care safety. Any parents who have young kids or are expecting can request our FREE box of information on day care safety. You may not need a lawyer, but this information will help you make great decisions for your family. We even cover the cost of shipping. You can call us at 214-888-2216 or email us at office@buttonlawfirm.com to request our day care toolkit.
What we have seen recently is a horrifying trend perpetrated by Texas day care centers: Our children are being left in vans alone when they should be under the supervision of a day care center employee. This should never happen under any circumstance, as a child could be seriously harmed in a variety of ways, especially when the weather is hot. Being left in a car can result in heat stroke, anxiety attacks, and even death. The potential for harm is way too high, and these facilities are putting our kids at risk in a situation that is completely preventable. WHY IS THIS HAPPENING? There are a number of reasons kids may be left in a day care van, but the main reason is that no system is in place to track the kids and ensure that the van is locked after being cleared to prevent re-entry into the van. The safety of the children under their care is not guaranteed. WHAT SHOULD WE EXPECT DAY CARE CENTERS TO DO? At a minimum, we expect day care centers to have the following measures in place to keep kids safe: • A system in place to ensure that all kids are safe and accounted for and that the van is checked and locked. • Documentation with a roster of kids in the van to check off as they are accounted for exiting the van and entering the day care.
MEMES
SUMMER GRILLED HALIBUT
If you’re tired of grilling hamburgers at this point in the summer, try using your grill for something a little different. This easy halibut recipe is a great change of pace.
INGREDIENTS
• 1/2 cup hearts of palm, drained • Basil leaves, for garnish • Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
• 4 boneless, skinless halibut fillets, about 5 ounces each • 1/4 cup olive oil, plus extra for drizzling • 1 lemon • 2 pounds mixed tomatoes, sliced
DIRECTIONS
1. Lightly oil grill grates and heat grill to medium. 2. Grate 1 teaspoon lemon zest onto halibut fillets. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. 3. Grill halibut, turning just once, for about 5 minutes on each side. 4. In a mixing bowl, combine tomatoes, hearts of palm, juice from lemon, and oil. Season with salt and pepper. 5. Garnish salad with basil. Spoon salad over grilled halibut. Serve.
214-888-2216 Inspired by Bon Appetit magazine.
2919 Commerce Street Suite 535 Dallas, TX 75226
PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411
www.buttonlawfirm.com | 214-888-2216
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
1 2 2 3
1 Big Change I Made to Improve My Life
Meet Our Amazing Team
Hear From Our Clients
The 100 Percent Preventable Failure of Texas Day Care Centers
3 3 4
Have a Laugh
Summer Grilled Halibut
Community Spotlight on BIND
WHAT BINDS US TOGETHER
VALERIE SHARES HER PASSION FOR HELPING OTHERS The “wow” moment came when I realized that during the other days of the month, they were isolated. Many were depressed and confined to their homes. The only place they felt safe was at my group. I had many clients who needed extra support, and I was frustrated there wasn’t a place I could refer them. When you’re confronted with a gap in the community, you’re so inspired to create a solution that you’re going to work until you make it happen. What’s been your favorite moment? The day we opened, everything about BIND felt real. We pulled together the resources and had people who wanted to see this work, not for themselves, but for others. We designated our core values on that day: Service, Quality, Respect,
Valerie is the founder of the Brain Injury
Network of Dallas (BIND), a nonprofit that serves the DFW area. After graduating from UNT Denton with a Master’s Degree in Speech Language
Pathology, Valerie was leading support groups when she noticed a gap in the social services that were available to adults with brain injuries. She decided to do something about it. From there, BIND was born. Our firm has a special connection to the organization — Attorney Russell Button serves as the vice president for the board of directors for BIND. Valerie is grateful to have him on board. “He’s fantastic!” she says. “He is intelligent and witty and always available when I reach out. He is very compassionate in everything he does. This shows in what he does with BIND.” Last month, we sat down with Valerie to learn more about her and her life-changing organization. How did BIND start? The starting point was when the people who came to my monthly support group kept telling me how much the group meant to them and that it was the highlight of their month.
Teamwork, and Determination. We still follow these values today and constantly survey our members to be sure we are holding true to them. Tell us about your family. I’ve been married for 16 years, and we have two kids. My husband is a graphic designer. He works in the gaming industry! Our daughter is 9, and my son is 7. Both have birthdays in August! (Happy birthday!)
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