509-495-1246 www.AlbrechtLawFirm.com
July 2019
When Fate Intervenes Evan Schneider ExplainsWhat Led Him to Albrecht Law
My legal career didn’t begin with a parent who was a lawyer or an assumption that I was going to become a lawyer. Instead, I stumbled into it at 23 years old after a few mentors suggested I consider a legal career. This began in my early 20s, when I was working as a nanny — and was affectionately called the manny — after finishing my undergraduate degree. I was working for a successful but down-to-earth attorney, and one day, I asked him about his career. That’s when he told me he thought I should consider becoming an attorney. It was quite an honor to hear that from someone as successful as him, and it planted the seed. He wasn’t the only one to give me this advice, though. Another legal mentor of mine, who also happens to be a level-headed, kind attorney, pushed me in that direction too. I was particularly close with his three sons, and I even played in various bands with all three of them. It was humbling that a man of his dedication and status saw a future professional colleague in me.
I moved to Seattle to be with my girlfriend. Growing up, I moved and lived across the entire West Coast, but this move to Seattle was a bit of an adjustment. Packing up my Southern California life for the Pacific Northwest meant I had to create new connections in my field and leave my surf board behind. Living in Seattle was tough for me. It’s hard to be away from the people you love, and the job I found after law school wasn’t the best fit. I was working for a condo law firm, which essentially meant I was doing collection work. My main form of human interaction involved taking away people’s homes. It was the exact opposite of the kind of work I was doing while volunteering at the Housing Justice Project, but at the time, I just needed to pay the bills. Washington, and we decided that moving closer to them would be a great fit. When my wife suggested Spokane, Washington, I figured there was no harm in visiting the town. Preparing for the move, I reached out again to my lawyer mentors who told me that when I got there, I should try my best to connect with Spokane lawyer Matt Albrecht for local help and mentorship. We loved our visit, moved to Spokane, and it’s been our home ever since. We didn’t have a television when we first moved to Spokane, but I had to watch my University of Washington Huskies football games. So, I found a local bar to watch the games, and that’s how I met a few fellow alumni-turned-friends. I began to spend more time with these friends, and through them, I was introduced to Matt Albrecht during trivia night at Flamin’ Joe’s, of all places. Eventually, my wife and I grew tired of the Seattle rat race. My wife’s family lived in Connell,
Through mutual friends, I ended up getting to know Matt well enough to lease an extra office space from him. For the next three years, I rented from Matt and continued my own legal work while also associating with Matt on cases from time to time. Today, we look back on those three years and laugh about the world’s longest “interview process.”
If anyone believes in fate or destiny, this is proof of it.
I graduated from Thomas Jefferson School of Law in San Diego in 2009, and shortly after,
Leaving the work I did for the condo law firm, I knew I wanted to stay involved in the Housing Justice Project and find a law firm that was aligned with my ethics. Matt and the firm he has built embody those ethics. It’s a great team, and he reminds me of the mentors who urged me into law. He cares about what he is doing and the people he is helping, and I am honored to work alongside an attorney who fights the way Matt does for his clients.
This Month’s Happiest Client!
“Albrecht Law is a top-notch firm. I knew I was in excellent hands, and Evan Schneider was in constant com- munication with me throughout the entire process. He even went above and beyond to help negotiate better terms for my case. I cannot thank Evan and Albrecht Law enough! They are the best out there!” –Kayley H.
-Evan Schneider
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3 FAMOUS UFO SIGHTINGS (BESIDES ROSWELL) Did You See That?
Going stargazing this summer? Be sure to keep your eyes out for unidentified flying objects (UFOs)! July 2 is World UFO Day, commemorating the supposed UFO crash that took place in 1974 in Roswell, New Mexico. Everyone knows about the strange things that happened in Roswell, but let’s look at a few lesser-known, but no less strange, UFO sightings.
object giving off lights and still moving. The object was gone when police arrived, but they found unusual markings at the site. A few days later, more servicemen went into the forest where they spotted three mysterious bright lights in the sky that shone for hours.
