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SCALING YOUR BUSINESS? HERE’S OUR GROWTH SECRET SEPTEMBER 2023 GIBSONLAWGROUP.COM (817) 769-4044 DIVING DOWN WITH GLG
It Helped Us Double Our Team!
Lauren, Associate Attorney — Lauren is a kick-ass trial lawyer with plenty of experience in contract, real estate, and construction litigation. She graduated from Texas Wesleyan School of Law (like fellow GLG attorney and partner Reagan Herod) and plays in a band called The Hope Trust when she’s not in lawyer mode.
In 2018, we were named one of the 500 fastest-growing law firms in the country. Enter, COVID-19. So far this year, we’ve grown our team by four people — doubling the size of the firm. Since we resumed hiring, friends and clients have asked how we’re able to grow so fast. Many are hoping to do the same thing, so of course, they want to know our “secret.” If you’re one of those folks working on scaling up your business, here’s my best advice for rapid growth: Make sure every person on your team is deeply committed to excellent service. That sounds cliche, but hear me out. Most of Gibson Law Group’s business comes from word-of-mouth referrals (thank you for those, by the way!), and to get those referrals, we have to be more responsive and quicker on the ball than the other lawyers in our industry. There are, after all, 80,000 lawyers in Texas. We aim to set ourselves apart by being responsive. If one of our clients says jump, we don’t waste a second asking, “How high?” We’re already jumping! You’ve probably noticed that my cellphone number is right here in this newsletter. That’s no accident! I’m available to you 24/7 unless I’m on an airplane or underwater with a scuba tank on my back. That’s one of the reasons serial entrepreneurs who must make business decisions on tight deadlines can count on us. If you find a deal to buy a gas station but have to close within a week to get your price, we can move rapidly to make that happen. If you get served with a TRO or a subpoena from Uncle Sam to hand over your documents, we respond immediately to keep you out of trouble. Excellent service might not look the same in your industry, but it’s still the secret sauce to growth. Think about it: If you own a gas station or convenience store, what sets you apart from the station with a similar price across the street? Your friendly clerk, that’s what! People will often choose your store because he or she provides excellent service and makes them smile, not just because you are on the right side of the street. That key difference between us and the next lawyer in your contacts is why I answer your 11 p.m. text whenever I can. There is no better source of business, especially in the service industry, than existing customers who already know, like, and trust you. Everyone knows keeping customers happy is critical to driving business growth, but few of us actually practice it. Make sure you’re one of those few. Now, without further ado, let me introduce you to the new people on my team working every day to keep you happy.
Leah, Associate Attorney — Leah found our firm through another of our attorneys, Taylor, and she focuses on both litigation and transactions. She credits her experience in real estate and contracts to her mother, who ran multifamily/real estate companies when she was growing up. That connection hooked her on business!
Madina, Office Manager/ Intake Coordinator — Madina runs our office and handles the firm’s intake, marketing, and collections. She’s originally from Kazakhstan and speaks Russian, so I like to joke that we send our Russian debt collector after deadbeats! (She doesn’t think it’s as funny as I do and insists that Mongolian debt collectors are more intimidating.)
Kimberly, Paralegal — Kimberly is an excellent paralegal who has spent decades working on intellectual property and Texas Alcoholic Beverage Code (TABC) law. When she’s not at the office, she’s either reading, power walking, or visiting her son in El Paso.
You can count on Lauren, Leah, Madina, and Kimberly to answer your calls and – along with Reagan, Taylor, Natalie, and me – make your last-minute deals happen and your urgent litigation manageable. They’re all committed to serving your legal needs!
–David Gibson
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Silence Is Golden: A Guide to Understanding the Fifth Amendment
is part of your Sixth Amendment right: You can remain silent and refuse to give any statements until you receive counsel.
Almost everyone knows what it means to “plead the Fifth.” We hear it often in the news, crime TV series, and all of the best mobster movies. When you plead the Fifth, you’re exercising your right granted by the Fifth Amendment to remain silent and not incriminate yourself. While this is your constitutional right, there are actually times when you are obligated to speak. Before you zip your mouth shut, you’ll need to learn when you should and shouldn’t plead the Fifth. What do you need to share with authorities? While you have the right to remain silent, there are a few questions you are legally required to answer. In most states, it’s the law that when a cop pulls you over and asks you to identify yourself, you have to answer. Even if the law doesn’t apply to the state you live in, it’s safe to simply provide your name, address, and date of birth. Another piece of information required when authorities pull you over is your license and registration. If you were pulled over by officers for a valid reason, you have to hand over your documents to them. Other than these two scenarios, you don’t have to answer any further questions. Anything you say to the authorities can be used against you, and the last thing you need is for a few poorly thought-out answers to land you in court. When is it best to stay silent? Because your words can be used against you, it’s in your best interest to stay silent until you are able to speak to your attorney. Once you have them by your side, they can speak for you and ensure that whatever they say protects you from incrimination. This
Will pleading the Fifth make you look guilty? Some people worry that pleading the Fifth will make the police and others who may hear about their case believe that they are guilty and have something to hide. This conception likely comes from the media, which tends to only mention the Fifth Amendment in extreme cases.
“Anything you say to the authorities can be used against you, and the last thing you need is for a few poorly thought-out answers to land you in court.”
