JUNE 2019
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This June, along with it being my birthday month, will include a very special event in my career. I’m a member of a group called PILMMA. I won’t bore you by writing out the acronym, but basically, it’s a group of personal injury attorneys who meet regularly to discuss issues unique to our field. Every year, the biggest event the group hosts is called the PILMMA Super Summit. The summit is in New Orleans, and I’ve been asked to speak at this year’s event. Of course, I’m honored to fulfill such a request, but I’m also nervous as heck about it! I’ve never spoken to a group for 45 minutes, let alone one full of colleagues and peers whom I admire and respect. Gloria Allred, one of the most famous attorneys in the world, is on the same agenda as me. Pretty crazy, right? Even scarier, I’m closing the show as the final speaker for the day. You better believe I will be drilling my lines and rehearsing my speech many times between now and flying to NOLA, timer running and PLEASEWELCOME MELISSA EMERY MY FIRST BIG SPEAKING GIG
especially at big firms, that you will be expected to work 70–80 hours per week and devote the majority of your life to being an attorney. While demands like these feel like unwritten rules, more people need to be unafraid to challenge them. When I passed the bar, I was already a single mom, so doing what amounts to a double workweek was simply out of the question. Sure, I had to make compromises in terms of salary and the like, but I stated plainly from the start that I would be leaving at 5 p.m., and that was that. It was crucial to me, so I made a point to do things my own way.
everything. I’ve never much suffered from stage fright, but it’s been a long time since I was on anything resembling a stage. Luckily, the subject of that day’s talk is something I’m eminently familiar with: empowering women lawyers. I think about this topic all the time because I know the statistics surrounding the rate at which women leave the profession. Recently, I was reading an article by Roberta Lindberg in Law Practice Today. “Distressingly, although women have been graduating from law school at nearly the same rate as men for more than two decades,” she writes, “recent statistics show that women make up only 40 percent of practicing lawyers over age 40 and only 27 percent of lawyers over age 50.”
“When I passed the bar, I was already a single mom, so doing what amounts to a double workweek was simply out of the question.”
That attitude, I think, is something young attorneys of all genders need to adopt. When you’re new in the field, there’s so much pressure to say “yes” to every request a firm makes of you. But, as long as you set honest, agreed-upon terms that everyone clearly understands, there really isn’t a need to follow the herd every step of the way.
Sometimes, it just comes down to having the mentality that you can do it your own way and make it work. My mother, who built airplanes for a living, challenged traditional gender roles during her time. I like to think I’ve helped contribute to that legacy by demonstrating that you can be a successful attorney without giving up focus and dedication to your family. To be able to help other women attorneys feel like they can do the same will be the ultimate goal of my speech. Let’s just hope I get my lines ready in time.
-Melissa Emery WWW.EMERYLAWOFFICE.COM | 1
Why does this happen? Well, the No. 1 reason women lawyers list for leaving the profession is familial concern. There’s a culture in the legal profession,
ENJOY YOUR FAMILY TIME BY TAKING A BREAK FROM YOUR PHONE
FOREST In the time that Forest takes control of your device for a set time limit, the app starts growing a tree. Once the tree is fully grown, your time is up, and it joins the other trees that were grown during other breaks. If you pick up your phone and try to access an app, Forest will send you a notification asking you if you want to kill your baby tree by giving up. Who says guilt isn’t a good motivator? BESIDES APPS Aside from using these apps, silencing your phone and putting it in another room, leaving it in your car if you’re out at dinner, or keeping it in your purse or back pocket during a social event can also reduce your screen time. Having your phone out of sight and out of reach will keep the temptation of pulling it out at bay.
Setting some time aside to be with family is important, but it can be difficult when everyone is always on their cellphones. Constant cellphone use has become a global problem, and the habit is hard to break because we rely on mobile devices heavily for work, school, and keeping in contact with friends and family. Luckily, there are plenty of apps that can reduce how often you’re on your phone and minimize distractions. SIEMPO After you install Siempo on your phone, it will ask which apps are likely to distract you. Once you select them, the app will move those apps away from the home screen and place the important ones, such as the messaging, contacts, email, and calendar apps, on the first screen. You can also designate times for specific apps to be used throughout the day. STAY FOCUSED Stay Focused is like Siempo, but there are some significant differences. You can set times to access certain apps and put the most distracting ones on lock. Stay Focused also has a “strict mode” that prevents you from uninstalling it, so be sure to think carefully before activating the lockdown because you won’t have access to those specific apps until the timer runs out. While most people take the time to call Dad on Father’s Day, it’s been second to Mother’s Day for far too long. It’s easy to grab your dad a sweatshirt or coffee mug and call it a day. This year, take the time to show your father how much you care. We promise you, he’ll appreciate it. Here are a few ways to go above and beyond for your old man. BREAKFAST IN BED We usually associate trays full of breakfast as a Mother’s Day staple, but getting a meal without having to leave the covers is something anyone can enjoy. Booking brunch reservations for Father’s Day can be a headache, so why not cut out the middleman entirely? Sear up some steak, fry some eggs, and brew some coffee. It’s hard to imagine anything better to wake up to on a day in your honor. LESSEN THE CHORE BURDEN Most dads have housework they do only because they have to. Some hate to mow the lawn, while others can’t stand doing laundry. Use Father’s Day as a chance to identify and take care of that chore for the GOING BEYOND GIFTS
Spending time with your family is crucial, and with these apps and tips, you’ll enjoy each other’s company without too many screen distractions.
CREATIVE WAYS TO CELEBRATE FATHER’S DAY
dad in your life, and he’ll never forget your thoughtful gesture. The only downside is that you may just have to start doing it every year.
