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August 2023
National Mountain Climbing Day on Aug. 1 reminds us that we all have uphill battles to face. While most of us will never climb mountains like the Grand Tetons in my home state of Wyoming, the metaphor of its many ups and downs, peaks, and plateaus resonates. Being a business owner is one of the biggest challenges I’ve ever faced. And as with mountain climbing, it has come with many moments of exhilaration and exhaustion. People often ask me why I chose the name Promise Law. I had some experience as an attorney before starting this firm, and I knew I wanted to practice law in a way that matched my approach to life. Estate planning tends to be a somber business, but I believed there was a way to infuse it with humor and reflection. My work didn’t have to be doom and gloom; there are ways to discuss challenging topics in a positive and forward-thinking manner. I wanted to create a new type of experience for our clients — that’s the promise at Promise Law. I set out on Sept. 1, 2014, intending to create a tenor and culture that would invigorate the client experience and our team. In the beginning, it was only Tammy and me, and we worked out of shared office space. Fortunately, the reception team at the building was outstanding and spoke to our clients as if they worked for us. Combined with the shared conference room, many clients thought we had the whole building instead of one little office. It was a little cramped, but we made it work. Having new and varied perspectives over the years has inspired me to think more closely about what we are doing and where we are headed. Elizabeth Bircher came aboard in February 2018, and she brought a thoroughness and thoughtfulness that elevated our game. Five years after opening, we moved to our current office and joined Where Promise Law Is Headed A New Summit to Conquer WORKSHOP Have you (or your clients) “been meaning” to get a plan in place? It’s easy to get started with our 7 Hazards to Your Estate Plan Workshop . This free workshop explains the key planning concepts, documents, and the factors in selecting a plan that is right for you. Plus, workshop participants receive a complimentary consultation with no obligation to retain our services. The workshop is available on demand or in person, so stop thinking about a plan and create one. Register online at PromiseLaw.com/Estate-Planning-Workshop or call (757) 690-2470.
forces with Rob Kutz, another skilled and compassionate practitioner. By combining with Rob’s team, the firm grew to seven strong. Around that time, I started wondering if I’d reached the pinnacle of my career and personal mountain. I’d think, “This has to be the top, right?” But we continued to have changes and challenges personally and professionally. Any honest business owner will tell you that being in charge is scary. It’s a lot of responsibility to ensure your clients receive the service they deserve, and the lights stay on. Due to Rob’s retirement, 2023 has been a frenetic year. But each new challenge is also an opportunity to climb higher on that mountain. And that’s precisely what we intend to do. September often signals a time of change for Promise Law. And this Sept. 1 — our ninth anniversary — we’ll be moving to a new office. (See Pg. 3 for details.) The new location will place us closer to many of our referral partners and should be more convenient for many clients. We’re looking forward to getting settled into the space. Other changes are coming, including a new attorney joining the team. So, stay tuned! At this point in our evolution, I want to thank our clients for their support over the years — we couldn’t have done any of this without you. I want to give a grateful nod to our referral partners for trusting us to help their clients as well. I also have endless appreciation for my current and former team members, who have made the firm what it is today.
As with the previous merger, this is probably not Promise Law’s mountaintop. There will be challenges ahead and much more work to do. But I think we’ll soon be in the perfect position to take on whatever new peaks come next.
–Geneva Perry
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Healthy Financing or Financial Strain?
Is a Medical Credit Card Right for You? Medical expenses have steadily risen over the years, and individuals who have undergone extensive and invasive procedures have felt the cost increase. Even with insurance and payment plans, these expenses can drain your bank account in a few short months. To combat these charge accounts is relatively apparent, and the benefits coordinator or salesperson who tries to get you to sign up will focus heavily on these positives. If approved, you can put some or all of the medical expenses on the card and pay it off over time. Most
of these financing companies will offer 6–18 months of zero interest, so it can be an excellent option for people who can manage their credit and have the funds to pay it off in the allotted time. The problem with that interest-free period is if you miss or, in some cases, are late on a payment, the interest begins to accrue immediately. That interest is no joke, either! It’s often upward of 25%, and once that tacks on, it will feel like you’ll never be able to pay off the account.
this, many health care providers have started offering medical credit card accounts to help spread the cost over time. If a doctor, dentist, or medical specialist has recommended a pricey but necessary treatment, they may have offered to open a CareCredit or Synchrony account in your name. As tempting as it might be, you need to educate yourself about the fine print before signing up. Like everything in life, there are good and bad sides to opening a medical credit card to pay for treatment. The good side of
professionals who push them only have their own interests in mind. They don’t care if you’re already in extreme debt or live off a fixed income. Once you sign that agreement and treatment has been provided, there’s no backing out. Take some time to think about the terms of the credit contract and your other options before enrolling in a medical credit card. If you’re not in the best financial situation, it may cause more harm than good.
