Promise Law - January 2022

Promise Law - January 2022

January 2022

Embracing the Snow Day Lessons Learned From One of Childhood’s Greatest Joys

Growing up in Wyoming often meant bitterly cold winters with mounds of snow each year. It was so common that snow days were often an anomaly — usually reserved for those days when the temperatures dipped well below zero, or the snow made it impossible for anyone to leave home. At the risk of saying “back in my day,” the truth is that back then, we didn’t have that many snow days. But on the days that we did, few emotions can compare to a Wyoming kid’s excitement over a snow day. (Although, I think most kids would be just as thrilled!) There was always this feeling that you were getting away with something. I would often look at the clock on snow days and think about what I would be doing at that time if I were in school. It was as if we were all breaking the rules without having to worry about the consequences. And because a snow day often meant an abundance of snow, my sister and I made use of our free day from school. I don’t remember any particular snow day fun or project, but my parents’ yard was great for playing in the snow. We had plenty of space to build snowmen or make snow angels. We never had snowball fights, although we could. But we often spent our afternoons building something out of snow. The best part of the day came after our time outside, though. Freezing and caked in snow, my sister and I would run inside and fly out of our winter clothes. Our hats, snowpants, coats, boots, and gloves were strewn about, each with its own collection of snow clinging onto or inside it. No matter how much you tuck and fit your snow clothes to your body, snow always finds a way into your boots or gloves! UPCOMING WORKSHOPS* ESTATE PLANNING WORKSHOPS

Then we would put on our cozy jammies, plop down in front of the TV, and watch daytime television shows we never saw. I’m sure we watched “Sesame Street,” and even as we got older, it was still enjoyable. Sometimes my mom would make cookies, too, and we had no problem indulging. There were few greater moments on a snow day than that. Our cheeks were flushed from the wintery cold, afternoon cookies were encouraged, and we watched daytime television in our pajamas while we warmed up. Even as a student who enjoyed school, I had to admit that was wonderful. As an adult, we don’t typically have snow days, and admittedly, I can’t recall a time when I asked for a day off just to be “off” — no obligations, trips, or appointments on my task list. To put it simply, I haven’t had a snow day in a long time. As we celebrate the start of a new year, I’m hoping to embrace the fun and play of a snow day. I think we tend to forget that adults deserve to play, too. I truly believe this is why kids have more energy; they devote time to being curious, exploring, and creating, without a real task at hand. This year, I want to do more of that. I hope you find opportunities to do the same. Do something indulgent — something that’s the equivalent of your daytime television in your jammies on a snow day — that’s just for you and not for anyone else. We all deserve it.

Wednesday, Jan. 5, 9:30–11:00 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 12, 2:30–4:00 p.m.

Tuesday, Jan. 18, 5:30–7:00 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 26, 9:30–11:00 a.m.

Happy new year, and may you enjoy your “snow days!”

*All workshops are offered virtually so you can learn in the comfort and safety of your own home! Register at PromiseLaw.com or by calling (757) 690-2470.

-Geneva Perry

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How Much Are Your Favorite Pants Worth? One Man Estimated His at $54 Million

Everyone knows that the perfect pair of pants can be hard to come by, but are they worth $54 million? Administrative Judge Roy L. Pearson had a favorite pair of pants, but in 2007, he claimed that Custom Cleaners lost them and returned a completely different pair instead. It all began when Pearson took his pants to the Washington, D.C., dry cleaners for alterations worth $10.50. The pants were sent in error to the incorrect dry cleaner, so Pearson’s pickup was delayed by several

though, was the company’s failure to live up to their “Satisfaction Guaranteed” and “Same Day Service” signs in the window.

The media had a field day, joking about the case as a “pantsuit” and inspiring a “Law & Order” episode called “Bottomless.” Pearson seemed to relish the spectacle, calling his lawsuit “an awesome responsibility” in court and breaking down into tears on the stand. He also called a witness who compared the Chungs to Nazis. Even though the Chungs offered him a $12,000 settlement to make the case go away, Pearson persevered. He ultimately lost his case. At the end of the trial, the judge declared that no reasonable person would consider the signs at Custom Cleaners to be an unconditional promise — and also that Pearson had failed to prove the returned pants weren’t his. The Chungs ultimately recovered their court costs via a fundraiser, and Pearson lost his judicial appointment. Unsurprisingly, this prompted another lawsuit, which he also lost. In 2020, Pearson was suspended from practicing law for 90 days as a result of his actions in Pearson v. Chung . But for bringing new meaning to the phase “I’ll sue the pants off of you,” his place in legal history is secure.

days. Once the pants were returned, despite bearing all the correct tags and matching his receipt, Pearson declared that the pants were not his. When the dry cleaner refused his demand for $1,000 compensation, he decided it was time for legal action. Pearson originally sued the cleaner’s owners, Soo Chung, Jin Nam Chung, and Ki Y. Chung, for a whopping $67 million in damages but later reduced the claim to a far more reasonable $54 million. In his suit, Pearson requested $3 million for mental distress, $90,000 for a rental car to visit another dry cleaner, and $500,000 in attorney’s fees (Pearson represented himself). At the heart of his claim,

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a gift or a card to show you’re thinking about them. These gifts cost resources, but as Newswire reports, multiple studies show that customer gifts increase retention. Invest in retention tools. Staying in touch with your customers is the best way to keep them happy and remind them that you care. You can stay on top of this by doing the hard work of reaching out personally each month, but it’s easier and more efficient to invest in recurring communications like automated weekly emails and regularly printed newsletters. Make personalization possible. In order to retain customers, you must build quality relationships with them. This starts with knowing who they are, what they need, and how they interact with your company and your marketing. To figure out those key points, you should gather and interpret a lot of >Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4

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