Marc Shapiro's online newsletter for December 2018
December 2018
720 Goodlette Rd N, Suite 304, Naples, FL 34102 • www.AttorneyShapiro.com
Finding the Best A TeamWho Gets the Job Done
E
arly in my career, everything I did at the firm was about the price tag. I wanted to make a lot of money. That meant when it came to hiring, I looked
is completely different. By hiring the best people, I have a staff full of individuals who are, in some respects, better than I am. Any leader who claims to have all the answers is lying. The best teams are created when a leader finds people who know more than him and share his philosophy and goals. I’m proud to say that you’ll find those aspects at our firm.
for people who would work for less because that would save me money. But, as I discussed last month, my entire philosophy changed with the birth of my son. Today, my goal is to help as many people as possible, and to do that, I need the best staff possible. I’ve fought to hire several people we have at the firm today. I knew they were good, and I knew their ideologies would harmonize with my own philosophy. One of the attorneys at the firm, Laurie Hannan Anton, used to work in Nashville for recording artists. She was appointed a Certified Circuit Court Mediator and worked at a big law firm, Henderson Franklin, before coming here. Another attorney we were lucky to get is Jeffrey D. Best. He ran his own practices in Illinois and Indiana before moving to Naples with his wife. And I can’t forget James Moran, an attorney with so much experience; he seems to have seen it all before. It’s not just the attorneys who I hold to such a high standard. Our office manager, Ilen Estrada, has decades of experience from her successful real estate career, and she knows how to build strong relationships that serve her clientele. Meanwhile, Gerta S. Toska, an integral part of our personal injury department, has an extensive background in civil litigation. She also happens to be fluent in Albanian, English, Spanish, Italian, and Greek. I’ve found that by hiring the best staff, I am able to help more people. In the past, I felt like if I wanted to get something done right, I needed to do it myself. I had to do everything at the firm. This ran me ragged and limited my time for new clients. Today, the firm
“Today, my goal is to help as many people as possible, and to do that, I need the best staff possible.”
Today, we run a bigger, better operation. Thanks to our reputation of willingness to going all the way for our clients, insurance adjusters will often offer our clients a fair settlement. Going to court every time isn’t always what’s best for a client who’s going through a painful situation. However, if the insurance adjuster doesn’t offer a fair settlement, they know we’re not afraid to go to court and fight for our clients. Making the right call for our clients is a priority shared by every person at the firm. Instead of being a one-man show, I’m the quarterback of the team. I know what’s going on with every case we have, but I trust that my staff can execute the plays and take care of our clients. I am truly thankful for my staff and all the clients who have helped me practice law in this community for almost 27 years. I would not be here today without your support. Thank you.
-Marc Shapiro
(239) 649-8050 • 1
Multicultural Celebrations
Wint
How Florid
According to the Pew Research Center, Christmas is the most celebrated December holiday in the U.S. Yet, like the melting pot it is, the U.S. contains many cultures from across the globe, each with their own traditions. Teach your kids about some of the holiday celebrations from different cultures this season. Kwanzaa Created in 1966 by black studies professor Maulana Karenga during the Black Nationalist Movement, Kwanzaa is a seven-day celebration and reflection period for African Americans. The week offers African Americans the opportunity to connect with African culture and history by celebrating the seven principles of African heritage, which include unity, self-determination, and creativity. Teach Your Kids About Winter Holidays
It’s not your imagination; the roads really are worse during the winter months. The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles reported that of the 370,000 traffic accidents that occurred statewide in 2015, over 99,000 of these accidents took place in November and December alone. While August tends to be the worst month for car accidents in the rest of the country, in Florida, the most dangerous month to drive is December.
Floridians don’t have to worry about icy roads, so why is the traffic so much worse during the winter? Most people are quick to point to the influx of snowbirds, tourists from up north who escape the harsh wrath of winter by spending a few months in sunny Florida. When there are more people on the road, especially drivers who aren’t as familiar with traffic conditions, there is a higher chance of accidents. However, snowbirds aren’t the only reason Florida roads get rougher around the holidays. College students on winter break increase the traffic on the road. Holiday parties are also on the rise, as is the alcohol served
Hanukkah
Hanukkah pays homage to a two-year Jewish rebellion against an oppressive Greek-Syrian
government that took them captive in an attempt to eliminate Judaism. The tradition of the eight-day celebration and the lighting of the menorah candles comes from the story of a miracle that happened during the rebellion, when a one-day supply of oil burned for eight days in a temple. Diwali Though celebrated in late fall, Diwali is a Hindu holiday that’s known as the festival of lights. Its main purpose is to celebrate the triumph of good over evil, and the five-day festival includes the lighting of candles or lamps, feasting, and giving gifts to family and friends. Diwali also celebrates the Hindu new year and is the largest, most widely celebrated festival in India. This is not an exhaustive list by any means, but educating your children about holiday practices other than Christmas will give them a broader worldview and inspire them to gain further knowledge about cultures outside their own. Your local library is a great resource for children’s literature on these holidays, and there are also TV programs from PBS that feature episodes on these traditions. Enjoy the winter holiday season, however you decide to celebrate!
Holida Prim
Looking for an easy holiday roast that still feels elegant enough for the occasion? Look no further than this delicious prime rib flavored with garlic, thyme, and red wine.
