Check out our November newsletter!
AttorneyRobertJames.com 404.891.0977
November 2025
The Women Who Made Sure I Never Stood Alone
Some people in life leave an incredible impression on you. They shape you, cheer you on, and push you to be more than you thought possible. November reminds me of two of those people, the two women who’ve meant the most to me: my mother and my wife. And yes, they both have birthdays in November, which somehow feels fitting because they have brought so much light, guidance, and strength into my world. My mom’s birthday is Nov. 21, and she’s the one who started it all. She gave me life, but more than that, she gave me the foundation and lessons on how to love, be kind, and see value in myself even when the world around me might not. My father taught me to be strong, tough, and to hold my own,
but my mom taught me to be gentle. And let me tell you, gentleness is a superpower. She was the first person who gave me confidence, not just in my abilities as an athlete, which wasn’t her concern, but in my worth as a human being. She made me believe I could truly be anything I wanted to be, even when others doubted me. She didn’t just say it. She made me feel it. She got me to the starting line of life and launched me through the first phase until I moved out. Even now, she’s still a close confidant; we talk often, and she continues to be a guiding voice in my life. That foundation and support are something I carry with me every day. Then there’s my wife, Karria, and her birthday is Nov. 2. She picked up where my mother left off, and everything people see me accomplish, everything they call remarkable, is largely because of her. She’s my partner, secret weapon, and strongest asset. When we went to networking events early in my career, people loved and remembered her. She talked to everyone, not just to be polite, but to genuinely connect. That skill and authenticity opened doors for me in ways I couldn’t have imagined. And it didn’t stop there. When I transitioned out of public office, she supported me every step of the way while I found a new identity. She even left her own thriving psychotherapy practice to run
our business with me, which is something I never asked her to do, but she wanted to because she saw the opportunity, partnership, and potential. And that decision was transformative! Together, we built a firm from the ground up. It started with just the two of us, and now it’s grown to 20 people, generating seven-figure revenue. None of that would exist without her. Her people skills, organizational prowess, and ability to manage, mentor, and lead are phenomenal. She runs circles around me in ways I am endlessly grateful for. Karria even managed my campaign for DA while we were planning our wedding. That kind of commitment and belief in me is rare. It’s why I’m standing here today, able to do what I do. And it’s why November is such a special month in our house. It celebrates the women who laid it all on the line and used their gifts to lift me up: my mother, who started it all, and my wife, who continues to build on that foundation every day. So, when people see our firm and me in the spotlight, they should really be thinking of them: Barbara James, my mother, and Karria James, my wife. November isn’t just another month. November is a celebration of the people who made me who I am. And I thank God for both of them every single day.
–Robert D. James
AttorneyRobertJames.com | 1
Published by Newsletter Pro • newsletterpro.com
Before Smartphones, There Was Water
GETTING OUT OF BED LONG BEFORE THE SNOOZE BUTTON
Members of Generation Z may find it difficult to believe that people used plug-in alarm clocks to help them get up on time in the morning. However, that seemingly archaic means of timekeeping has nothing on how people managed wake-up time before cellphones and even electricity, as we use it today, became staples of daily life. In the 4th century BCE, the Greek philosopher Plato created a method to ensure students at his academy, which once counted Aristotle among its pupils, woke up at the correct time each day. To perfect a foolproof system, he turned to a surprising tool: water. He constructed a set of clocks that operated using two basins. One basin would slowly empty into the other throughout the night; when the second basin was full, rattling pebbles or whistling air awakened students from their slumber. Known as klepsydra (or “water thief”) clocks, these timekeepers were astonishingly accurate. About a century later, Greek inventor Ctesibius of Alexandria expanded on Plato’s design by incorporating mechanics that produced sounds not unlike those of the more modern cuckoo clock. Ctesibius’s version remained popular until the pendulum clock emerged in the 1650s.