Another thing to remember is that these credit card companies and some medical
Lawsuits Every Cancer Patient Should Know About
If You’re Sick, You Could Be Compensated!
• Cancer-Causing Baby Powder — Johnson & Johnson’s talc- based baby powder is allegedly linked to ovarian cancer and mesothelioma. In April 2023, the company agreed to pay over $8.9 billion to 60,000 people sickened by its products. • Potentially Deadly Hair Straighteners — A 2022 National Institutes of Health study found a correlation between women’s use of chemical hair-straightening products and their frequency of uterine cancer. Law firms nationwide are actively taking clients for these cases, and we’ll likely see court battles soon. • Dangerous Weed Killer — According to Forbes, the agrochemical company Monsanto (now owned by Bayer) has settled over 100,000 lawsuits worth $11 billion related to its Roundup weed killer. Victims claim the weed killer causes blood cancers, including non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and chronic lymphocytic leukemia. If you or someone you know is struggling with one of these cancers or one you think can be traced back to its manufacturer, reach out to a lawyer for help. Depending on your situation, attorneys can fight these cases as a class action, mass tort, workers’ compensation, or personal injury claim like Deanne’s. The sooner you seek legal help, the faster you’ll get justice.
In May 2022, a California woman named Deanne Warren won a $43 million lawsuit. Her argument was simple: She was sick, and the company her husband worked for was to blame. That might seem like thin reasoning, but there’s a long history of patients successfully suing over their illnesses. Deanne won her
case because her legal team proved her pleural mesothelioma (a type of lung
cancer) could be traced back to her carpenter husband’s work. He installed asbestos-filled doors over 40 years ago for Algoma Hardwoods in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Illnesses like cancer often strike at random — but when scientists can tie them back to a
cause (like asbestos), there are legal ways to hold the at-fault company or product accountable. Nationwide, millions
of Americans have made legal arguments like Deanne’s, blaming the people they worked for, the products they used, and even the U.S. government for their cancers. Here are just a few of them.
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If you remember the name Francis Scott Key at all, you probably remember him as the poet whose piece “The Defense of Fort M’Henry” became “The Star-Spangled Banner.” As kids, most Americans learn about Key’s iconic moment writing the poem while standing on the deck of a ship during the War of 1812. There, with rockets exploding overhead, THE LITTLE-KNOWN STORY BEHIND OUR NATIONAL ANTHEM Its Author Was a Lawyer on the Job
OUR TEAM IS MOVING! (BUT JUST DOWN THE ROAD)
As of Sept. 1, 2023, the Promise Law office will be located at 600 Thimble Shoals Blvd., Ste. 350, Newport News, Virginia 23606. Please be sure to update our address in your contacts. We are excited to be closer to collaborators like financial advisors, banks, trust companies, and other strategic partners we work with to bring you effective estate planning and support in administration. Every effort will be made to stay available by email and phone, but please note we will be closed Monday, Aug. 28, for packing and moving until we reopen on Tuesday, Sept. 5. Thank you for your patience in this transition. We look forward to welcoming you to our new office in September.
inspiration struck, and he scribbled a poem we still sing today. However, that vignette isn’t the whole story — far from it!
Key wasn’t a patriotic poet by trade. In fact, he only got the chance to write “The Defense of Fort M’Henry” because of his career as a lawyer. He was onboard a British ship that day not to write or fight but to negotiate the release of a prisoner of war named Dr. William Beanes.
