Littlejohn Law, LLC - October 2021

Littlejohn Law, LLC - October 2021

WWW.LITTLEJOHNLAWLLC.COM

740-314-4829

10/21

BUILD IT. PROTECT IT. PRESERVE IT.

HOWWE MAXIMIZE OUR EFFICIENCY AND HELP OUR CLIENTS The Littlejohn Law Success System

I have always been fascinated by Henry Ford and his commitment to his craft. Back before he released the Model T in 1908, people were always telling Ford, “We don’t want some type of fancy new vehicle, we just want a faster horse.” He refused to listen to his critics and continued on with his work. Cars at the time were a luxury that only the ultra-wealthy could purchase. Ford wanted to change this. He would go on to perfect his process by inventing the moving assembly line system. This allowed him to begin his domination of the auto industry as his production was increased tenfold. Ford’s system provided great growth and proved that a system is vital to success. We’ve devised our own system at Littlejohn Law that we like to call the Littlejohn Law Success System. This system provides our clients with a clear advantage and is broken down into seven steps. 1. FIND THE ANSWERS I truly believe that practicing law is a search for the law. Every situation is different and laws do not truly reflect that. They’re better at pertaining to a general idea rather than a specific one. We treat each case as if it is a puzzle because every puzzle must have a solution. 2. WIN, THEN GO TO TRIAL Too often I hear stories that a lawyer gets ready to go to trial and then asks for the

information needed to win the case. This is completely backward. I believe you should never go into the trial without the answers. It’s the will to prepare to win that makes the difference, not just the will to win. If we’ve done the research and gathered the facts to support the law, it will be very easy to win the case once we go to trial. 3. REMEMBER TO ALWAYS BE TEACHING This is extremely important whether I’m in the office or not. Whenever a client calls our office, I make sure to inform them of their rights and the general rules of law. I don’t stop with the clients: During court cases, I also inform the judges what the laws are. As I mentioned earlier, laws often pertain to general ideas, and judges may need to be reminded of this. I also make sure my team is informed about each situation so they know what to do and why. 4. OUTWORK THE COMPETITION It goes without saying that you’ll never beat your competition if they’re always working harder than you. We get around this by treating every single case like it’s our most important one. Treating every case with urgency, combined with the prep work, can make winning a guarantee. 5. BUILD, TRAIN, AND USE THE TEAM We’ve all heard the phrase, “Teamwork makes the dream work,” and honestly, it’s the truth. Nobody can win a case on their own; it takes a solid team. Everyone has

their strengths and it’s important to play into them. If people begin to drift from their roles, the train can quickly slide off the rails. This ties into the third step — always be teaching — as we continue to prepare our team to overcome even the most difficult obstacles. 6. BEGIN WITH THE END IN MIND I always make sure to have an end goal in mind whenever I tackle a new case. Of course, we will take the case, but what does our client actually want out of the situation? Through our prep work, we already know what the law is. Now we just have to make sure our client gets everything they want and deserve in the end.

7. REMEMBER OUR CORE VALUES While our clients are an extremely

important aspect of our firm, we also have to make sure that our team is taken care of. We want to give our clients 110% of our attention, but the fact of the matter is that if we can’t take care of ourselves, we can’t take care of anyone. I ensure that everyone on my team is supported so we can fully invest in our clients. By following this system, we guarantee that every case is handled to the best of our team’s ability while also ensuring that every client is cared for.

