As mentioned elsewhere in this newsletter, celebrating President Lincoln’s birthday reminds me of how important it is to be honest with people. As a lawyer, I have a duty to inform my clients of everything about their cases — especially the truth. That said, I’d like to share a time when being honest with a client — even when it didn’t put me in the best light — paid off in the long run. I’ve had the privilege of representing several celebrities in my career, which is always thrilling and interesting. One client in particular was a famous professional basketball player. Like many successful members of his profession, he drove a very expensive car — in this case, a Mercedes- Maybach. At the time, that car cost more than my house. After giving a deposition one day, he decided to let off some steam at a local bar/restaurant, and I accompanied him there. Before long, his entourage pulled up in the Maybach. The restaurant hostess informed me the car would be towed if it remained in their chosen location. When I shared that news with my clients’ friends, they handed me the keys, and off I went to drive the car to my office building’s parking garage. Unfortunately, while trying to navigate a sharp turn, I heard a very loud crunch . Uttering a few words I won’t repeat here as I drove up the parking deck, I wondered how badly I had damaged the Maybach. Well, I had completely torn up one of the vehicle’s very expensive and fancy rims. As I walked back to the restaurant, I asked myself, “Why did you drive this car? What do I say to my client?” I thought, “Well, he’s your client. You have to tell him the truth.” With his entire entourage watching, I put my hand on his shoulder and said, “I’ve got to tell you something … I scratched your car.” Without even looking at me, he took a swig of his beer, pointed to his friends, and said, “That’s the first time anybody’s ever told me the truth about scratching my car!” AND EARNED HIS TRUST HOW I DAMAGED A CLIENT’S CAR …
SUDOKU
Inspired by EasyDessertRecipes.com
Fabulous Flourless Chocolate Cake
INGREDIENTS
• 1 cup chopped dark chocolate • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted • 3/4 cup granulated sugar • 1/2 cup almond flour
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts • 4 large eggs, separated • 2 tbsp cocoa powder
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 F and grease a springform pan with butter or nonstick spray. 2. Place chocolate in a medium bowl. Pour warm, melted butter over it, wait for 2 minutes, then stir until chocolate is melted and smooth. 3. Add sugar, almond flour, and walnuts and stir to incorporate. Stir in the egg yolks and set mixture aside. 4. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip egg whites on medium until stiff peaks form. 5. Fold 1/4 of the whipped egg whites into the chocolate batter. Repeat, 1/4 at a time, until egg whites are incorporated. 6. Pour batter into springform pan and bake for 30–35 minutes. 7. Remove from the oven and let it cool completely before removing from the pan. Dust with cocoa powder before serving.
From that day forward, he trusted me and listened to every word I said.
–Kevin Mottley
www.MottleyLawFirm.com | 3
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