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APR 2026
Courage Over Comfort Risk That Shapes Success
Sometimes, flying successfully through life requires jumping from a great height and building the airplane on your way down. Of all the life lessons I’ve been lucky enough to experience, the value of taking a chance now and then has been the most valuable. When I recently became aware that National Take a Chance Day is celebrated on April 23, this article practically wrote itself. After all, this newsletter’s very existence, and my entire business, is the result of taking a massive gamble that paid off. After graduating from law school, I began working at a small neighborhood civil litigation firm. To say that the work didn’t scratch my itch would be an understatement. I decided to work with a criminal defense and family law attorney, who afforded me the opportunity to gain genuine courtroom experience. Along the way, I realized what I loved most about this profession. While some lawyers can’t get enough of going to court and making arguments, my greatest fulfillment came from working with clients and getting to know them as people. Of course, working for someone else often means following your employer’s culture and not always having the chance to make
decisions without approval. Over time, I began to feel that my instincts weren’t being served as well as they could have been. Inevitably, I reached the point where going off on my own was the only direction that made sense to me. Around the same time, a friend of mine found himself in a similar position in his career. We figured it was probably better to jump off a cliff with someone by your side than potentially crash and burn alone, so we decided to become partners and launch a firm together. And with that, we dove headfirst into … well … pretty much nothing. It’s rare for any new business to attract attention right away, and we initially struggled to find clientele. I’m not someone who likes building relationships through schmoozing, but I strongly believe in the services I provided and knew I could be a person clients could depend on in times of crisis. Unfortunately, getting enough people through the door to help us keep the lights on was a challenge. I started researching online marketing and decided to try getting the phones to ring through Google Ads (which we had to pay for with our credit cards because neither of us had any money). We were both anxious about whether it was going to work … and more than a little nervous about whether we had made the right decision to strike out on our own.
that our philosophies no longer fully aligned, and I soon felt like I was wading through mud when I should have been scaling new heights and working to accomplish my own vision. One day, when I was about 18 months into the partnership, I went for a walk on the beach with my mom and shared my struggles with her. “These issues can’t be fixed or aren’t worth fixing at this point,” I said. “We could be going around in circles in five years, and then it’s just going to be tougher. I’m going to pull the trigger when I get back home.” That’s exactly what I did. Unfortunately, I lost a friend in the process, which was a high cost to pay, but I also felt clarity and a commitment to my own path. Now, more than eight years later, I’m reminded that I made the right decision every day I go to work. My greatest takeaway? Sometimes, the thing you need to take step one will actually be a detriment to the steps that follow, but it will ultimately be what’s necessary to get to the final step toward true success.
If you don’t take it, you have a zero percent chance of knowing how things will turn out.
Check out the “Illinois Divorce Guide Podcast”! Listen and Share!
Little by little, our business began to grow. Unfortunately, our firm’s rise coincided with the eventual decline in our shared goals. It became clear
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Judges Halt AI-Generated Lawyer in New York Appeals Court In a moment that felt plucked straight from a sci-fi courtroom drama, a New York appeals court was taken by surprise when an artificial intelligence (AI)-generated avatar tried to argue a legal case. The judges weren’t amused. What was meant to be a clever workaround quickly turned into an uncomfortable intersection of future tech and age-old court protocol. On March 26, 2025, 74-year-old plaintiff Jerome Dewald showed up at the New York State Supreme Court Appellate Division for an employment dispute hearing. Instead of speaking for himself or having a lawyer at his side, Dewald played a prerecorded video, not of him, but of a lifelike digital avatar that began delivering his legal argument with polished confidence. The avatar, which looked like a well- dressed young man, began addressing the panel: “May it please the court …” before proceedings came to a halt. The justices were visibly taken aback. Justice Sallie Manzanet-Daniels paused the presentation almost immediately and asked a shocking question: “Is that counsel for the case?” Dewald’s matter-of-fact reply, “I generated that. That’s not a real person,” prompted an immediate rebuke. The judge ordered the video stopped and ‘That’s Not a Real Person’
made it clear she felt misled. “It would have been nice to know that when you made your application,” she said, underlining that courts operate on transparency and direct human responsibility. Dewald later explained he wasn’t trying to game the system or make a viral spectacle. He said he struggles with public speaking and thought a digital delivery might help him make his case more clearly. But judges made it clear that AI, at least for now, isn’t a substitute for a licensed attorney arguing in real time, nor a replacement for the human interaction that law depends on. The incident sparked an online debate, ranging from amusement at the oddly comic visuals to serious questions about where the legal system draws the line between innovation and impropriety. One thing is certain: This awkward debut points to the urgent need for clear rules on AI in courtrooms as technology continues its relentless march forward.
Innocent Hearts, Household Hardship
Keys to a Conflict-Free Divorce for Kids
According to the National Institutes of Health, divorce affects the mental health of more than 1 million children in the U.S. every year. While a separation between parents is often stressful for everyone in the home, children are highly susceptible to experiencing depression, anger, and other negative emotions during this time. Fortunately, there are ways to help children maintain a healthier, more positive outlook when their parents’ relationship changes. Here are a few things to consider when the end of your marriage signals a new dynamic for your children. CONFRONT CONFLICT CALMLY. When divorce occurs, it’s understandable for either spouse to feel as though they’ve failed as parents by splitting up the family unit. However, some divorces may present opportunities to affect your children more positively than you may have thought possible. For example, if your divorce is amicable, you and your former spouse can conduct yourselves around your children in ways that demonstrate the value of resolving conflicts in a healthy, positive manner. If your kids see you getting along, it serves as a stronger example than teaching them that issues are resolved only through raised tempers and open disrespect. If handled tactfully around your children, a divorce can help
them appreciate conflict resolution and see the value in finding mutual understanding despite growing differences. And if your divorce carries
emotions that could devolve into open hostility, it’s always best to reserve it for when you and your spouse are alone. SAVE YOUR HOME FROM HARM.
