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The LEGAL LEDGER
P E R S O N A L I N J U R Y A N D T R I A L L A W Y E R S
I have always been passionate about the law. I’ve known since I was 5 years old that I was going to become an attorney. My mother would watch Matlock and Perry Mason, and I was fascinated by the attorneys demanding justice for their clients. My early fascination with the law was solidified by “Law & Order.” I always wanted to be Jack McCoy. As I began defending my clients in criminal court, I often found that civil rights issues and their criminal cases were intertwined. Struggles with racism, poverty, sexism, and homophobia are rampant in the criminal justice system, and I found that my clients’ cases were intertwined with civil rights violations. I’d often hear about rights that were violated with very few repercussions for those violating those rights. I knew I had to help my clients fight. Today, I feel very blessed to have represented families on some of the most difficult days of their lives, guiding them through the worst experience they have ever had. I have a good friend and mentor, attorney Benjamin Crump, who is most notable for his representation of Trayvon Martin’s family after their son was fatally shot by George Zimmerman in 2012. Ben has often pushed me into these cases, supporting me as the people I represented drew national attention. I’ve been honored to work with Ben on a number of these high-profile cases as well. The case you may know the most about is Markeis McGlockton’s death in a store parking lot in my hometown of Clearwater, Florida. The assailant in this DENMONPEARLMAN.COM FIGHTING FOR FLORIDA STATE REP. MICHELE RAYNER- GOOLSBY JOINS DENMON PEARLMAN
NOVEMBER 2020
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case claimed self-defense under Florida’s Stand Your Ground statute. But we knew the evidence proved the shooter was racially motivated and the local sheriff’s department did not give the case its proper attention or take the proper actions. I was honored to serve Markeis’ family, and their experiences and my work with his family willed me to make a change in my own life. I understand that I can only help one person or family at a time by practicing law. As a practitioner, I have to follow the law. I realized, if I did not believe a law was fair or just, I should change it. That is why I decided to run for office this year. I announced my campaign for District 70 of Florida’s House of Representatives in March 2020, and I’m proud to have been elected to serve the people of our region in the state Legislature. When it sank in that I had become the first Black, openly LGBTQ woman to be elected in Florida, I was grateful, inspired, and excited to get to work. It was a powerful moment for me, and one I will always remember. I am proud to have joined the team of lawyers at Denmon Pearlman Law Firm because I know they are just as dedicated to their clients and fighting for justice as I am. I can’t wait to make this my home. I’ve known Christian Denmon, Nicole Denmon, and Lee Pearlman professionally for years now. I respect their work, and I believe they are passionate about doing what is right. I can’t wait to continue growing the criminal justice portion of this practice with their leadership. As I reflect on a career built so far in civil liberty justice, I can’t help but think of my parents. They were some of the first Black students to integrate into the University of South Florida, and I watched my mom become one of the first Black social workers in St. Petersburg. Through my parents’ example, I learned this key motto upon which I have built my life and my career: To whom much is given, much is required.
“THROUGH MY PARENTS’ EXAMPLE, I LEARNED THIS KEY MOTTO UPON
WHICH I HAVE BUILT MY LIFE
AND MY CAREER: TO WHOM MUCH IS GIVEN, MUCH IS REQUIRED.”
When I wasn’t sure if I wanted to practice law in my mid- 20s, when I wasn’t aware of how involved in fighting for
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TOP 5 HEALTHY LIFE HACKS TO HAVE AN AWESOME MORNING
Getting your day started with coffee isn’t always enough. Sometimes, you need to give yourself an extra boost, especially when you have little energy or trouble focusing. For an awesome start to your day, here are five tips to get you going right off the bat. WAKE UP 5 MINUTES EARLY. What’s the power of five minutes? It can be more than you think. Spend this time doing simple breathing exercises or a quick meditation so you can get focused for the rest of the day. If that’s not your style, you can prepare a quick to-do list for your day ahead. Either way, it’s always nice to have a little extra time for yourself without losing too much sleep. START WITH GREEN TEA, THEN COFFEE. A cup of coffee at 7 a.m. can leave you burned out by 10 a.m. Try swapping it with green tea for a more gentle wake-up
call. After that, you can brew your favorite coffee to keep you going strong. This practice also might help you consume less caffeine overall!