Although Plato often gets credit for creating aquatic- based alarms, some variation of the klepsydra concept allegedly dates back to at least the 16th century BCE. Archaeologists uncovered a tomb inscription detailing how an Egyptian
court official of the era devised a similar system. Regardless of its definitive inventor, the water clock roused people long before phone apps, proving that nature often provides solutions to problems centuries before human technology catches up.
While the water clock was undoubtedly an imaginative masterstroke, it is still reasonable to argue that the “snooze” button remains the most critical time-related creation known to man.
Ice Cream in Your Pocket?
YOU CAN’T EVEN MAKE UP THESE STRANGE FOOD RULES
Finger-Licking Fun … or Else!
When it comes to state laws about food, specific provisions on the books from past years may leave a funny taste in your mouth, and potentially get you in a heap of trouble if you break them. This fact is especially true in parts of the South, where your lunch order may need to come with a side of legal advice. Cones and Captured Horses If you want to stay on the good side of law enforcement in Alabama, always remember that ice cream cones are for licking, not sticking in your back pocket. While it’s pretty safe to assume the thought of engaging in the latter activity hasn’t crossed a single mind in 2025, there was a time when horse thieves would stick ice cream in their pockets to attract equine abductees. Considering that we rarely share the highway with horses these days and most people would prefer not to turn the seat of their pants into a sundae, it’s a safe bet this charge won’t fill up courtrooms for the foreseeable future.
On the subject of making a mess with food items, eating chicken with your hands can be a sticky thrill, and is the only way to partake in poultry eating
without running a-fowl of the law in Gainesville, Georgia. If you want to enjoy tasty chicken in that city, stock up on wet wipes and skip the knife and fork, as eating it with utensils is a crime. Although the ordinance banning knives
and forks when consuming chicken was meant as a joke
by the local police department, chucking the rule may draw some disapproving clucks when dining in the place affectionately known by locals and city officials as “the Poultry
Capital of the World,” especially during its renowned Spring Chicken Festival. Perhaps only a good lawyer can help determine whether
the law also applies to vegan “chik’n” options.
2 | 404.891.0977
Published by Newsletter Pro • newsletterpro.com
Dividing Homes, Not Hearts
TAKE A BREAK
Co-Parent Like a Pro After Separation
Divorce or separation is often stressful, but it should never be used to draw battle lines for your children. Dissolving a marriage or partnership can be as logistically challenging as it is emotionally draining, especially when developing a positive and effective co-parenting situation. Here are a few suggestions for creating and sustaining clear communication and responsibilities when you and your former spouse/partner no longer live or parent under the same roof. The Key Steps Toward Stability First and foremost, all co-parenting arrangements need a consistent plan for success. A written co-parenting plan should include the custody agreement, travel and/or relocation considerations, financial responsibilities for both parties, schedules (e.g., school pick-up/drop-off times and who is responsible for fulfilling these commitments), and details regarding the child’s education and health care needs. A document of this nature helps solidify both parties’ involvement and holds each accountable for what they’ve agreed to do on the child’s behalf. Additionally, it helps prevent disagreements or misunderstandings that could lead to arguing in front of the child/children, a scenario to avoid as much as possible. While a divorce may present logistical obstacles for one or both parents, it is critical to work toward maintaining the child’s existing friendships and activities, even if they require spending more time with one spouse over the other. For example, if your child’s best friend lives closer to your ex-spouse, accommodating the continuation of this close relationship will help your child maintain a sense of normalcy. The Risks of Reticent Relationships When the end of a marriage or relationship results in a breakdown in communication or cooperation, these fractured ties can have a potentially devastating impact on your child. Common effects of unhealthy co-parenting on children include reduced performance at school, lowered self-esteem, and difficulties in maintaining healthy relationships with others. If communication has devolved into acrimony or has resulted in either side failing to fulfill their parental duties, seeking counseling from a trained professional is one way to help steer the ship in the best possible direction for your child’s health and peace of mind.
