312-578-9501 | www.shannonlawgroup.com NOVEMBER 2017
TRAVELING FOR CONNECTION AND IMPROVEMENT
This last month, I took a couple of trips — one for business, and one personal. Let’s start with the personal.
I flew out to Seattle to spend a week with my father. We were overdue for a visit, so I knew I needed to make the journey. One thing my dad really enjoys is going home to Yakima. My parents, Tom and JoAnne, raised their family of nine kids directly across the street from St. Paul’s Cathedral in Yakima, Washington. So, the day after I arrived, we jumped into my sister Mary Jo’s car at 5:30 a.m. and drove to St. Paul’s to celebrate the 8 a.m. mass at our home parish. Monsignor Ecker celebrated the Mass, and Dad saw a number of old friends. We had a terrific visit. My sister Kathleen, my brother John, Dad, and I also visited Enumclaw (my dad’s childhood hometown) and visited some of our relatives. My dad and I even got a haircut from my cousin Sheila. During the Seattle visit, we enjoyed seafood with my sister Anne, visited my brother Tom and his wife, Peggy, and played A LOT of cards. Sounds like a pretty mundane visit, huh? Nevertheless, this trip meant the world to me. You see, my father fell and broke his pelvis earlier this year. He’s 95, and for a lot of people, this would mean losing the ability to walk ever again. Well, not only does dad walk, but he goes to regular exercise class, goes downtown to lunch at his most favorite lunch spot in the world, and lectors at his parish. I would ask all of you to keep my dad in your prayers. If you are in Seattle, stop by to chat with him. You will be glad you did. Dad, you are an inspiration to us all. You are my role model. I love you. The other trip I took was all business. For the second straight year, I traveled to Arlington, Virginia, for three days as part of our quest to improve our firm in a dramatic way. We have two main goals for this yearly trip. First, we want to ensure that our law firm provides excellent service to our clients. Second,
Me and Dad
we want to make sure all of our team members have the tools they need to continue to grow as leaders.
Over the years, clients have repeatedly entrusted us with huge life-altering problems. They have relied on us to fix these problems. We have repeatedly delivered. Still, we want to be better. We want to innovate. To that end, I spent three days evaluating every aspect of our law firm, planning and implementing changes for the future, and updating how we interact with you. I’m not the only one working to improve our service to you. All of our team members regularly seek out ways to grow as leaders in our field. Pat has continued his regular continuing legal education, has attended three national trial lawyer conventions, and is writing a book. Kate traveled to Virginia for a few days to study how to make our office management systems work better and is also working on a book. Thank you once again for allowing us to serve you and your family.
Have a great Thanksgiving, everyone.
– Joe Shannon
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Irish songwriter and performer Gavin Coyle will perform a Pre-Advent Concert at our home parish, St. Joan of Arc Church, in Lisle on Dec. 1, 2017. Coyle sings and plays the guitar, flute, and bodhran (an Irish drum) at his concerts. A resident of the West Suburbs, Coyle blends folk and pop with the traditional music of his Irish native homeland. Among many other venues, Gavin has sung the national anthem for the Bears and the Bulls games, and he has performed at IrishFest in Milwaukee. Locally, Coyle has performed numerous concerts to benefit Wheaton’s People’s Resource Center in the past. The past executive director of PRC (and longtime St. Joan parishioner), Mary Ellen Durbin, had this to say of Coyle’s performance: “His concert was so soulful. He’s such a faith-filled person that his music evokes these deep emotions and memories. It’s a quality performance.” Irish music at any time of the year is great in my book. But if it’s good enough for Mary Ellen, it’s good enough for us.