SHARE HIS INTERESTS Is the dad in your life a fan of bourbon? Take him on a distillery tour. Does he love golf? Hit a round with him. Dads excel at showing up to events for their spouses and children. On Father’s Day, take some time to do the things he enjoys. SHOW YOUR LOVE A well-articulated thought can matter more than any gift. With today’s technology, it’s not hard to craft a special, personalized message for Dad in any form you’d like. Have everyone in your household share some thoughts about Dad in video form and edit them together in a living card that may just bring a tear to his eye.
These are a few of the many ways to make Dad’s day a memorable one. What matters is that you take the time to show him you’re thinking of him.
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A LAW MOVIE WORTH WATCHING ‘ON THE BASIS OF SEX’ IS POWERFUL, ENTERTAINING VIEWING Today, Ruth Bader Ginsberg needs little introduction. She is arguably the most famous member of the U.S. Supreme Court, known for her razor-sharp wit and surprising sense of humor. You can even find Notorious RBG merchandise in a variety of forms, like T-shirts and coffee mugs. It’s no surprise, then, that Ginsburg has found her way to Hollywood. Last year, two films featuring Ginsberg as their subject received rave reviews and audience attention. The first, “RBG,” is a documentary that offers a panoramic view of the career of our nation’s second female Supreme Court Justice. But the one I want to discuss today is a drama based on the early years of Ginsburg’s career. It’s called “On the Basis of Sex,” and it’s a wonderful look into the history of both Ginsburg and the legal profession in America. Ginsburg, like many ambitious women, had to balance her career and family life from the start. When her husband, future lawyer Martin D. Ginsburg, falls ill with cancer during law school, she has to attend his classes, as well as her own, while caring for their infant child. Later, when her husband’s cancer is in remission, Ginsburg asks the dean of Harvard Law School for permission to attend her final classes at Columbia because her husband takes a job in New York City. Her request is denied, but she transfers to Columbia and graduates at the top of her class. The movie then focuses on the case that established Ginsburg’s perspective on the law, a tax case known as Moritz v. Commissioner. I won’t spoil anything here, but Ginsburg becomes a tour de force over the course of the proceedings. You’ll have to watch the film for yourself to see her metamorphosis in action, played wonderfully by Felicity Jones. Ginsburg began her career at a time when the law was a boys’ club, and the glass ceiling was firmly in place. Observing her determination and intelligence in action is nothing short of inspiring. The next time you have two hours to kill and want to watch something both entertaining and informative, you can do no better than “On the Basis of Sex.”
BLT DOGS Inspired by FoodNetwork.com Is a hot dog a sandwich or not? We’re not here to weigh in on the ever-contentious debate, but when you combine a hot dog with a BLT, it definitely becomes more sandwich-like — and way more delicious.
INGREDIENTS
• 4 strips bacon • 4 hot dogs • 4 hot dog buns • 1 tbsp mayonnaise • 1 head romaine lettuce, shredded • 1 large tomato, seeded and diced • Salt and pepper, to taste
DIRECTIONS
WE WANT YOU TO THINK OF US AS YOUR LAW FIRM. If you have a legal matter that needs attention, let us know. If we can’t handle the matter, we will refer you to a firm that can. Please feel free to refer us to your friends and family for their legal needs. We welcome the opportunity to help. 1. Heat a skillet to medium and fry bacon until rendered and crisp. Transfer to a paper towel to drain. 2. Fry hot dogs in bacon drippings, creating a crust, and cook until warmed through. 3. Using a dry skillet or oven, toast buns. 4. Spread mayonnaise on buns, place hot dog and bacon inside, and top with tomatoes and lettuce. Serve.
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THE STAGE IS SET 1 TAKE A BREAK FROM YOUR SMARTPHONE FATHER’S DAY CELEBRATION IDEAS 2 THE FASCINATING EARLY YEARS OF A SUPREME COURT JUSTICE BLT DOGS 3 TIPS FOR CAPTURING THE BEST OUTDOOR PHOTO! 4 INSIDE
TIPS FOR CAPTURING THE BEST OUTDOOR PHOTO! CELEBRATE NATURE PHOTOGRAPHY DAY
N ature Photography Day is June 15, and it continues to garner enjoyment of outdoor photography and to explain how nature photography can advance conservation efforts locally and worldwide. Almost everyone has access to a sufficient camera with smartphones, but not everyone knows how to best capture a beautiful nature scene. Here are some tips to help! FIND THE ANGLES Landscape photography isn’t about appealing to someone else’s sense of style; it’s about shooting what makes you happy. Take some time to study the work of other nature photographers you enjoy. What angles do they use? What colors do they coordinate within the frame? How close do they get to their subject? Try something different. Go against the grain, use a different angle, shoot a close-up where others would shoot wide angle. Find a good starting place and experiment a little. HARNESS THE LIGHT Nature photos often look great in the morning or evening light, but the type of lighting you use is often dictated by the scene you are trying to capture. It’s generally accepted that side-lighting, where the sun is coming from either side of the camera, is the most desirable for landscapes because the contrasts between enthusiasm with each passing year. It’s been designated by the North America Nature Photography Association as a day to promote the
light and shadow can add depth to your photos. However, front- and back- lighting — where you shoot away from or into the sun — can also produce nice photos. Similar to angles, try experimenting until you find something that looks good to you. CROP FOR TEXTURE Sometimes the difference between an amazing shot and a mediocre one is distance. When photographing nature, try zooming in or moving geographically closer and cropping close on your subject. This could be tree bark, a leaf, the forest floor, or a lizard’s skin. The fine details of your subject can often create stunning images. In your quest to snap the most Instagram-worthy shots, the most important thing to remember is to respect the animals and the environment. Be sure to bring bags with you to take any garbage or other waste with you, and stay on designated trails while exploring. Keep these tips in mind, and you’ll be taking incredible nature photos in no time.
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