Ingredients
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1 bone-in prime rib (6–7 pounds) 8 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
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4 cups beef stock
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
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2 cups red wine
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A Superb Lawyer Marc Shapiro Rates Perfect 10 on Avvo
r Conditions Drivers Can Stay Safe
Marc L. Shapiro is proud to be one of a select group of attorneys nationwide to be awarded a“superb”10 rating on Avvo. Why is this such a remarkable accomplishment? To start, every licensed attorney in the country is listed on Avvo. When an attorney claims their profile,
at said parties. Too many people make bad decisions at these parties, choosing to indulge in a few drinks before getting behind the wheel of their car. Until the day a “Star Trek” style transporter is installed in every home, there’s no way to avoid driving during all of winter. But you can practice defensive driving techniques to help keep you and your passengers safe. A few of these strategies include the following: • Obey all the rules of the road, especially speed limits. • Don’t let yourself be distracted, and keep your attention on the road. • Watch and respect the other drivers on the road. • Maintain a safe following distance. • Don’t drive when you are drowsy or when you have had anything to drink. We should all do our part to make our roads a little safer this winter. If you have been injured in a vehicle accident, don’t hesitate to give us a call at (239) 646-8050. The holidays are stressful enough without worrying about fighting the insurance companies alone to get the compensation you deserve.
Avvo collects publicly available information from the state bar and other organizations to create a rating on a scale of 1 (extreme caution) to 10 (superb). The Avvo rating is not based on client reviews and is, instead, determined by three principles: • Experience—How long have they been in practice? • Recognition—How is the attorney viewed by their peers and their community? • Ethics—What does their disciplinary record look like? Prospective clients can use the Avvo rating to learn about their attorney’s reputation without digging through years of records. It is incredibly difficult for an attorney to receive a perfect 10 rating on Avvo. The exact calculations done to determine attorney ratings are kept secret and with good reason. Avvo is meant to be an independent system. Attorneys have no control over their rating. It doesn’t matter if a lawyer advertises on Avvo or if they spring for a premiummembership. They cannot buy a better rating. Avvo will even launch an investigation if they suspect the information listed on an attorney’s profile is incorrect. It is reassuring to see the efforts of our firm reflected in a superb rating. That 10 is a promise that clients can expect the highest level of knowledge, experience, and professional conduct when hiring the LawOffices of Marc L. Shapiro, PA. Word Search
Roast Rib
CANDLE COOKIES DECORATIONS FAMILY GRATITUDE HOLIDAYS SNOWFLAKE SNOWMAN SNOWSTORM TRADITION
Directions
1. 30 minutes before cooking, remove roast from fridge and let sit until it reaches room temperature. 2. Heat oven to 350 F. 3. Make small slits in prime rib and stuff with slices of garlic. Liberally season with salt and pepper. 4. Place a rack inside a roasting pan and roast prime rib for 2 hours, until medium-rare. 5. To make au jus, place roasting pan with drippings from roast over 2 burners on high. Add wine and scrape pan as liquid reduces. Add beef stock and cook until reduced by half. Finally, sprinkle in thyme. 6. Slice roast and serve topped with au jus.
TRAVEL WINTER
(239) 649-8050 • 3
PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411
720 Goodlette Rd N, Suite 304 Naples, FL 34102 www.AttorneyShapiro.com
Inside What Makes Someone the Best? Page 1
Teach Your Kids About Holidays
When Snowbirds Drive South Page 2
A Superb Lawyer
Holiday Roast Prime Rib Page 3
Indulge Your Sweet Tooth With Less Sugar This Holiday Season Page 4
Surviving the Season of Sweets How to Indulge Your Sweet Tooth With Less Sugar
Cookies, cakes, and pies, oh my! The holiday season is brimming with sweet treats of all kinds. Sometimes it can feel like candy and sugary desserts are around every corner, and yet you still want to indulge. However, when you consider that over 50 percent of Americans are insulin-resistant, prediabetic, or diabetic, that piece of pumpkin pie with whipped cream starts to look more dangerous than appetizing. During the holidays, how can you satisfy your sweet tooth without worrying about consuming excessive sugar and calories?
dried fruit with a food dehydrator. This way, you are completely in control of the ingredients. No matter what you do, just be mindful not to overindulge. Dried fruit is high in sugar and calories, but the fiber and vitamins make fruit much healthier than just about any other sugary treat.
Another way to cut down on your sugar intake is to use dark chocolate in all your chocolate-based treats. Dark chocolate has about half as much sugar as milk chocolate, twice as much healthy fat, less cholesterol, 4–5 times more iron, twice as much potassium, fewer carbs, and more flavonoids and theobromine. The antioxidant properties of the theobromine and flavonoids make dark chocolate as good for your heart as it is for your soul. If you have a recipe that calls for chocolate, reach for the dark stuff, whether it’s dark chocolate chips, cocoa powder, or baking chocolate. While it may seem as though everyone and their grandma is overindulging in sugar this season, know that you have the choice to opt for healthier sweets. And come New Year’s, you won’t have to spend the first few months of 2019 working off that extra cookie weight.
Skip the candy and go for the fruits and nuts. Keeping a bowl of fruit and nuts nearby can help keep sugar cravings at bay. Dried fruits, such as cranberries, pineapple, or apricots, are both sweet and nutritious. Just be sure to check the packaging for added sugars. You can even make your own
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