Naturally, not all divorces unfold so harmoniously, but separating your children from an emotionally abusive or physically violent situation (especially if they’re victims and not only witnesses) is the best thing you can do for them as a parent. Studies show that divorces in high-conflict homes can have a considerable positive effect on a child’s physical and mental well-being, including a lower rate of child abuse claims. In extreme situations where physical or psychological abuse is a staple of a marriage, staying together for the kids can ultimately do more harm than good.
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Levity in Loss The Healing Power of Humor During Divorce
Sometimes, the best way to rise above life’s challenges is to laugh at them.
In honor of April being National Humor Month, here’s a reminder that laughter can help us through some of our most stressful and upsetting times, including divorce. The extent to which having a good sense of humor helps us physically and mentally is greater than many people realize. First, humor is a much healthier coping mechanism than drinking, overeating, or avoiding social situations. Psychologically, humor helps reduce stress by replacing it with moments of joy, surprise, and interpersonal connection. “When you’re experiencing humor, you cannot experience distressing emotions,” says Steven Sultanoff, a clinical psychologist and an adjunct professor at Pepperdine University, in an article for Scientific American. “These emotions dissolve.” Humor is also great for our physical health. In most circumstances, laughing has been scientifically proven to improve breathing, elevate pain tolerance, and promote muscle relaxation. Research suggests these positive effects are caused by the release of endorphins, our body’s feel-good hormones.
With those reasons for maintaining a good sense of humor out of the way, here are a few jokes about divorce: • What’s the only thing divorce proves? Whose mother was right in the first place. • Why did a dentist and a manicurist get divorced? Because they fought tooth and nail. • What did Yoda say to Princess Leia after she separated from Han Solo? “May divorce be with you.” • Statistically, 100% of all divorces start with marriage. • Instead of getting married again, just find someone you don’t like and give them your house. Although it may seem off-color to make light of the end of a marriage, jokes like these are precisely the point. When we’re feeling our worst, being open to a laugh or a chuckle is a perfect form of self-medication. Not all of life’s twists and turns are pleasant, but embracing humor in hard times can help us correct our course.
TAKE A BREAK
Crab Rangoon Mac and Cheese
Ingredients • 1/2 lb elbow pasta • 8 oz Jack cheese, grated • 8 oz cream cheese • 1 bunch scallions, chopped • 1/2 cup pickled jalapeños, chopped (optional)
• 2 tbsp soy sauce • 1/4 cup milk • 1/2 tbsp red pepper flakes • 1/2 lb lump crab • 12 wonton wrappers
Directions 1. Bring water to a boil for the pasta and preheat the oven to 350 F. 2. Drop pasta into boiling water. 3. In a bowl, mix all the ingredients except pasta and wonton wrappers; stir well. 4. Just before the pasta is ready, add about 1/2 cup of pasta water to the cheese mixture; stir well. 5. Strain pasta and add to cheese mixture. Stir, then place it in a baking dish or individual ramekins. 6. Bake for 25–30 minutes until bubbly and creamy. 7. While baking, cut wontons into triangles and fry batches in oil until crispy. 8. Drain wontons and season with salt. 9. Serve pasta with the crispy wonton wrappers.
Inspired by TheFoodInMyBeard.com
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IN THIS ISSUE
1.
The Payoff of Taking Chances
2.
Digital Attorney Makes an Unwelcome Appearance in State Case
Safer Paths Toward Post-Divorce Parenting
3.
Comfort in Comedy
Crab Rangoon Mac and Cheese
4.
In the Footsteps of Earth’s Greatest Journeys
Follow the Herd
Let Wildlife Migrations Plan Your Next Trip
GREAT JOURNEYS OVERHEAD An adventure that’s for the birds, the flamingo flight in Tanzania is a colorful sky show unlike anything else. The flocks take to the air from June to September and January to March, following mighty rains. Go nocturnal in November as millions of fruit bats hang from trees and flutter in the dark searching for snacks. These night flyers put on an eerie display at dusk in Zambia every year and may change your mind
Are you planning your next vacation but don’t know where to start? Why not try following the herd? Every year, animals all over the world hit the road, sky, or sea for impressive migrations, and you can get a front row seat to nature’s big show. From massive groups of wildebeests crossing the Serengeti to flocks of flamingos turning the Tanzania sky pink, these seasonal journeys are one-of-a-kind
about the critters. VOYAGES AT SEA
Set a course for the high seas to witness the longest migration of any mammals as thousands of giant humpback whales swim across the planet. They cruise from the coasts of South Africa and South America to the warm waters of the Pacific and make stops in the icy seas of Antarctica. Though they come in much smaller packages, the trek of sea turtles to their nesting beaches has been an epic sight for over 100 million years. You can see them swim from the Indian Ocean to the shores of Sodwana Bay in South Africa before they lay their eggs.
experiences for your bucket list.
NATURE’S GRAND PROCESSIONS If you want to go big, the Great Migration across the Serengeti is one of the largest annual animal voyages on the planet. Thundering groups of wildebeests, zebras, and gazelles can be spotted from July to August as they search for water and food. Travel to Sri Lanka’s Minneriya and Kaudulla National Parks if you want to snap a photo of a pachyderm. Between July and October, hundreds of Asian elephants meet up there for an ancient tradition called “The Gathering.”
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