SLOW COOKER BRISKET
Ingredients
• 1 (1-oz) envelope onion soup mix • 1 tbsp brown sugar • 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt • 1/2 tsp ground black pepper • 1 3-lb piece of beef brisket (flat cut)
• 1 lb carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces • 1 lb baby golden potatoes • 3 celery stalks, cut into 1-inch pieces • 1 large sweet onion, cut into 8 wedges • 2 1/2 cups beef stock • 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce • 2 tbsp cornstarch
• 8 fresh thyme sprigs • 8 whole garlic cloves • 2 bay leaves
Directions 1. In a small bowl, combine soup mix, sugar, salt, and pepper. Sprinkle over brisket. 2. Place meat, fat cap side down, into an 8-qt slow cooker. 3. Top brisket with thyme, garlic, bay leaves, carrots, potatoes, celery, and onion. 4. Whisk stock, Worcestershire sauce, and cornstarch until fully dissolved. Add to slow cooker. 5. Cover and cook on high for 5–6 hours until tender. 6. Remove to a cutting board, fat side up. Remove thyme and bay leaves. 7. Thinly slice brisket against the grain. 8. Serve with vegetables, drizzled with gravy from the slow cooker.
Inspired by ThePioneerWoman.com
AttorneyRobertJames.com | 3
Published by Newsletter Pro • newsletterpro.com
PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411
404.891.0977 AttorneyRobertJames.com 233 Peachtree St. NE Suite 1200 Atlanta, GA 30303 INSIDE THIS ISSUE
1
Behind Every Accomplishment Are the Women Who Made It Possible
2
What Snooze Button? The Ingenious Ways People Used to Wake Up
Who Knew Eating Could Get You in Legal Trouble?
Slow Cooker Brisket
3
Divorce Isn’t Easy, but Co-Parenting Can Be
The Chocolate Event That Had Kids Crying, Not Smiling
4
When AI Marketing Goes Horribly Wrong Willy’s Ruined Chocolate Experience
Never fail to deliver on a promise of chocolate to children.
(in some instances) a single jellybean served in what appeared to be an abandoned warehouse. The scenery was cheap, while the actors struggled to perform through hastily provided scripts. One character, The Unknown, was a masked and frighteningly attired figure that prompted youngsters to recoil and cry in fear. Perhaps most disturbingly, there was no chocolate to be found. Naturally, people called the police amid demands for refunds, and the lackluster affair was shut down. Subsequent revelations that creators used AI to generate the online marketing images and that the $44 event was not an officially sanctioned “Wonka” undertaking also brought into question House of Illuminati owner Billy Coull’s background, including his history of publishing AI-generated books on conspiracy theories and taboo subjects. Although Coull’s fraudulent and exploitative marketing scheme was reprehensible, it’s far from his worst transgression. Around the time House of Illuminati was shuttered in late 2024, he was forced to register as a sex offender after it was revealed he had followed up his “Willy’s Chocolate Experience” fiasco by sending unwanted explicit messages and images to an unidentified woman.
House of Illuminati, a London-based event company, learned this lesson the hard way when it hosted what angry parents and disappointed kids in Glasgow considered one of the biggest scams in children’s entertainment history. The disastrous day went from offering scant amounts of lemonade and jellybeans to prompting cries of terror and calls to Scottish police, and artificial intelligence was at least partially to blame. In early 2024, social media feeds in the U.K. were abuzz with vibrant images promoting “Willy’s Chocolate Experience,” an immersive event boasting chocolate fountains, costumed characters, and “a day of pure imagination and wonder.” Naturally, people assumed the event was a tie-in with the then-recently released film “Wonka” and a nod to the imaginary world created by the classic 1971 movie “Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory.” Unfortunately, what attendees experienced when “Willy’s Chocolate Experience” arrived that February was far from a fairy tale. Instead of rivers of sweets, they were treated to half-filled cups of lemonade and
4 | 404.891.0977
Published by Newsletter Pro • newsletterpro.com
Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4Made with FlippingBook Ebook Creator