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FEBRUARY 2018
Legally Brief With Kevin Patrick Automobile accidents | Catastrophic injury | wrongful death
Meet Grace Keeley:
The Foundation of Our Firm
The vast majority of people in the workforce spend their entire week looking forward to Friday afternoon and their entire weekend dreading Monday morning. As a person who loves going into the office every week, this kind of existence saddens me. In the 18 months I’ve worked here at Kevin Patrick Law, there hasn’t been a day where I didn’t value the job I have and the work that I do for our clients.
on my college education and feel thankful that my father had guided me toward this field. I am better able to serve our clients because of that choice. As I take stock of my previous school experiences in China and peer forward into 2019, I know I have so many exciting events coming up in the near future. First and foremost, my baby boy was born at the end of January! He is my husband’s and my first child, and I can’t wait to watch as he learns to crawl, walk, and talk in the upcoming months. Even as a brand-new mother, I can already tell that the bond he and I share will be like nothing I’ve ever known before.
As the firm’s administrator, I help ensure that our cases move efficiently toward resolution and, if necessary, litigation and trial. When I first started here in July of
In addition to celebrating the birth of my beautiful baby boy, I’m also anxiously awaiting the Chinese New Year. Much like the celebration of the new year in the Western world, the Chinese New Year is all about the hopeful spirit of renewal. The holiday’s traditions, symbols, and rituals are all meant to wipe the slate clean and prepare for prosperity, good luck, and happiness in the new year. I can’t think of a better way to commemorate a wonderful 2018 than by bringing a new human into the world! Lastly, this year, I will be celebrating my dog Ella’s 3rd birthday. When I first moved here three years ago, I didn’t know a single person other than my husband, so to help me feel more at home, my
WHEN I FIRST STARTED HERE IN JULY OF 2017, I IMMEDIATELY NOTICED THAT, UNLIKE OTHER ATTORNEYS I HAD ENCOUNTERED, KEVIN BUILT HIS FIRM ON THE PREMISE OF PUTTING HIS CLIENTS’ NEEDS FIRST, AND I KNEW FROM THAT MOMENT THAT I HAD FOUND THE PERFECT PLACE TO WORK.
2017, I immediately noticed that, unlike
other attorneys I had encountered, Kevin built his firm on the premise of putting his clients’ needs first, and I knew from that moment that I had found the perfect place to work. For the past two years, while the firm has exponentially grown, that initial premise has stayed the same.
husband brought me the cutest puppy I had ever seen. One of my favorite pastimes is walking Ella, and I’m excited to watch her and the baby play together once he gets a little older. All in all, I can tell that this year is going to shape up well for me. I have a job that I love, I have the opportunity to meet and learn from clients every week, and I have a wonderful family that gets keeps getting better and better. I can’t wait to see what else is in store!
I wasn’t always sure that I wanted to pursue a career in the legal field. Truth be told, my father was the one who insisted that I study law. I grew up in the Hunan Province in the northern area of China. Prior to moving to the U.S., I pursued my legal education in my home country for four years, and in the early years of my education, I wasn’t sure that I liked my major. Once I started working with Kevin, though, I was able to look back
– Grace
This publication is for informational purposes only, and no legal advice is intended.
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How Starbucks Helps the Deaf Community ORDERING COFFEE JUST GOT EASIER
3 of the Most Dynamic Fictional Lawyers Is Everything Better On TV?
If you’ve ever visited a Starbucks coffee shop, you’ve likely heard a patron rattle off a drink order that was more specific than your grandma’s pecan pie recipe. For example, they might say, “I’ll take a Grande, four-pump, nonfat, no-whip, extra-hot mocha.” Without missing a beat, the barista scribbles the order on the cup and starts making the drink. Orders like this one are a mouthful for
even the most seasoned Starbucks guru, but for deaf people, it can be difficult to even order a cup of black coffee. Adam Novsam, a deaf utility analyst at Starbucks headquarters in Seattle, set out to address that difficulty by heading the launch of the company’s first deaf-friendly signing store. OPERATION The store’s grand opening took place in October in Washington, D.C. Its overall success relies primarily on its purposeful operation and design elements. In 2005, the ASL Deaf Studies Department at Gallaudet University created the DeafSpace Project using design elements, such as space and proximity, sensory reach, mobility, light, and acoustics, to address potential challenges for deaf people. Starbucks’ signing store incorporates these aspects of DeafSpace to make their store more accessible. For customers new to sign language, the store features some high-tech options for assisting with communication, ordering drinks, and receiving beverages at the handoff counter, including digital notepads and a console with two-way keyboards for back-and-forth conversations. APRONS All store partners at the signing store are proficient in ASL, whether they are hearing, hearing-impaired, or deaf. However, deaf partners wear special green aprons embroidered with the ASL spelling of Starbucks. What’s more, these aprons were created by a deaf supplier! EDUCATION For hearing customers who aren’t fluent in ASL — even those just ducking in to grab a cup of coffee to go — the signing store offers an opportunity to learn something new. For example, they can learn how to sign a word like “espresso” in ASL merely by reading the chalkboard above the register with the “sign of the week.” Starbucks’ decision to make their product more accessible has benefited thousands of customers all along the East Coast. Hopefully, as time goes on, other corporations will choose to follow suit so we can make a more deaf-friendly society.
