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THE SLG ADVISOR
617.889.5000 | SPADALAWGROUP.COM
SEPTEMBER 2020
I Never Want to Be Fat and Happy
I n 1998, I co-founded my law firm with my dear friend Vin Zullo. For 18 years, we grew the business, enjoyed our times together, and achieved a certain level of success. We used to joke that as we became more successful, we had to avoid becoming “fat and happy” — a phrase we used to not only describe our middle-age weight creep but also a complacency with our success that would eventually stall our growth and lead to decline. Being fat and happy to us meant no longer having a burning drive to improve and grow. It could have been easy to just hit cruise control after building the firm. Well, I lost my buddy Vin in 2016, but his warnings to me about the dangers of becoming fat and happy still guide me. When reflecting on what motivates me today, I realized that my current motivations are very different from what motivated me in my 40s, 30s, or 20s. As we go through life, what we want or need changes, and therefore what drives us changes as well. In My 20s When I was young, what motivated me was my sheer desire to do better financially than what I was accustomed to growing up. I hate saying I grew up poor, but it’s a fact. I did. I like to say my family was rich on love but poor on cash, and that was just fine with me. I had an awesome childhood and family life. But I wanted more. I was a good student, and I realized education was a way up financially for me. Thank God, because I am no handyman and would have remained poor had I taken that path.
So, during most of my 20s, what motivated me was furthering my education and doing well enough to get into and graduate from law school. These years were consumed with getting degrees and credentials so I could become a successful lawyer at some point. In My 30s My 30s were a whirlwind! Marriage, a mortgage, student loans, children, starting a law firm — and still not much in the way of money, but things were looking up. Improving our financial condition was a huge motivating factor during this period of my life. My 30s were a pretty stressful time. They say necessity is the mother of invention — well I had lots of needs, and as a result, I was hungry to succeed and terrified of failing. As a result, when we first opened our firm in 1998, we took on almost anything that came in the door that could help pay the bills. In My 40s My 40s were more stable. We had become good lawyers, and we began to experience the financial benefits that came with being good. So, although money remained an obvious motivator during this period, I was also very motivated to achieve a higher level of professional esteem. I didn’t just want to be good, I wanted to be one of the best. Or at least the best I could be. I wanted the respect of my peers and clients, so I worked hard on professional development during this decade. I was even more motivated in my 40s to be a GREAT dad. My children were getting older and going through school, and they needed me around, not at work all the time, so the
tension between career and home life was palpable. I found I had dual motivations that often felt mutually exclusive, but I believe I managed both pretty well with much help from a great wife. What motivates me today? Now here I am in my mid-50s (that was painful to even type). What motivates me now is what I am leaving behind. Will I pass the firm on to someone else when I retire? What legacy have I created already? What will the firm be known for when I leave it behind? I want Spada Law Group to continue after I am done practicing law. I want to establish the firm as a leader in the personal injury arena — one that is unmatched in the way it treats its clients. I do not want another firm to provide a higher level of service to their clients than Spada Law Group does. Period! I’m obsessed with creating an excellent client experience. I want to be the best so when I call it a career, I’ve left something behind that’s
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The 5 Most Common Types of Bicycle-Automobile Accidents
AND HOW CYCLISTS CAN AVOID THEM
In bicycle-automobile collisions, it’s almost always the cyclist bearing the brunt of the damage and injuries. That’s why whether you’re an avid cyclist or you just like riding through the streets every now and again, it’s a good idea to know some of the most common types of collisions and how to prevent yourself from getting involved in one. The right pull-out accident occurs when a car pulls out of a street, driveway, or parking lot that is on the right of the cyclist. One of two things often happen here: Either the car hits the cyclist broadside as in a T-bone accident, or the car pulls out in front of the cyclist, giving him or her no time to stop and crashing into the driver’s side of the car. The “right hook” bicycle accident is the most common type of bicycle- automobile collision. It happens when a motorist passes a cyclist, then makes an abrupt right turn in front of them, potentially causing the cyclist to slam into the car as it turns. Getting “doored” occurs when a cyclist is riding to the left of a parked car, and the driver flings open their door, causing the cyclist to slam into it and potentially the driver as well. The “rear end” bicycle accident is one that every avid cyclist fears. The name of the accident is pretty self-explanatory, but it’s when a car collides with a bicycle from behind. The “left cross” collision happens when a cyclist is riding through an intersection, and an automobile comes from the opposite direction down the road and turns left at that intersection, colliding with the cyclist.
You can decrease the likelihood of being in these types of accidents by doing three things: Make yourself as visible as possible (with lights and reflective clothing) to drivers. Slow down or stop at any intersection. Ride as far left in the bike lane as possible. All of these things can help you stay safe as you share the road with motorists. That said, in most situations, the motorist is usually at fault in bicycle- automobile accidents. If you’re a cyclist and you find yourself in one of these types of accidents, be sure to call Spada Law Group at 617.889.5000. We’ll help you get the compensation you deserve for your case and answer any questions you may have.
review of the month
“The entire team at Spada Law Group is AMAZING! They actually fight for you, give you the best advice, steer you in the right direction, and do what’s best for YOU! Most importantly, they actually care about you and how your injury affected you and your family. They are hands-down the best around!” –Amanda R.