–Ed Littlejohn

WWW.LITTLEJOHNLAWLLC.COM | 1

SELF-HELP BOOKS CAN’T DO IT ALL HOW READING FICTION CAN BENEFIT YOU

LESS STRESS AND BETTER SLEEP When we read fiction specifically, we tend to disengage from the world — and that’s a good thing! Our brains can’t always be functioning at their peak capacity. We need breaks, or else we’ll stress ourselves out and negatively affect other areas of our lives. Stress tends to keep us from sound sleep, but reading fiction before bed engages the imagination, taking us away from the stresses of everyday life before we drift off. MORE COMFORT WITH UNCERTAINTY Even though many stories (particularly those portrayed in popular movies) have nice happy endings, most people would agree that life sometimes leaves things a little more open-ended. While this fact might stress out some people, researchers have discovered that fiction readers don’t need “cognitive closure” as much as nonfiction readers. GREATER HAPPINESS Even if none of the benefits of fiction interest you, everyone wants to find ways to make themselves happy — and for many, that is reading fiction. According to one survey, 76% of participants said that reading makes them feel good and improves their lives. So, what are you waiting for? Dust off that novel you’ve been meaning to read and crack it open!

Many CEOs and other successful individuals continually espouse the benefits of regular reading. Many times, leaders read self-help books to improve their leadership skills and become more successful. This is all well and good, but even the most successful people in the world could be missing out on the unique benefits that come specifically from reading fiction. But what are those benefits exactly?

GREATER EMPATHY

When a psychologist analyzed 86 functioning MRI (fMRI) studies, he

found that the same parts of the brain that fire up when

reading fictional stories also fire up when we’re seeking to understand the thoughts and feelings of others. That’s because when the characters in the book we’re reading are thinking or feeling a certain way, we tend to think or feel that way with them.

LOCAL BUSINESS PROFILE: TRI STATE FINANCIAL SERVICES

Tri State Financial Services 255 North 3rd St. Steubenville, OH 43952 740-264-4466

Welcome back, Gene Zrinyi! Gene is excited to be back in the Steubenville/ Weirton area and is looking forward to getting involved in the community and helping people pursue their financial goals. Gene is a Wintersville, Ohio, native and a 1994 graduate of Indian Creek High School. His passion for finance began at 18 when he bought his first stock. Gene received his bachelor’s in business administration and majored in finance at Kent State University. He also holds a master’s in business administration with a concentration in finance from Colorado State University.

Gene began his career in financial services in 1998, interning at Scottsdale Securities in Akron, Ohio. This is when his desire to help others work toward financial goals started to grow. He spent nearly 20 years helping people invest at Scottrade before becoming an independent advisor when he began to focus on financial planning and other aspects of the financial planning process such as tax strategies, retirement income, and risk management. Gene works with individuals, families, and local businesses. He and his clients carefully develop a strategy that makes sense for their unique goals and situation. Gene helps his clients with both wealth management and risk management and

can help with investing, retirement planning, college savings, annuities and life, disability, and long-term care insurances. Gene and his life partner, Mary, reside in Eldersville. When not working, Gene enjoys hiking with their dogs, fishing, kayaking, and horseback riding. *Registered Representative offering securities and advisory services through Cetera Advisor Networks LLC, member FINRA/SIPC a Broker/Dealer and Registered Investment Advisor. Cetera is under separate ownership from any other name entity.

2 | 740-314-4829 This newsletter is for informational purposes only and no legal advice is intended. Be sure to consult with this law firm if you have a specific question about your situation. And remember, Edward and Jeff don’t take any unplanned inbound telephone or in-person meetings. We believe each case deserves our undivided attention.

WHAT’S NEWWITH ME AND MY OWN?

