312-578-9501 | www.shannonlawgroup.com AUGUST 2019
Let me tell you the story of the Little family. Anna and Steve Little are parents to eight girls. Anna is a dynamo: She home-schools all her kids, she’s active in her church, and she runs a terrific household where all the girls are working and helping their parents with the chores. Anna runs her home with grace and class. Nearly 10 years ago, Steve and Anna were blessed with their eighth child. They named her Mercy. This young girl has needed 24-hour care since she was born and will need such care for the rest of her life. Mercy is completely dependent on her family to care for her. For the first five years of her life, Mercy had round- the-clock seizures. Anna was there every step of the way to be with Mercy during each and every seizure. Anna has been Mercy’s 24-hour nurse, and every member of the family has been a nurse’s aide for Mercy for 10 years. A lot of kids with Mercy’s condition are in and out of hospitals for chronic ailments, but not Mercy. She has been receiving the finest care a little girl could receive from her loving family. This is despite the fact that the family could not afford to pay for the type of therapy Mercy needed to make her life more enjoyable. Our firm and Wise Morrissey, LLC, have represented the Little family for the last five years. We have visited the Little home on dozens of occasions. We’ve seen the kids read to Mercy and sing to her while she swings in a makeshift swing in the family’s living room. Every time I have come away from their home, I am inspired by their endurance, dedication, and love for one another. They are happy, they are thrilled to have each other, and they feel blessed to be there for Mercy. This family cherishes life itself. “AND NOW THESE THREE REMAIN: FAITH, HOPE, AND LOVE. BUT THE GREATEST OF THESE IS LOVE.” 1 Corinthians 13:13
for the therapy Mercy needs for the rest of her life. They will be able to purchase a proper bed, wheelchair, and van that can transport Mercy in comfort and safety. In my 31 years in the legal field, I’ve learned a lot from my clients. Anna and Steve Little and their terrific family taught us what faith, hope, and love looks like in real life. It’s God first, others second, and me last. All of their children have the playbook and follow the game plan. This family continues to teach us what real love means. Thank you, Anna and Steve, for showing us how to lead an incredible and loving life. We are grateful to know you and grateful that we will be able to work with you in the future.
– Joe Shannon
After a five-year ordeal, Mercy’s case resolved in April, the last month just before trial. Anna and Steve will now be able to pay
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It was a classic underdog setup on May 4 when the San Francisco Giants faced off against the Cincinnati Reds. The Giants hadn’t won at the Great American Ball Park in three years. They’d been trailing the Reds all game, resulting in a 3-10 score at the top of the sixth inning. Statistics showed the Reds had a 99% chance of winning. But then, the tide turned: The Giants held the Reds and started making runs. At the bottom of the ninth inning, the Giants were only one run behind their opponent with two outs and a pinch hitter,
Stephen Vogt, up to bat. Raisel Iglesias pitched to Vogt, who took a confident swing, and …
“It … is … outta here!”
Vogt’s home run tied the game, and Evan Longoria followed with another run in the 11th inning to end the game in the Giants’ favor at 12-11. Those watching saw sports history being made. Here are a few more tales of beating the odds. Houston Rockets vs. San Antonio Spurs: The 2004 Miracle There’s no “i” in team. But that didn’t stop Rockets’ player Tracy McGrady from scoring a heroic 13 points in the final 33 seconds of this 2004 basketball game against the San Antonio Spurs. Those final points resulted in a victory for the Rockets, boosting their rankings and confidence. US Women’s National Team vs. Brazil: 2011 World Cup Hope Having scored within two minutes of kickoff, things were looking up for the U.S. women’s team at the 2011 World Cup. But two goals against U.S. keeper Hope Solo soon brought the score to 2-1, in favor of Brazil. It wasn’t until minute 122 of overtime that soccer legend Abby Wambach saved the day with a goal to tie up the game. Solo’s elegant deflection of several penalty kicks secured a U.S. win and took the team into the semifinals.