TAKE A QUICK MORNING WALK — AND HAVE YOUR MEETINGS ON THE GO. Morning meetings can make us want to fall asleep again. Don’t spend all of them sitting down if you don’t have to! Not only will morning walks help you wake up, but they can also add some extra physical activity to your day. WRITE IN YOUR JOURNAL. Who says you have to journal at the end of the day when you’re tired and ready to sleep? You can journal in the morning about what happened yesterday and the things you’re looking forward to that day. Journaling can remind you of your daily goals and motivate you to stick to your commitments. PACK YOUR LUNCH (OR SNACKS!). Staying on track with your goals starts with having the energy to do them. Plan a healthy balance of fats, vegetables, carbohydrates, and proteins. This can be as simple as assembling dips, carrots, wraps, and salads each morning.
It’s time to try these tactics to jump-start your day!
STARTING FRESH
TIPS FOR CREATING NEW HOLIDAY TRADITIONS
The holidays can be a magical time of year. Gathering with our loved ones, giving thanks, and stuffing ourselves with treats is meant to be wonderful, but if you’re celebrating your first holiday season after a divorce or struggling with trauma from an injury, it may be difficult to even think about honoring your holiday traditions. Here’s the good news, though: You don’t have to! Here are some tips for making new holiday traditions this Thanksgiving to start your next chapter on your own terms. TIP NO. 1: DO WHAT YOU WANT. If Thanksgiving now means ordering takeout and watching bad ‘80s movies, then do that. If you’d rather gather with your friends or take a stab at dinner all on your own, try it. Regardless of what you do, Thanksgiving is all about honoring what’s good in your life. So, make it good by celebrating in a way that will make you feel happy! (Pro tip: Don’t spend it alone! Find a buddy to spend the day with or plan something with your kids to build that sense of togetherness.) TIP NO. 2: PRACTICE GRATITUDE. It may seem silly, but actively practicing gratitude for the little things in life may prove to be very beneficial for you. Studies in Psychology Today have found that gratitude boosts your physical health, helps you sleep better, and improves your relationships, too. The act of gratitude creates ripples across your well-being and health, which could lead to a more enjoyable holiday with new traditions! TIP NO. 3: DON’T LIVE IN THE PAST. If you’re feeling sad because you miss traditions from yesteryear, it may be time to create new traditions and let the old ones go. You can acknowledge the memories while also honoring the fact that those traditions no longer exist in your life. Dwelling on what once was can leave you stuck in the past. Instead, seek the help of a counselor or friend to help you shift your perspective from what was to what could be.
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BUSINESSES HELPING BUSINESSES PARADISE PRESS SUPPORTS LOCAL COMPANIES AS A ONE-STOP SHOP!
Inspired by OnceUponAChef.com
Skip the can-shaped cranberry sauce this year and bring a jar of homemade sauce to Thanksgiving instead. This easy recipe can be made ahead of the big event and keeps for 10 days in the fridge.
INGREDIENTS
When Cindy Butler became a press operator at a printing company when she was a teenager, she was only the second woman in Florida to do such a job. Little did she know that was just the first barrier she would break as a woman in the printing industry. “Women weren’t even supposed to be in the press room,” Cindy recalls. “They were only in the front office and in bindery [post-print process]. Needless to say, it was a struggle, but I’m a tough old bird.” Cindy has been the owner of Paradise Press in Clearwater, Florida, since 2001, but she’s worked in the printing industry for more than 36 years. From the delivery driver’s seat to the boss’s chair, Cindy’s passion has always been to help her community as a printer. “[Paradise Press does] a lot of stuff for organizations that work around breast cancer,” Cindy says, adding that she always enjoys seeing her company’s products out in the community, often on kids’ backpacks when she is offering free products to schools and teachers. “I really like working with kids. I think they are our future.” Paradise Press donates a lot of items to local schools, Cindy added.