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3 Forms to Help You Be There for Your Child If They Get Sick or Injured While in College
Parmesan Potato Wedges: The World’s Best Appetizer Local Chef’s Corner
Health Care Proxy Children can appoint their parents as medical health care proxies, which means that they can make medical decisions on behalf of their children when they’re unable to make those decisions themselves. Power of Attorney Designating someone as a power of attorney goes beyond just matters of health care. A durable power of attorney has the power to take care of business on your behalf while you’re incapacitated, including paying bills, signing tax returns, or accessing bank accounts. Students 18 and older should appoint one of their parents as power of attorney if they study abroad, in case they become ill or incapacitated while outside the U.S. You can find the HIPAA authorization and health care proxy forms on the Massachusetts Department of Public Health website, and you should definitely consult an attorney before signing a power of attorney form. If you have any questions about any of these forms, feel free to consult the attorneys at Spada Law Group.
It can be hard enough for a parent when their child starts their first year of college in another city. However, that transition can be even more difficult if their child gets sick or injured and they’re barred from accessing their child’s medical information. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) ensures that a person’s medical records are private once they turn 18, which means that parents might not be able to get any information on their child’s condition — which is especially terrifying during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, there are some forms that parents can fill out in order to help their child in a medical emergency. HIPAA Authorization This form allows health care providers to share a child’s medical condition with their parents, even after they turn 18. It doesn’t need to be notarized, and the patient has the option to specify certain areas of health they don’t want to be disclosed, such as sexual health or drug use. Make sure that both you and your child have hard copies of these forms as well as scans saved to your computers and smartphones.
If you’re looking for the perfect weekend appetizer, or the best side dish of all time, look no further than these Parmesan potato wedges!
INGREDIENTS •
1 lb yellow or red waxy potatoes (or around 6–7 potatoes, each 2–3 inches long)
¼ tsp black pepper ½ tsp dried basil ½ tsp garlic powder ½ tsp kosher salt
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2 tbsp salted butter, melted
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½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese Flat-leaf parsley, chopped (optional as a garnish)
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long lasting. Something I can be proud of having built. I’d like to think we have done a pretty good job so far, especially when I look at my staff and the way they treat our clients.
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Some members of my staff have been with me almost from the very beginning. They’ve made a career with me, and it makes me feel good knowing that they’ve sustained themselves and their families through our success. When someone on my staff is able to buy a new car or purchase a house, I love that! I take pride in knowing that, whatever I did, I provided them with a work environment they have found rewarding enough to stay with for so many years. Keeping a great team of staff engaged, happy, and high-performing is definitely motivating for me. Identifying what motivates you is key to continuing to grow and enjoy life. By focusing on superb client service and employee satisfaction, I’m having more fun practicing law today than I ever had before. I’m not practicing law just to survive anymore, and that makes it so much more enjoyable. I get to work because I love it, and that’s a blessing. So “fat and happy” has been replaced with just “happy.”
DIRECTIONS 1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. 2. Cut potatoes into wedges, then mix all ingredients in a bowl until the wedges are fully coated. 3. Place the coated wedges on a parchment-lined baking sheet. 4. Bake the potato wedges for 18 minutes. Then, remove from the oven and flip them over. 5. Put the wedges back in the oven for 10 minutes or until brown and crispy. Enjoy!
-Len Spada
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111 Everett Ave., #1F Chelsea, MA 02150 617.889.5000 SpadaLawGroup.com
Inside This Issue
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Staying Motivated as We Age
5 Common Types of Bicycle Accidents
Review of the Month
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3 Forms to Help Parents Help Their Children in Medical Emergencies
This Month’s Recipe: Parmesan Potato Wedges
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The Truth Behind the 21st Night of September
What Happened on the 21st Night of September? 4 Decades of Earth, Wind & Fire’s ‘September’
White and Willis proved to be excellent songwriting partners, but they clashed over one key element of the song: the nonsensical phrase “ba-dee-ya,” which White included in the chorus. Throughout the songwriting process, Willis begged to change the phrase to real words. At the final vocal session, Willis finally demanded to know what ba-dee-ya meant. White replied, “Who cares?” “I learned my greatest lesson ever in songwriting from him,” Willis recalled in a 2014 interview with NPR, “which was never let the lyric get in the way of the groove.” The groove is why “September” has stood the test of time, right from that very first lyric. For decades, people have asked Willis and members of the band about the significance of Sept. 21. As it turns out, there isn’t much beyond the sound. “We went through all the dates: ‘Do you remember the first, the second, the third, the fourth …’ and the one that just felt the best was the 21st,” Willis explained.
“Do you remember the 21st night of September?” In 1978, Maurice White of the band Earth, Wind & Fire first asked this question in the song “September,” a funky
disco song that quickly topped the charts. While disco may be dead today, “September” certainly isn’t. The song is still featured in movies, TV shows, and wedding playlists. On Sept. 21, 2019, the funk hit was streamed over 2.5 million times. It’s no wonder that the Los Angeles City Council declared Sept. 21 Earth, Wind & Fire Day. The story behind “September” is almost as enduring as the song itself. It was co-written by White and Allee Willis, who eventually became a Grammy-winning songwriter and Tony nominee. But before any of that, Willis was a struggling songwriter in Los Angeles living off food stamps. When White reached out and asked Willis to help write the next Earth, Wind & Fire hit, it was truly her big break.
The truth is that nothing happened on the 21st night of September — except a whole lot of dancing.
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