CaseBarnettLaw.com
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FEBRUARY 2019
WHO HAS MY BACK? WHY I LOVE MY TEAM
Katie McConnell, Litigation Paralegal One of the things I really love about Katie is that she’s a self-starter. You can always count on her to get the job done. She’s very smart and knows how to figure out any problem that comes her way. With her support, we’re able to keep our clients happy.
There are a lot of things you have to worry about when you run your own practice. They don’t exactly teach you how to be a business owner in law school. Fortunately, the one thing I don’t have to worry about is whether or not my clients are getting taken care of; my office is home to the best team in the business. I’ve talked about how much I love my staff in the past, but this month, I want to shine the spotlight on each of them. They deserve the recognition, because they all bring something crucial that helps us better care for our clients.
Alejandra Elizalde, Client Care Specialist Even attorneys that come highly recommended start out as strangers. It’s not uncommon for new clients to be nervous when they first walk into the office. This is why I love the fact that we have Alejandra here to take care of them. She gives each client the attention they need to teach them what our firm is all about and help them feel less nervous about their situation.
Josiah Bournes, Trial Attorney Before joining our firm, Josiah worked as a federal
prosecutor and a public defender. I love Josiah’s passion for the law and his bravery in throwing himself into a new area after 10 years. It takes a lot of guts to make such a big career change. With his experience in prosecuting bad guys, I’m glad we have him on our team to prosecute bad insurance companies.
Nicole Barnett, Director of Operations If you have read even just one previous edition of this newsletter, you’ll know I have gone on and on about what I love about Nicole. She’s the straw that stirs the drink of my life. In relation to the firm, the fact that Nicole cares so deeply is the reason our clients are able to get the
Jessica Johnston, Trial Attorney I love Jessica’s willingness to punch someone in the nose when necessary — but to do it in the sweetest way possible. Jessica is one of the happiest, smiley people I have ever met, but you don’t cross her. She’s always going to stand up for her clients and herself. For example, when
best service. Nicole has worked hard to put a system in place that ensures all clients are treated equally. It’s not about case value; if you’re our client, you’re going to get love.
male attorneys try to mansplain things to her, she doesn’t hesitate to call them out, even in the middle of a deposition. It’s awesome, and they don’t know how to react.
I am grateful to come into the office each day and see people I love working with. It’s not easy to find like-minded people who share your values. But
when you put in the time to find the right people — the kind of people who want to work hard, who believe in the process, and who have the same moral compass — then it makes a huge difference.
Chi Darling, Trial Attorney Like Nicole, Chi is a Virgo, which is a zodiac I need in my life. I love Chi’s attention to detail and her incredible organization. She always knows exactly what’s going on in her cases and where she needs to focus the most attention both in her work and when fighting for our clients.
–Case Barnett
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CREATE A CULTURE OF LOVE IN YOUR COMPANY
2 Tactics That Will Create Loyal Employees
Company growth is the top priority for many entrepreneurs. If a business stagnates, it will eventually fail. However, when leaders focus solely on finding the best ways to reach new customers, they often overlook an integral part of running a cohesive company. While an operational-minded approach will do wonders for the efficiency of your business, behind every company’s success are the employees who made it possible. That’s why this Valentine’s Day is the perfect time to create a culture of love in your company. One of the best things you can do is invest in what matters most to your employees: their families. A familiar problem for many business owners is that their families can fall by the wayside amid the complications of running an organization. Your employees can also face this struggle. The chaos of trying to raise children while balancing a career and a personal life is a significant stressor. As the leader of your company, you can help ease these burdens. A date night for an anniversary, spontaneous time off, or even added vacation time are all simple gestures that go a long way to create a company culture where your employees feel loved. FAMILY
AUTONOMY
A dangerous pitfall for many entrepreneurs is developing a detachment between their own work life and the work lives of their team members. During the growth of the business, owners can fall into the age-old employee-boss mindset, and that hierarchy often creates a rigid environment. The moment an employee starts to look at their manager as a boss is also when they start to see their work as a job rather than a career they’re excited about. Trust and autonomy are essential to developing a productive professional relationship, and offering your employees remote work, flexible schedules, and the freedom to take control of their workdays are great ways to establish reciprocal relationships and foster entrepreneurial mindsets.
Try some of these tactics at your company this February to create a culture of love where your employees and customers thrive.
OUR CLIENTS SAY IT BEST “Case gives attorneys a good name. He helped me out with my car accident lawsuit. He called me before we met in person to give me some information and to let me know what to expect at our first meeting. When I came into his office, I was greeted and given a welcome packet that had a ton of helpful information. After our first meeting, his team was in constant contact with me, giving me updates and walking me through the process. The paralegals and other attorneys were supportive and always let me know what to expect. They were so on top of things that my case settled for the policy limits in less than six months. Thanks to Case and everyone at Case Barnett Law!” –Judy B.
This publication is intended to educate the general public about personal injury and elder abuse. It is not intended to be legal advice. Every case is different.