For example, you might remember reading about Michaele and Tareq Salahi, a couple who snuck past the United States Secret Service and crashed a state dinner at the White House in late 2009. They famously plead the Fifth more than 30 times during questioning by a House committee. At the time, ABC News wrote an unflattering article on the topic called “White House Crashers Remain Silent.” Though stories like the Salahi’s may make it seem otherwise, pleading the Fifth is not an admission of guilt. While many may think those who invoke this right are guilty, in legal matters, they can’t be assumed guilty just because they refuse to answer. There have been countless cases where innocent people implicated themselves in an investigation simply because they said the wrong thing or didn’t choose their words wisely enough. No matter how many “Law & Order” episodes you’ve seen, you’re not a legal expert, and you should always err on the side of caution. The best way to remain innocent is to keep your rambles to yourself and leave it to your attorney to speak on your behalf. Silence is golden!
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TAKE A BREAK
Born around 1412 in Domrémy, a village in northeastern France, Jeanne d’Arc was raised by her farmer father and devout Catholic mother. During this time, England had control over much of northern France, and she witnessed countless families forced out of their homes due to British invasions. At 13, she began to hear voices she believed were sent from God. These voices told her that she would be the one to remove the British from France, return the crown to Prince Charles of Valois, and save her people from continual war. She took a vow of chastity and trekked across dangerous British territory at the age of 17 to reach the prince’s palace in Chinon. Once she arrived, she spoke of her destiny and how she could guarantee the prince his crown and France’s success. She asked for a small army to fight in the conquered Orléans. While their conversation is unknown, Charles insists she said words only a messenger of God would know. With that confirmation, he agreed, and she was off to battle. Fearless atop a white horse in men’s armor and short hair, not only did her army win the battle, but she made a name for herself as the prophesied virgin who would finally save France. Not even an arrow to the neck could stop her mid- battle. She and her army escorted Charles to his coronation, THE UNTOLD STORY OF JOAN OF ARC A Journey of Bravery and Betrayal
SPICED PECAN PIE BARS
Inspired by SouthernLiving.com
which took place in July 1429, and named him king. Sadly, in 1430, British forces captured Joan and charged her with witchcraft, heresy, cross-dressing, and more. To create distance between himself and the accused heretic, King Charles made no attempts to rescue her or negotiate her release. She was on her own.
Ingredients
• 2/3 cup packed light brown sugar • 1/2 cup honey • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour • 1/4 cup melted butter • 1 tsp ground cinnamon • 1/2 tsp salt • 1/2 tsp ground ginger • 3 cups chopped pecans
Crust • 3 cups all-purpose flour • 1 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed • 3/4 cup powdered sugar • 1 tsp salt Filling • 4 eggs • 1 cup corn syrup
Directions 1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Use baking spray to grease a 13x9-inch pan before lining with parchment paper. 2. In a food processor, blend crust ingredients until a crumble forms. Press mixture into pan. Bake until light golden brown, about 20 minutes (crust will have cracks). 3. In a bowl, whisk all filling ingredients (except pecans) together until smooth. Stir in pecans and pour over crust. Bake until set, around 30 minutes, then let cool completely in pan.
After a year of imprisonment, a 19-year-old Jeanne d’Arc was burned at the stake. Celebrated worldwide for her courage and passion, Joan of Arc is now the patron saint of France, the country she died for.
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE
The Secret to Our Rapid Business Growth
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Unveiling the Right to Remain Silent: Your Guide to the Fifth Amendment
Spiced Pecan Pie Bars
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Joan of Arc: A Teenager’s Journey to Deliver France From British Rule
Thief Caught Red-Handed Thanks to Facebook?!
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They Seem Too Dumb to Be True! HILARIOUS REAL-LIFE CRIMES
the stolen items, everything would be fine — but that’s not how things played out. As soon as James spotted Nicholas walking toward his home, he called the police. When law enforcement arrived, they arrested the thief on the spot. Monopoly money doesn’t work in the real world. Michael Fuller stopped by Walmart to purchase a vacuum cleaner and microwave for $476. But instead of paying with real money, he decided to pay using a million- dollar note from the game Monopoly. The gentleman then demanded that he receive
Today, we have tons of podcasts, YouTube videos, TikToks, and documentaries about true crime. It seems like we can’t get enough of learning about the person behind heinous crimes and their motives. But what about the crimes you can’t help but laugh at because they’re almost too funny to be true? Here are two crimes you won’t believe happened because of how silly and, for the lack of a better term, dumb they are! Don’t forget to log out of Facebook! Nicholas Wig broke into James Wood’s house one night and stole his credit cards, cash, watches, and more. However, the 26-year-old thief left his Nike shoes, jeans, and a belt at the scene of the crime … but that’s not all. When James got home, he was stunned to see his house had been broken into. But after realizing the thief had accessed Facebook on his computer, he decided to post on Nicholas’ account that he (Nicholas) had broken into his (James’) home. James also shared his phone number in case anyone had any additional information. Nicholas contacted James over text, and the two agreed to meet in person. The thief thought if he went to James’ home and returned
$999,524 from the cashier since he would need cash back for his “purchases.” The cashier called the police, and Michael was charged with attempting to obtain property by false pretenses. Can you believe these hilarious crimes?! Do you know of any we should highlight next time? We would love to hear from you!
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