Every time our team here at Kevin Patrick Law walks into the courtroom, we are excited and prepared to help our clients in the best possible ways. Over the years, we’ve noticed the prospect of practicing law often seems way more exhilarating on TV than it actually is. Part of this exhilaration stems from the fictional nature of the cases, but another part is due to the men and women portraying the attorneys. Hollywood has a memorable way of presenting legal professionals at their most dynamic, so we wanted to highlight three of the most fun TV lawyers: Elle Woods, 'Legally Blonde' Practicing law requires careful preparation, and no one prepares like Elle Woods. She might be a slow starter when it comes to delivering an argument, but few are better at finishing it than she. What makes Woods the complete package is her ability to stay true to her character and never settle for anything but the best — all while remaining the most fashionable attorney to ever set foot in the courtroom. She is passionate, hardworking, and determined. Jackie Chiles, 'Seinfeld' Chiles probably isn’t the best attorney on this list, but he might be the most memorable, particularly in his cases involving Kramer’s scorching coffee or the balm that supposedly ruined his golf game. Unfortunately, Chiles didn’t have the attorney skills to keep the group of friends from going to jail when they broke the county’s “Good Samaritan” law. Still, his upbeat personality and humorous law tactics make him worthy of a specific kind of veneration. Jack McCoy, 'Law and Order' The attorneys on this list are the types who work for a large firm or hang their shingle in front of their own law offices. Others, like Jack McCoy, work for the government in some capacity. During the 17 seasons that “Law & Order” was on the air, McCoy advanced all the way up to district attorney, bringing down the most loathsome criminals along the way.
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In Honor of Dr. Martin luther King Jr.: Life's Most Persistent & Urgent Question: ‘What Are You Doing for Others?’
As we prepared to commemorate the life and achievements of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. last month, we were reminded of his famous words, “Life's most persistent and urgent question is: 'What are you doing for others?'" King’s eloquence and powerful ideals have been preserved through his many speeches, but this quote in particular resonated with our team. We kept asking ourselves, “What can we do for others?” To honor the idea espoused in Dr. King’s quote, we partnered with Project Open Hand, an organization dedicated to eradicating hunger in the metro-Atlanta area. Open Hand prepares, packs, and delivers over 6,000 healthy meals each day to those who might otherwise go without food. The people who work there
believe that everyone deserves access to proper nutrition regardless of their age, their home, or their health conditions. All of their volunteers and staff work as one, giving as much of their hearts as they do of their time. They energize and motivate those we serve, all the while fulfilling something deeply personal in their own lives. Their board of directors is dedicated to their mission and passionate about growing the organization to reach more people and make an even greater impact on our community. In the days leading up to Martin Luther King Jr. Day, we volunteered to prepare and deliver meals to ensure that locals in need could have meals over the holiday weekend. It felt great to work Ingredients • 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour • 3/4 cup sugar • 1/4 teaspoon salt • 2 sticks unsalted butter, cold and cut into 1/2-inch cubes Directions 1. Heat oven to 375 F. 2. In a mixing bowl, combine flour with sugar and salt. Add butter and combine using a mixer at low speed, until butter breaks down into small, crumbly pieces. Increase mixing speed to medium and mix until butter and flour clump. 3. Add egg yolks and vanilla extract to bowl, return mixer to low, and mix until dough congeals.
with such an altruistic and compassionate organization, and we look forward to volunteering with them again next year!
WORD SEARCH
Valentine’s Day Cookie Cards
• 2 large egg yolks • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract • Royal icing, sprinkles, and edible markers, for decorating
4. Carefully roll dough into a sheet 1/16-inch thick and cut into 4x6-inch cards. 5. On a parchment-lined baking sheet, bake cookie cards for 6 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through.
AQUARIUS ARROW CANDY CHOCOLATE CUPID DATE
FEBRUARY FLOWERS HEART
ROSES SWEET VALENTINE YEAR
6. Let cookies cool completely, decorate, and distribute.
LEAP LOVE PISCES
Inspired by Food & Wine magazine.
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Inside This Issue 1 Meet Grace Keeley, Our Firm’s Administrator! 2 Ordering Coffee Just Got Easier
3 of the Most Dynamic and Hardworking TV Lawyers Our Weekend With Project Open Hand Valentine’s Day Cookie Cards
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Follow Us @KPatricklaw
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Let’s Retire These Health Myths
The 5-Second Rule Will Make You Sick 3 Health Myths You Probably Believe
We live in the golden age of information. The answers to many of life’s questions are just an internet search away. Despite this readily available wisdom, we still have a bad habit of believing health- related myths. Here are three popular health “facts” that are total works of fiction. THE 5-SECOND RULE KEEPS FOOD SAFE Obviously germs and bacteria don’t really wait five seconds to pounce, but snatching your chip off the floor fast keeps most of the germs away, right? Not according to a 2006 study published by Dr. Paul Dawson. He found conclusive evidence that when food comes into contact with a contaminated surface, bacteria are transferred immediately. Even one second spent on tile, wood, or carpet is enough to infest your food with salmonella or another serious contaminant. BOTTLED WATER IS SAFER THAN TAP WATER People seeking out safer water alternatives increases the sales of bottled “spring water” each year. However, bottled water is more expensive, bad for the environment, and, as Dr. Morton Tavel of
the Indiana University School of Medicine pointed out, over 50 percent of bottled water is just filtered tap water. The same effect can be achieved with a home filtration system. Of course, if the tap water in your area has been contaminated, bottled water is a safer alternative. However, in most circumstances, bottled water is no healthier than tap water. CRACKING YOUR KNUCKLES CAUSES ARTHRITIS The connection between knuckle-cracking and arthritis came from studies where participants self-reported their habits. Modern medical research has shown these results to be false. The official stance from the John Hopkins Arthritis Center states, “There is no evidence that cracking knuckles causes any damage such as arthritis in the joints.” Still, chronic knuckle-cracking can lead to reduced grip strength, so you might want to break the habit anyway. You’ve probably heard these myths for years, but just because something is common knowledge doesn’t mean it is true. With information so easily available, always take the time to research the facts, especially when it comes to your health.
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