IT’S BARBECUE SEASON
It’s barbecue season. Well, technically, it’s been barbecue season for a while now, but, for me, the new owner of a Weber Spirit II two-burner grill, it’s only just begun. For the past three years, I’ve had to live without grilled meats, fish, and vegetables. It was not a life choice. The terms of our lease prohibited grills to be used on our back porch, and, as any good attorney would, I abided by the terms of my contract. But those days are over! After a very lengthy process, Sam and I have moved a couple stops down the Blue line to a condo in the Logan Square neighborhood. For the first three weeks, the new place was mostly unfurnished. We had no couch, no dining room table, and no TV. We had a grill, though. It was the first item I purchased. I was so anxious to get it home that it did not occur to me that it wouldn’t fit inside Sam’s little Hyundai Elantra. So, there I sat by my shiny new grill in the Home Depot parking lot, waiting for Sam’s dad and his much larger trunk to come pick me up. Thus far, we’ve had burgers, chicken, fish, and vegetables. It may sound like pretty standard fare, but, after three years of baked chicken, just seeing grill marks is appetizing.
of July, or up at our cottage in Michigan, the grill was how we fed the masses. My dad and uncles were the grill masters back then, and I remember thinking what great responsibility they held to cook for all those people. Firing up the grill in July and August just feels right. Sam and I have a busy second half of summer, but I will be honing my skills as much as I can. Please send your favorite recipes, marinades, and rubs to jsvitak@shannonlawgroup.com. I will repay the favor!
– Jon Svitak
The grill was always a major part of the summers in my childhood. Whenever my family came together for Memorial Day, the Fourth
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INTRODUCING FINNEGAN
In the last few months, the folks at Shannon Law Group have caught a little bit of puppy fever. A few months ago, the Shannons picked up Archie, and it sounds like he’s keeping them busy. A couple months later, my wife and I (but mostly my wife) decided to join the fun. Allow us to introduce Finnegan as the newest member of the SLG crew. We got Finn at the Chicago PAWS Adopt- a-thon in April. As an aside, the PAWS group does great work, and we cannot recommend them highly enough if you’re looking for a new dog. No one has been able to identify what breed of dog Finn is, but I suspect he comes from generations of mutts. Caitlin thinks he is part-Bernese mountain dog, while my veterinarian brother, Charlie, thinks he has some hound in him. Your guess is as good as mine. When Finn isn’t trying to chew our couch or eat every loose item on our floors, he loves running around at the dog park and chasing his football
toy around the house. I’ve tried taking him out for a run, but he’s a work in process. He only knows one speed — dead sprint — and I’m not in good enough shape to keep up with that pace for more than a block. Fortunately for us, Finn and our other dog, Riggins, a German shepherd mix, have taken to each other nicely. Riggins can get annoyed by Finn’s nonstop energy and the constant biting of Riggins’ jowls, but they seem to enjoy each other 95% of the time. As any dog owner knows, it takes a lot of work. That’s especially true when you have a puppy who doesn’t quite have housetraining down yet. Despite the early morning wake-ups and long walks in bad weather, it’s been a great couple of months so far with Riggins and Finn. We look forward to many more to come. Welcome to the family, Finn.
– Pat Cummings
Seeking a Paralegal/Legal Assistant
WE’RE HIRING
We’re looking for a hardworking and skilled paralegal/legal assistant to join our team. We litigate cases and, therefore, prepare each case file as though we will be trying it in front of a jury. The ideal candidate will possess excellent written and oral communication skills (via telephone and email); have exceptional legal researching and writing abilities; possess phenomenal people skills; and have a drive to complete tasks. They must also be proficient in all Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint).
To be successful here, you need to possess high ethical standards and the ability to work with grace and a sense of humor while also handling a high volume of work in a sometimes demanding environment. You must enjoy working in a team-based environment. Three to five years of experience as a paralegal or legal assistant in a litigation environment is a definite plus. Our office is located in Woodridge, Illinois. Salary is commensurate with experience. Please submit your resume and three references to joseph@shannonlawgroup.com.
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PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411
Phone: 312-578-9501 www.shannonlawgroup.com
3550 Hobson Rd., Ste. 203 Woodridge, IL 60517
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
page 1 page 2
The Story of the Littles
3 of the Best Comebacks in Sports History
page 2 page 3 page 3
It’s Barbecue Season
Introducing Finnegan
Apply to Be Our Paralegal!
SUDOKU
PHOTO OF THE MONTH
Meet Marshall, the newest addition to Jon Svitak and Sam Donne’s family!
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