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SHARE THE LOVE We’re Celebrating Our Referral Partners
Another case was referred to us by a fellow personal injury attorney who needed help trying his case. Sometimes we are brought in at the end of a legal matter, when it is evident that the case won’t settle and it needs to go to trial. We love
There’s nothing we enjoy more than being able to help someone in need. Our practice exists to serve people who are in trouble, who are hurting, and don’t know who to turn to. Of the numerous cases we were able to take care of last year, many of them came from our referral partner attorneys. In 2018, we had the pleasure of having cases referred to us from 50 different attorneys. Our partner attorneys work in a variety of areas, including criminal defense, divorce, insurance defense, wills and trusts, and personal injury. Each time we got the call, we were delighted to try their cases for them. As a thank- you for sending cases our way, we were able to send these attorneys a check for their referral fees once the case was over. The process of earning referral fees is simple. All these attorneys need to do is send a case our way, and they will be paid a referral fee as soon as the case settles. Last year alone, we paid these attorneys who referred us cases almost $500,000 in referral fees. One of these cases came from a wills-and-trust attorney who ended up with a nursing home abuse case on their desk. Because we have experience in this area, they sent the case to us. We were able to get the client the justice they deserved, and we sent the attorney a $60,000 check when it was over.
trials! Sometimes, though, it’s better for us to be involved earlier in the case so that we can ensure that it is properly set up for trial, should that day come. In addition to sending our partner attorneys referral fees after closing a case, we are also glad to have reliable attorneys to refer out cases in areas we don’t handle. We get a ton of calls for cases that are not related to personal injury. The first people we send these clients to are the partner attorneys —who have also referred cases to us. It’s reassuring to know that, even if we cannot help someone, we’re able to send them in the right direction. Interested in joining this amazing group of attorneys? We’d love to have you! Give us a call at 949-565-4886 or email info@casebarnettlaw.com. Just send us your name, contact information, and what area of law you practice. We’d be happy to work with you to help even more people in 2019.
LAUGH Have a
Tiramisu
INGREDIENTS
• • •
2 teaspoons dark rum 24 packaged ladyfingers
• • • •
6 egg yolks
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup bittersweet chocolate shavings, for garnish
1 pound mascarpone cheese
1 1/2 cups strong espresso, cooled
DIRECTIONS
1. In a large mixing bowl, use a whisk to beat together egg yolks and sugar until thick and pale, about 5 minutes. 2. Add mascarpone cheese and beat until smooth. 3. Fold in 1 tablespoon of espresso. 4. In a small, shallow dish, combine remaining espresso with rum. Dip each ladyfinger into mixture for 5 seconds. Place soaked ladyfingers at the bottom of a walled baking dish. 5. Spread half of the mascarpone mixture on top of the first layer of ladyfingers. Top with another layer of ladyfingers and another layer of mascarpone. 6. Cover and refrigerate 2–8 hours. 7. Remove from fridge, sprinkle with chocolate shavings, and serve.
Inspired by foodnetwork.com
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245 Fischer Avenue, Suite B4 Costa Mesa, CA 92626
INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Page 1 Appreciating My Team
Page 2 How to Create a Culture of Love
Testimonials
Page 3 Our Amazing Referral Partners
Tiramisu
Have a Laugh!
Page 4 3 Ways Nature Improves Your Health
AWALK IN THEWOODS IS THE PRESCRIPTION 3 WAY S C O N T A C T W I T H N A T U R E I M P R O V E S Y O U R H E A L T H
participants with major depressive disorder reported an improvement in self-esteem and mood after spending time in nature. Exercising while in nature resulted in even more of a mood boost for participants. A Calming Effect Research also shows that spending time in nature reduces stress. In a study conducted by Chiba University in Japan, participants spent two nights in the forest. Researchers evaluated their levels of stress hormones during and after this period and compared it to their normal work days in the city. Across the board, participants’ stress levels were much lower during the days spent in the forest and for several days afterward. Today, we’re less connected to our natural environment than our ancestors were. Modern comforts and technology mean we don’t have to go outside to get our food. But nature is still accessible and you don’t have to go far to find it. In many of the studies, even minor exposure to the outdoors, like adding plants to your home or looking out a window during work, showed health benefits. This winter, find ways to bring a little more nature into your life each day. Your brain will thank you.
Our ancestors were deeply connected to their natural environment, mostly because their survival depended on it. With no Whole Foods available, those who could best track a mammoth, find water, and forage for edible plants kept themselves alive and passed on their genes. Given our history as hunter-gatherers, it’s no wonder contact with nature provides us with several health benefits. A Memory Boost In a University of Michigan study, a group of students were asked to take a memory test that involved repeating numbers back to researchers. Next, researchers separated the students into two groups. Group A took a walk around an arboretum and Group B walked along busy city streets. Afterward, they were asked to take the memory test again. Group A, the students who had walked in the arboretum, performed 20 percent better on the memory test. Group B didn’t show any marked improvement. Additional research has corroborated the memory-enhancing effects of nature. A Mood Boost Observing the benefits nature has for cognitive function, scientists wondered what effects it might have on individuals diagnosed with depression. In one study from the University of Essex,
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