EAST COAST GO FAST VIDEO
THE FIRST FLYING SAUCER
In 2015, a U.S. Navy Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet strike fighter captured video of a bizarre, fast-moving object that had no visible wings and emitted no heat or no exhaust trail. The video, which can be viewed at COI.ToTheStarsAcademy. com/2015-go-fast-footage, shows the object in the fighter’s targeting system. The pilot and the weapon systems officer can be heard shouting and asking, “What is that, man?”The video leaked in 2017 along with news of the Advanced Aviation Threat Identification Program (AATIP), a secret U.S. government organization investigating UFOs. Most UFO sightings have rational explanations. Even the famous Roswell Incident was proven to be debris from a surveillance program the U.S. military used to spy on the Soviet Union. But there’s something to be said about how a UFO sighting makes us look up at the night sky and wonder if we’re not alone.
On June 24, 1947, civilian pilot Kenneth Arnold was flying his plane near Mount Rainier in Washington when he reported seeing nine blue, glowing objects flying in a V formation at around 1,700 mph. Arnold would later describe the crafts’motions like “a saucer if you skip it across water.”The government confirmed there were no aircraft tests in the area that day. In the following weeks, other sightings of Arnold’s flying saucers would crop up across the region.
THE RENDLESHAM FOREST INCIDENT
Things got weird at a Royal Air Force military base in England on Dec. 26, 1980. At around 3 a.m., two Air Force members saw odd lights falling into the nearby Rendlesham Forest. They reported finding a metallic
Gone to the Dogs HOW CAN A THIEF SUE THE FAMILY HE ROBBED?
Have you heard the story of Terrence Dickson? Even if you don’t know the name, you might have heard his strange tale. Dickson was a burglar in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. One day, after breaking into a house and helping himself to some valuables, Dickson decided to leave through the garage. After discovering the automatic garage door was stuck closed, Dickson turned around and was horrified to realize he’d locked himself inside. To make matters worse, the family he was stealing from had just left for an extended vacation, so Dickson lived off of soda and dried dog food for eight days. When the family returned and found the unlucky burglar, a lawsuit was filed — by Dickson! He sued for mental anguish, and the jury awarded him $500,000. There’s nothing that shakes our faith in the justice system quite like injustice being served. When Dickson’s story first gained notoriety in 2001, thanks to an email circulated by the now-defunct Stella Awards newsletter, which highlighted “outrageous lawsuits,” people were rightfully enraged. There was just one problem: Terrence Dickson never existed. In 2002, a reporter from Pennsylvania contacted the Bucks County prothonotary’s office, where all records for civil cases in the county are kept. He discovered there was no record of any cases involving
such a burglar. It’s worth noting the original email where this story first appeared ended with a call for tort reform from a made-up law firm in Ohio. Likely, this hoax was an attempt to manipulate the public perception of the justice system. Despite being debunked 17 years ago, this tall tale still makes the rounds and often appears on lists of “outrageous lawsuits,”many of which are featured on the websites of legitimate law firms! There are plenty of wacky legal cases, but when a story is too ridiculous, there’s a good chance a few important details are being left out or the readers are being lied to. Don’t believe everything you read online!