Today, Paradise Press offers a variety of print options to meet many corporate needs. This includes business cards, invitations and letterheads, forms, checks and envelopes, and promotional products, like mugs, backpacks, and apparel. For Cindy, the goal of Paradise Press is to be a one-stop shop for all business printing needs. And if Paradise Press can’t do it, Cindy says she has no problem connecting with her strong network of small-business partners (like Denmon Pearlman!). When she isn’t helping small businesses with their printing needs, Cindy is likely tending to her garden. She and her wife of 25 years have three kids and a dog named Rosie together. A sixth-generation Floridian, Cindy can’t imagine living, working, or serving any other community. “I just love the area,” Cindy says. “It’s very diverse. Within two hours, you can be in the middle of the woods or in downtown … it’s a nice place to raise a family and have a business.”
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1/2 cup orange juice, freshly squeezed
• • •
12 oz fresh cranberries
2 tsp orange zest
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1/2 cup water 3/4 cup plus 2 tbsp sugar
Salt to taste
1. In a medium saucepan, heat the orange juice, water, and sugar to a boil. Add other ingredients, then bring mixture back to boiling. 2. Reduce the heat to medium and cook gently for 10–12 minutes, until the cranberries burst. 3. Transfer the sauce to a bowl or jar, cover, and refrigerate until serving. DIRECTIONS
To Our Clients, Colleagues, Friends, and Family, As Thanksgiving is upon us, we here at Denmon Pearlman would like to express our gratitude to you. We appreciate your continuous support and loyalty. May your Thanksgiving and all the days ahead be filled with happiness, joy, and prosperity.
Learn more about Paradise Press and their various options for small businesses online at ParadisePressPrinting.com.
... CONTINUED FROM COVER civil liberties I would become, when I didn’t think I could run for the state Legislature, I heard this phrase. Not only do I believe it, but I also live it out each day, and I am inspired by it. I think the little girl who sat in front of the TV marveling at “Law & Order” would be proud of who I am today. And I know that joining this well- respected firm will only further that pride and passion.
–Michele Rayner-Goolsby
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P E R S O N A L I N J U R Y A N D T R I A L L A W Y E R S
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Welcoming a Civil Rights Fighter to Our Team
Top 5 Healthy Life Hacks to Have an Awesome Morning Make New Thanksgiving Traditions!
Our Local One-Stop Printing Shop for Businesses! Zesty Orange Cranberry Sauce
THE 11TH HOUR OF THE 11TH DAY OF THE 11TH MONTH
WHY VETERANS DAY AND THE NUMBER 11 GO HAND IN HAND
V eterans Day comes every Nov. 11. It’s a national holiday that recognizes veterans who served in the United States Armed Forces and honors those both living and deceased. Historically, the day marks Armistice Day and the end of the Great War: World War I. But what is the significance of the number 11? The armistice was signed at 5:45 a.m. in France, but it took effect at 11 a.m. that same morning — which happened to be Nov. 11, 1918. The armistice originally lasted 36 days but was extended month after month. This led to the signing of the Treaty of Versailles on June 28, 1919, when peace was officially declared. Later that year, President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed that Nov. 11 would be known as Armistice Day to honor those who fought in the Great War. This lasted until 1954, when President Dwight Eisenhower signed a proclamation turning Armistice Day into Veterans Day.
The change was made in order to recognize all veterans who had honorably served their country. By 1954, the U.S. had fought in more wars — specifically World War II and the Korean War — and hundreds of thousands more Americans had served. Unsurprisingly, there was some political drama surrounding the day. In 1968, Congress made Veterans Day a federal holiday under the Uniform Holiday Bill. The idea was to increase the number of three-day weekends in the year. Veterans Day became a holiday that would fall on the fourth Monday of October, a far cry from Nov. 11.
However, in 1978, Veterans Day was restored to its original Nov. 11 date. But why?
The answer is simple. It’s a number that sticks with you. When the clock strikes 11:11, you always take notice. By that same notion, we all remember the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month. Because of this, we’ll never forget the end of the Great War, nor will we forget those who served.
ARMISTICE DAY CELEBRATION, FRANCE, 1918
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