Brooks & Crowley - May 2022

Brooks & Crowley - May 2022

Review Brooks & Crowley

May 2022

781-251-0555

www.brooksandcrowley.com

439 Washington Street Dedham, MA 02026

*Services Throughout Massachusetts

I’ve never thought about teaching, let alone teaching law school students. But a friend of mine, who is an adjunct professor at New England Law, reached out to me because he heard they were looking to expand their adjunct faculty. The school offered a class on modern real estate transactions, and many students wanted to take the course. My friend thought I would be a perfect fit for it. So, I talked to the school administration and the lead of the adjunct faculty about teaching the class. The next thing I know, I only had a few weeks to prepare my curriculum. Since I’d never taught before, I had to figure out which textbooks I would use and how I wanted to teach the class. The good part was that I would be teaching material I already knew because I’ve been a real estate attorney for decades. Since I was teaching law students in their second and third years, I could focus on the importance of everyday real estate transactions instead of the fundamentals. At the beginning of the spring semester, we were entirely on Zoom. I had 60 students, and I had to find ways to keep their interest and engagement over video. This was different because it’s hard to connect with your students when you aren’t in person. But after the first few weeks, we then transitioned to in-person classes, which was way better. I entertained my students more, sometimes telling them dad jokes. They didn’t know I was joking half the time because we wore masks, and they couldn’t look at my facial expressions. But it was still amusing regardless. In my first class, I quickly realized that law school now is far different than what I remember. When I was in law school, we used blackboards and students took handwritten notes — but this is long gone now. Today, professors create PowerPoint presentations, and I had to grind out many slideshows, which was a challenge at first because I had to CLASS IS NOW IN SESSION MY FIRST SEMESTER TEACHING LAW SCHOOL STUDENTS

learn how to relate to students who are 20-somethings. How would I make the information entertaining? How can I connect the textbook teaching to real-life situations? These were the questions I asked myself when preparing my materials. In addition, I had to learn how to turn the subject matter into digestible pieces so my students could better understand the lessons. My goal for the class was to take these dry subjects and bring them to life for my students. Reading about title problems could make anyone go into REM sleep. So, to keep them engaged, I would grab files and documents from my office that relate to the material they were learning. This gave them firsthand experience on how these practices are used in real life. Sometimes, I brought in a real estate agent and a title insurer to bring some of the topics we were learning to light. These techniques helped my students understand that their reading isn’t just words on a page — these issues happen all the time. Overall, I enjoyed my time teaching. My students were incredible, and they asked great questions. Many of the students had experience as real estate agents or working for law firms, so I didn’t have to force-feed the information to them — they wanted to learn these subjects. It was an honor to get to know my students and help them further their careers. I’m looking forward to seeing what they do in the future. Who knows? I may teach another semester in the future. I would’ve never thought I would be teaching, but it was a great experience, and I enjoyed bringing the material to life. –Steve Brooks

1

Published by Newsletter Pro • www.newsletterpro.com

The First American in Space AMERICA’S JOURNEY TO ORBIT EARTH

On May 5, 1961, Alan B. Shepard became the first American to enter space on a Mercury capsule named Freedom 7. It was an incredibly momentous event, but what all had to occur for it to even happen? Let’s take a look at what led up to Shepard’s launch into space. During the 1960s, the U.S. and the Soviet Union found themselves in a space race. The United States first began their space mission in 1958 with Project Mercury. Project Mercury had three goals in mind: orbiting a crewed spacecraft, investigating the ability to function in space, and safely recovering the spacecraft and the crew.

needed to adjust and modify to be safely launched into space. The first successful launch of Mercury without an astronaut occurred in December 1960. But before they attempted to launch an American into space, NASA tested the Mercury capsule in January 1961 with a chimpanzee named Ham, who took a route that was similar to the one Shepard would eventually take. After going through numerous simulations, NASA decided that Shepard would be making the first flight. He began his mission on May 5 at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, and over half a million Americans watched the launch on nearby beaches. Shepard took his orbit around the Earth and made a successful return. He then received NASA’s highest

reward, the Distinguished Service Medal, from President John F. Kennedy on May 8, 1961. Although the Soviet Union sent the first human into orbit in April 1961, this didn’t stop the U.S. from pushing forward. Instead, the bravery of these men inspired the U.S. to go to new heights and have the first man on the moon in 1969. There are still ongoing debates about whether the U.S. or the USSR won the space race. Either way, this race allowed the world to conduct more research on our galaxy. As a whole, this event led to tremendous efforts to push the limits of human capabilities, create new technology to explore outer space, and see what our universe holds.

Before the first American took flight, the U.S. conducted several test launches to see what they

Uninsured and Underinsured Coverage

What’s the Difference?

If you find yourself in a car accident, you will exchange information with the other driver and inform your insurance provider about the accident. But what if you’re in an accident with someone who doesn’t have enough insurance coverage — or even no insurance at all? Are you out of luck? You can protect yourself from this scenario if you have uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage. Here is everything you need to know about this coverage that can help you if you’re ever in a car accident. Uninsured Motorist (UM) Coverage Let’s say you’ve been in an accident, and the at-fault driver’s insurance has expired, or they never had insurance. That driver is considered an “uninsured” driver. When making a claim, your insurance provider will mark the fault driver down as a UM.