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TAKE A BREAK
BEWARE THESE RETIREMENT
SPENDING MISTAKES
Common Financial Pitfalls
The bulk of retirement planning is spent discussing how you will save money in the years leading up to the end of your career, but that’s only half of the picture. Once you enter retirement, your focus shifts to the smartest way to divest your money for both your own enjoyment and your continued financial security. There are countless ways to wisely spend your nest egg, such as taking trips, providing for the education of your grandchildren, and more. However, this article isn’t about good ideas. Instead, let’s talk about some of the worst ways to spend your retirement funds. The appeal of a timeshare seems obvious. It’s a space of your own for a few weeks of the year, and you get to enjoy a nice change of pace from your regular environment. The problem is that these properties are full of hidden costs and have been outpaced by other vacationing options. In a world where you can book an Airbnb with just a few clicks, timeshares are poised to become a relic of a past age. Hackers and cyberscammers love to prey on the elderly. As gross as it may sound, they know that older generations tend to be less tech savvy than their younger counterparts. You should be wary of online offers that look too good to be true. If you have even the slightest doubt, have a loved one take a look at the offer to ensure you’re not being scammed. Never provide your private financial data to a source you don’t absolutely trust. TIMESHARES ONLINE SCAMS
JUICY LUCY SLIDERS
Inspired by Bon Appétit Magazine
Ingredients
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2 lbs. ground chuck beef, 20% lean 8 slices melting cheese (like American, Swiss, Muenster, or cheddar)
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16 small potato rolls, toasted
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Salt and pepper, to taste
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Your favorite burger accompaniments
TCHOTCHKES
Directions
Many of us have walked into the house of an older relative to find a room full of American Girl dolls or a display case of Candlewick glassware. Collecting can be a rewarding hobby when done in moderation, but amassing junk simply for its own sake is a waste of money and space. Make sure you’re acquiring objects because you truly want to treasure them.
1. Divide beef into 16 evenly sized balls. 2. Rip cheese into roughly equal pieces, creating 16 equal portions. 3. Using your index finger, create a small indentation in each ball. 4. Fill indention with cheese and pinch meat around to seal. Then gently form balls into 3/4-inch-thick patties. Season patties. 5. Meanwhile, heat a cast-iron skillet to medium-high. 6. Lightly coat skillet with oil and cook patties in batches. Brown one side undisturbed, about 3 minutes. Carefully flip and cook until desired doneness, about 3 minutes for medium. 7. Serve on toasted potato rolls with your favorite accompaniments.
RUSHED RELOCATIONS
In general, real estate-based purchases can be extremely beneficial for retirees. The exception to this rule is a spur-of-the-moment relocation in order to be closer to your family or a retirement community. Because real estate transactions are so expensive, it’s best to approach them with extreme care and due diligence.
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509-495-1246 www. AlbrechtLawFirm.com 421 W. Riverside Ave., Ste. 614 Spokane, WA 99201 INSIDE THIS ISSUE
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Learn More about Attorney Evan Schneider
Juicy Lucy Sliders The Worst Retirement Spending Decisions Going Stargazing? Watch Out for UFOs! Did You Hear About the Dog Food Burglar?
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The Madden Curse
ON THE TRAIL OF THE MADDEN CURSE Truth, Lies, and Superstition
There is no urban legend in the world of modern video games as well-documented as the so-called “Madden Curse.”The curse revolves around the highly sought-after cover spot of the popular NFL video game “Madden NFL,” formerly known as “John Madden Football.”While the games date back to 1988, the curse is said to originate with the 1999 version. Garrison Hearst, a popular running back at the time, broke his ankle shortly after being featured on the cover of the 1999 edition. This was the first in a long line of injuries and personal issues that resulted in the rumor gaining traction. Soon, the idea
as coincidence. Despite the ambivalence of many players, there does seem to be a correlation between the cover and player issues. Of the 22 players who have been featured on the cover, 16 of them have suffered from significant issues in the season that followed. While the causes varied, with severe injuries, contract disputes, and personal issues all afflicting different players, something about the spotlight appears to have disturbed the powers that be. In fact, sometimes these issues occur shortly after the game is released in stores.
that the game’s seemingly innocent cover could have devastating effects on a player’s career was widespread. Once a substantial honor in the world of football, the Madden cover spot has become one of the sport’s most feared superstitions for fans.
Whatever the true cause, the curse seems to have taken a dip in recent years. Only one of the last five players has been affected, a stat that bodes well for this year’s star: Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes. The real answer probably lies somewhere between fact and fiction. The increased pressure of national attention is bound to make players tense up every once in a while, and in a game as physical as football, any distraction can end in disaster.
The players, however, seem to find the correlation more amusing than scary. Most of the athletes in contention for the spot still consider it to be a great honor, choosing to brush off the rumors
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