Many people spend an ample amount of time making decisions about vacations or buying a new car. Unfortunately, estate planning usually does not get the same attention. While you may feel unsettled over getting your estate plan prepared, doing so can be rewarding and stress-relieving and can help ease your mind. Here are four reasons you should get your estate in order. AVOID PROBATE It is not uncommon to associate complications with probate. Probate is the process of validating a deceased person’s will, placing a value on their assets, paying their final bills, and distributing the remainder to the beneficiaries. This process can be time-consuming and expensive. It also tends to increase the chances of disagreements between beneficiaries who think they deserve more than they are given. REDUCE ESTATE TAXES If you’re setting up an estate plan, there’s a good chance you are doing it to protect your loved ones. It’s important to protect them from the IRS during this process. Transferring assets to heirs can create an extremely large tax burden. Though, keep in mind that you can reduce or even completely eliminate estate taxes altogether with strong estate planning. AVOID THE MESS The time after a loved one’s death should be reserved for grieving, but too often, people are dragged into probate battles and arguments with siblings. Death is not predictable; it can happen at almost any time. Preparing an estate plan is the best way to avoid a familial breakdown after a death. PROTECT BENEFICIARIES AND ASSETS At the end of the day, you want to make sure that all of your loved ones are taken care of in the event of your untimely death. By creating a will and getting an estate plan in place, you are ensuring that all of your assets will go to the correct beneficiary. It allows you to designate trustees over beneficiaries who are minors or potentially poor money managers. This will also ensure that no assets fall through the cracks, giving everyone their fair share. Once you’ve created your will, it’s important to keep it updated. Things change, and you need to make sure your will changes with them. 4 Reasons You Should Get Your Estate Plan in Order MAKING SURE YOU ARE PREPARED

Jeff then — and now!

Time sure does fly when you’re having fun. It’s hard to believe that I’ll be coming up on 10 years of being a licensed attorney — and five of those years have been with Attorney Jeff Menoski by my side. We’ve handled complex real estate litigation, probate litigation, and real estate transactions (just to name a few). Jeff Menoski has always been consistent. He doesn’t get moved or swayed easily from his position, which is why he’s a great lawyer. He’s definitely someone you want on your case — someone levelheaded and focused on excellence .

We want to congratulate Taelor Dudek on getting a promotion from legal assistant to probate paralegal. She’s great at assisting our probate clients while navigating through the probate court.

And how could we forget Zade Edward.

If you’re ready to start planning your estate, give our office a call today.

WWW.LITTLEJOHNLAWLLC.COM | 3

PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411

352 FRANK LAYMAN BLVD. WINTERSVILLE, OH 43953

WWW.LITTLEJOHNLAWLLC.COM 740-314-4829

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

1

THE LITTLEJOHN LAW SUCCESS SYSTEM

2

THE UNIQUE BENEFITS OF READING FICTION

LOCAL BUSINESS PROFILE: TRI STATE FINANCIAL SERVICES

3

WHAT’S NEWWITH ME AND MY OWN?

4 REASONS YOU SHOULD GET YOUR ESTATE PLAN IN ORDER

4

CORN MAZE SAFETY

ALL

FUN FOR ALL THIS F 5 CORN MAZ

PS

E SAFETY TI

WATCH FOR TRIPPING AND FIRE HAZARDS.

EAT BEFOREHAND AND STAY HYDRATED. Be sure to eat before setting out into the maze and don’t bring any glass bottles with you, as it can be dangerous if broken. Furthermore, do not consume alcohol before or while enjoying your time at the corn maze. BE PREPARED. Accidents can happen, usually at the most unexpected times! It is important to always have a first-aid kit handy. Be sure to call 911 in an emergency and let staff know what is going on.

Fall brings apple cider, pumpkin patches, fun seasonal outfits, and corn mazes. Unless you are visiting a “haunted” corn maze, you and your family probably won’t be chased by a chainsaw-wielding serial killer while you try to navigate through. However, safety risks are still present. Here are five safety tips to keep the fun coming during your next corn maze experience. FOLLOW THE RULES. At the entrance to each corn maze, there should be a sign stating the rules for visitors. For the safety of yourself, your children, and others, be sure to read each rule and follow along. Always accompany your kids in the corn maze — it is a maze, after all!

Keep your eyes peeled for any obstacles on the path, including holes, bumps, ruts, and corn stalks. While navigating a maze, it can be easy to forget to look down while searching for the exit. To prevent fires, you should also avoid smoking and never use matches or lighters. WEAR PROPER FOOTWEAR. Ensure that you and your family all have proper footwear, preferably closed- toed shoes, while exploring the maze. You never know what kind of critters or potentially harmful hazards may appear in your path.

As long as safety is the top priority this fall, fun will be had by all!

4 | 740-314-4829