TOMATO GNOCCHI KEBABS
According to Smithsonian Magazine, British soldiers captured Beanes when he tried to protect his Maryland home. The War of 1812 was well underway, and the British had already burned down the White House in Washington, D.C., and set their sights on Baltimore. When they swept Beanes off to a ship named the Tonnant floating in the Chesapeake Bay, Key attempted a legal rescue. Armed with a letter revealing Beanes had once treated British soldiers, Key successfully boarded the Tonnant and negotiated the doctor’s release on Sept. 13 — but it was too late for escape. The British troops were heading for Baltimore, so they kept Key and Beanes on deck in temporary captivity until the battle was over. The Tonnant was moored 8 miles from Maryland’s Fort McHenry, and its deck gave Key the perfect vantage point for poetic inspiration. According to Smithsonian, he said, “It seemed as though Mother Earth had opened and was vomiting shot and shell in a sheet of fire and brimstone.” The clash continued until dawn. Then, as Key watched, the sky lit up to reveal the American flag still flying over the fort. The lawyer quickly pulled a letter from his pocket and scribbled the words that would later become “The Star- Spangled Banner.” The British let Key and Beanes walk, and his poem became a national sensation — not bad for 24 hours of writing and lawyering!
Inspired by Delish.com
Ingredients
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley • 1/4 cup fresh basil • 1/4 cup and 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided • 2 tsp capers • 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice • 1 clove garlic
• Kosher salt • 1 12-oz package fresh gnocchi • 2 pints cherry tomatoes • 2 small red onions, cut into 2-inch pieces • Freshly ground black pepper
Directions 1. In a food processor, combine parsley, basil, 1/4 cup oil, capers, lemon juice, and garlic to make salsa verde. Blend until smooth, season to taste with salt, and chill until ready to serve. 2. If using bamboo skewers, soak in water to prevent scorching. 3. In a large bowl, toss gnocchi, tomatoes, onions, and remaining oil until coated. Season with salt and pepper, then thread gnocchi, tomatoes, and onions onto the skewers. 4. On a grill preheated to medium-high, cook the kebabs, flipping halfway through, until the tomatoes are blistered and the gnocchi is browned (7–8 minutes). 5. Transfer kebabs to a platter, drizzle with salsa verde, and serve.
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PromiseLaw Life happens. Plan on it. ™ (757) 690-2470 12610 Patrick Henry Dr., Ste. D Newport News, VA 23602
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE
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Geneva on Promise Law’s Future
Discover the Truth Behind Medical Credit Cards
‘I’m Sick, and I’m Suing!’
Our Team Is Moving! (But Just Down the Road)
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Wait ... A Lawyer Wrote Our National Anthem?
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Find a Trustworthy Pet Sitter
Your Family May Not Be Up to the Task! CHOOSE THE RIGHT SITTER FOR YOUR PET
Friends and Family vs. Professionals You may be tempted to ask your sibling, friend, or child to watch your pet. This can be a great solution because you trust them, and they’ve bonded with your furry friend already. But have you considered a professional? Some situations may call for a little more. Use these questions to help you decide: • Will your friend or family member be able to visit your home regularly or stay there temporarily while you’re gone to avoid disrupting your pet’s routine? • Does your pet have a disability or need to take medication that would be better handled by a professional? • Does your friend or family member know how to stay cool and react calmly in case of a veterinary emergency? If your loved one is pressed for time or easily stressed, or your pet has medical needs, you may be better off working with a professional.
How to Find the Right Pro When choosing a professional pet sitter, don’t start with the flier on the stop sign pole down the street (it was probably put up by a 10-year-old). Instead, call your pet’s vet, groomer, and/or trainer and ask if they can recommend a nearby pet sitter. You can also ask friends and family who are conscientious pet owners. Then, thoroughly check the sitter’s credentials and experience. Look for signs that they’re serious about their work, like certifications, insurance, and background check information, and set up an interview and meet-and-greet with your pet. If you can’t find a sitter through your network, consider online groups like the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters, Care.com, Pet Sitters International, Rover, or TrustedHousesitters, and use the same vetting strategy. For more help choosing a great sitter, visit HumaneSociety.org/resources.
When your children were young, you wouldn’t trust their care to any old babysitter, would you? Of course not! Now, your pets are no different. When you head out for a summer vacation, they deserve to be cared for by someone who will pamper and protect them the same way you would. The only problem is, who?
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