Tickets are available at celticxmas.gesture.com
TESTIMONIALS
Here at Shannon Law Group, nothing matters more to us than our clients. It’s the people we represent who make this firm what it is, and no compliment is more meaningful than the one we get from you. If you’ve worked with us, we’d love to hear about your experience. We’re extremely grateful to be able to serve you, and we’d also be grateful if you took a moment to review us on Google Plus or AVVO. You can also check out shannonlawgroup. com for information, resources, and a history of our results. “Joe Shannon is truly a man of the people. His keen insight into what his injured clients need and how to best communicate their suffering to a jury is exceptional. Look no further if you want the best in the courtroom.” –Frank “Joe is not only technically adept at handling accident and injury cases, but compassionate and understanding. He really takes the time to explain his case analysis and legal theories to his clients.” –Jeffrey
“A few years ago, my business partner suggested we talk with Joe Shannon when we had a dispute with a vendor. Joe was professional yet personable. He took his time to answer all of our questions and explain how he would approach our problem. Ultimately, we wound up recovering more than we had anticipated in a breach of contract case. Joe and his firm were instrumental in this result. Since then, I have recommended him to five or six friends who were looking to speak with a lawyer regarding legal issues ranging from a house fire to auto accidents to immigration matters. Without exception, they have come back to me and thanked me for recommending Joe. Based on that, and on my own personal experience, I will continue to strongly recommend Joe Shannon and Shannon Law.” –Jerry “He was very efficient, patient, and understanding during my injury. He was very empathetic and kind.” –Maureen
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PAT CUMMINGS’ CORNER: TRENDS IN TRUCKING CASES
Before a trucking company hands the keys of its trucks over to prospective drivers, it’s essential that they conduct thorough background investigations. Why? The simple answer is that trucks are exceedingly dangerous in the hands of
The two examples above would be easily remedied by simple vetting, preventing a company from putting an unsafe driver on the road. Unfortunately, many commercial driving companies put money and convenience ahead of thoroughness when screening potential drivers. In one of our recent cases, a commercial driving company hired a driver with no professional driving experience, no employment references, and a long history of criminal behavior, including a DUI conviction. The company in that case indicated that they had vetting procedures in place, but they never followed their own hiring policies. The company conducted no background check, no road test — nothing! They didn’t even make the driver fill out their entire application. As our case and other negligent or reckless hiring cases have shown over the last few years, juries will not condone companies that ignore the safety of the public by hiring unqualified and dangerous drivers. In some particularly egregious cases like ours, jurors are allowed to impose punitive damages as a way of sending a message to offending companies that their conduct is unacceptable. Hopefully, companies will see these large punitive damage verdicts and take vetting seriously. NOVEMBER 2017 DATES OF CONSEQUENCE
unqualified drivers. Companies need to ensure that the folks they hire to drive these vehicles don’t present an unreasonable risk to people they’re transporting or to the rest of the motoring public. While an investigation into an employee’s background can never guarantee that the driver will be 100 percent safe 100 percent of the time, a serious examination of a prospective driver can reveal red flags that could eliminate that driver from consideration. For example, say a trucking company obtained a potential driver’s Illinois driving record. If that record is littered with speeding offenses or other moving violations, the driver’s ability to follow laws comes into question. Similarly, if a past employer indicates that the driver being screened had made false entries in his log books to get around federal hours of service requirements, it demonstrates a willingness to put personal financial gain over public safety.
November 5:
Daylight saving time ends. Turn back the clocks one hour!
November 10:
Marquette basketball home opener against Mt. St. Mary’s. Go Golden Eagles!
November 11:
Dad’s Weekend at University of Illinois. Go Illini!
5:30 p.m. Quigley’s Irish Pub WEDNESDAY, DEC. 27
November 13:
Feast Day of St. Frances Cabrini. Read up on this great Chicago legend!
November 15:
96th birthday of Thomas Matthew Shannon, Sr. Happy birthday, Dad!
Grid n°72300 easy
November 18:
U.S. Naval Academy versus Notre Dame football. Go Irish and go Navy!
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November 19:
St. Joan of Arc Harvest Sunday. Please give generously.
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November 23:
Feast Day of Blessed Miguel Pro. Viva Cristo Rey! Read up on this courageous man.
SOLUTION
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November 23:
Turkey Trot 5K
Want something more in your life? Every Saturday morning, St. Joan of Arc men’s group meets from 7–8 a.m. in the St. Joan of Arc Parish Center in Lisle, Illinois. I invite you.
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Phone: 312-578-9501 www.shannonlawgroup.com
3550 Hobson Rd., Ste. 203 Woodridge, IL 60517
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
My Two Recent Trips
page 1
Enjoy a Pre-Advent Concert With Gavin Coyle
page 2
Pat Cummings on Trucking Trends
page 3
Christmas Party!
page 3
Hey, Jon! Getting to Know Platinum Partners Realtors
page 4
WE HIGHLY ENDORSE SPOTLIGHT ON A LOCAL BUSINESS
Here are the three most popular real estate questions my clients ask:
realty professional several months in
advance to choose the best remodeling options for your budget. Q: Hey Jon, what types of improvements bring the best return on my investment?
Q: Hey Jon, how is the real estate market?
A: Most people want to know whether it is a buyer’s or a seller’s market. I like to give this tip: If you are selling a home, choose to list it within the first six months of the calendar year, with the target date being Feb. 1. If you are buying a home, look for one that has been on the market for more than 75 days. The sellers are ready to move and are more willing to negotiate a better price.
A: The best improvements for return on investment are kitchen, bathroom, doors, trim, and lighting, and — with the new trend of outdoor living — decks, patios, and landscaping.
Q: Hey Jon, do we need to make improvements to our home before placing it on the market?
Jon Svitak (Platinum Partners Realtors) 630-712-8002 jjsvitak@comcast.net
A: Yes . Be prepared to take off the blinders and seriously critique your home’s present condition, both inside and out, before placing it on the market. I suggest meeting with your
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