What if a driver hits your car, and they drive off without giving you a chance to get their license plate number? Uninsured coverage covers hit-and-run accidents as well. Your insurance company will honor your claim as though the other party didn’t have insurance. Underinsured Motorist (UIM) Coverage Now, let’s look at if you or a passenger receive injuries from an accident, and the at-fault driver’s insurance cannot cover the value of the injuries. This person would be considered an “underinsured” driver. For example, if you were injured in an accident and the at-fault driver has the minimum state policy limit of $20,000, you would only be able to collect that much money from the accident even if your damages cost more. But if you purchased UIM coverage, you could collect the

additional money to cover your injuries and damages. UM and UIM Coverage Cost Although it may seem like this form of coverage would be expensive, it’s not! A few extra dollars a month will give you both. In addition, it covers your car and one you’re driving even if you don’t own it. Likewise, it protects you if you’re a pedestrian and covers your household members. Insurance coverage provides peace of mind and can protect you from negligent drivers. If you or a loved one have been in an accident and received an injury, allow your friends at Brooks and Crowley to assist you. We will be happy to look at your claim and see how we can get you the compensation you deserve.

4 2

Published by Newsletter Pro • www.newsletterpro.com

FOR AN ALLEGED FINGER IN HER CHILI WOMAN ATTEMPTS TO SUE WENDY’S

Back in 2005, a woman became imaginative and filed a claim against the owner of a Wendy’s franchise in San Jose, California, stating that she was served a bowl of chili with a human finger in it. Her allegation cost the fast-food chain millions in damages, and as it turns out, the woman’s claim was false. She was eventually arrested and convicted of attempting to extort Wendy’s. On March 25, 2005, Wendy’s was put in the spotlight under false allegations. A woman, Anna Ayala, visited a Wendy’s with her family and ordered a bowl of chili. She then made a large scene, claiming that she bit into something crunchy and discovered that it was the fingernail of a human finger inside her chili! All of the employees in that particular Wendy’s were astonished because they each had all 10 fingers still attached. Even more, all Wendy’s employees at other locations who handled raw materials still had all of their fingers. When a forensic investigation was done on the finger, it was found that the finger was not cooked at 170 degrees F for three hours, like the rest of the chili was. Eventually, it was discovered that Ayala had 13 different lawsuits open against different companies, and when her story began to waver, she dropped the lawsuit on April 12, 2005, claiming it was putting too much pressure on her. But Wendy’s, having already lost millions of dollars, was hard-pressed to prove this was not negligence on their part. They set up a tip line and offered $50,000 to anyone who had information on the owner of the finger. Eventually, after genetic testing, authorities discovered that the finger belonged to a Nevada man who was a coworker of Ayala’s husband; the man had recently lost a finger in an industrial accident and had given it to Ayala to settle a $50 debt. Both Ayala and her husband were charged and ordered to pay restitution. It was quite the finger feud!

INJURED IN A CAR ACCIDENT?

One-Pan Baked Salmon and Veggies Inspired by BBCGoodFood.com

It’s asparagus season! Celebrate with this easy one-pan salmon dish for two. Ingredients

• 1 lb spring potatoes, halved • 2 tbsp olive oil (divided) • 8 asparagus spears, trimmed and halved

• 2 handfuls cherry tomatoes • 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

• 2 5-oz salmon fillets • 1 handful fresh basil

directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 F. 2. In an oven-proof dish, combine the potatoes and 1 tbsp olive oil. Roast for 20 minutes. 3. Remove the dish from the oven and add the asparagus. Toss, and bake for 15 more minutes. 4. Remove the dish from the oven and add the cherry tomatoes. Toss. Drizzle with balsamic, then nestle the salmon fillets into the vegetables. Drizzle with the remaining oil, and bake for 10–15 minutes. 5. Remove the dish from the oven, garnish with basil leaves, and serve!

Get Neil Crowley’s comprehensive guide to Massachusetts car accident claims and expert advice you need to get your life back on track. Go to BrooksAndCrowley.com/reports to request your free copy!

1 3

Published by Newsletter Pro • www.newsletterpro.com

PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411

439 Washington St. • Dedham, MA 02026 Inside THIS ISSUE

1 I Never Thought I Would Be a Teacher

2 Remembering the Space Race

Peace of Mind for a Few Extra Dollars!

3 Liar, Liar, Fingers on Fire

One-Pan Baked Salmon and Veggies

4 May Events in Boston

What’s Going On, Boston? 3 SIGHTS TO SEE This May, there are tons of events happening and places to visit that will keep you entertained all month long. Check them out!

Boston Calling Music Festival May 27–29 Harvard Athletic Complex

Beacon Hill Hidden Gardens Tour May 19 Beacon Hill Garden Club Corner of Charles and Mount Vernon streets BeaconHillGardenClub.org The hidden garden tour is in person again! This self-guided tour will allow you to explore hidden landscapes and secret passageways of historic townhouses filled with beautiful greenery. The tour will showcase nine gardens, four of which have never been shown before. This is the 93rd anniversary of the Beacon Hill Garden Club’s tradition of urban gardening. When you purchase a ticket, the proceeds will help the club donate to a wide range of environmental, conservation, and educational programs.

The Museum of Fine Arts Every Thursday–Monday, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. 465 Huntington Ave MFA.org Engulf yourself in the history and art of the past. The Museum of Fine Arts has galleries showcasing the ancient Egyptians, Romans, Greeks, and Byzantines as well as Dutch, Chinese, Japanese, and American art from different centuries. You can learn more about these civilizations’ history, culture, and religion by observing their artwork. This is a fun and interactive way to learn more about the past and is enjoyable for the entire family.

65 N Harvard St. BostonCalling.com

As the weather gets warmer, musical festivals will soon be in full swing. This Memorial Day Weekend, the Boston Calling Music Festival is back and better than ever. Now is your chance to see more than 50 musical acts, eat from over 30 food vendors, and try out a wide selection of beer and wine. Some of the artists you will be able to see are Metallica, The Strokes, Avril Lavigne, and Cheap Trick. What better way to celebrate Memorial Day weekend than with some live music?

4

Published by Newsletter Pro • www.newsletterpro.com