The Kahn Law Firm, P.C. - January 2021

The Kahn Law Firm, P.C. - January 2021

January 2021

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The End of One Year And the Beginning of Another

The start of a new year is a perfect time to start something new; even the first month’s namesake is encouraging. January was named after the Roman god Janus, who had two heads: one facing forward and the other facing backward. Janus symbolizes transitions, doors, beginnings, and endings. We can all agree that 2020 was difficult, which is why so many of us are excited to put it behind us. Hopefully, as we move into 2021, this new year will offer many more opportunities, giving people a chance to start a new chapter of their lives. Whether that’s starting or pursuing a hobby, finding a healthy lifestyle of exercise, or even stopping something harmful such as smoking, 2021 is full of possibilities. One of the more popular New Year’s resolutions people make at the start of a new year is to adopt a healthy lifestyle. Both John and I plan on working to not only eat healthier but to also exercise a little more to improve our overall health, and I’m sure we’re not the only ones. We believe that this year, many people will be eager to be more active than they were the year before. While we’re still enduring the pandemic at the start of January, things are clearer than they were in March. As of right now, we know that the pandemic will come to an end — things will change for the better, and that’s encouraging. 2021 is a great year to open a new door into a lifestyle that is health-focused.

our clients. If we discover any issues, we quickly find solutions to streamline our process so we are giving our clients 100% of our very best services and results. Last year, we were prompted with the challenge of continuing to help our clients while keeping them, their families, and our team safe. By adapting to new technologies and methods, we made sure our clients were well cared for, and we will continue to use these new technologies in the new year. One such technology was the video conferencing program Zoom, which has been tremendously helpful. Zoom has saved a lot of time, money, and stress when it comes to attending mediations and depositions — even many of our hearings have been virtual. Our clients can attend these meetings from the comforts of home as opposed to in person. While in-person meetings, hearings, mediations, and depositions will resume, we believe there will be certain cases that only take place on virtual platforms. When something ends, there is always a new beginning, and this is a year that offers us those new opportunities in both our personal or work lives. We want to encourage everyone to give themselves grace when starting something new. If you try something for the first time and it doesn’t go so well, it’s okay to restart and try again in a new direction. If 2020 has taught us anything it’s this: The unexpected can happen. You can’t predict how things will be, and sometimes those changes will be out of our control. Giving ourselves grace can help us accomplish our goals and find solutions to any hurdles we come across. Let’s move into 2021 hopeful for those new beginnings.

That’s not all, either. A new year is a good time to reevaluate processes, not just in our daily lives but also in our work lives.

Throughout the course of 2020, our firm has changed quite a lot. We are constantly evolving as new technology develops, the needs of our clients change, and we find more ways to better serve

“Hopefully, as we move into 2021, this new year will offer many more opportunities, giving people a chance to start a new chapter of their lives.”

-John & Jennifer Kahn

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The Future Is Bright and Promising Don’t Give Up on Your Dreams

When it comes to fulfilling our dreams, there’s a lot that could distract us from those goals. Unfortunately, for hundreds of thousands of people, 2020 was one large distraction. Over the course of every hardship last year, many people may have lost sight of their dreams. Yet, even if you’ve lost sight of them, I want to encourage you to not give up on the dreams you have. Jan. 13 celebrates Make Your Dreams Come True Day. I know that this holiday might seem like it’s telling people to accomplish their dreams in a day, but that’s not what it stands for. I believe this is a great holiday as it reminds us that our dreams are not only important to us but that we should keep trying to achieve them. It serves as a starting point. As we leave 2020 behind and look to the future, it’s a perfect time to turn our thoughts to those dreams once again. A dream is an idea — but it can’t stop there. If you have a dream you want to achieve, it’s time to get serious. Doing what you can to make sure your dream becomes a reality

might be difficult. Often, it requires the right mindset, determination, and planning to get started, but once you do, you’ll be on the right path. Even the most difficult dreams can come true by taking these steps. The most important step in accomplishing any dream is to plan. Planning not only gives your dream a more concrete feel, but it also allows you to get an idea of how long it will take and what you might need to succeed. Whether that’s taking a vacation to another country, starting up a business, or writing a book, getting that first rough idea will help you in the long run. Even with the pandemic, you can still plan. If you want to travel, now might be the perfect time to start saving so when traveling restrictions are lifted, you don’t have to worry about money. To get started, set some time aside to think about what your dreams are and start on a plan. I know that’s easier said than done. I have a hard time getting some free time in my own schedule, but I’ve found that it

helps to actually account for that planning. If you use a scheduling app, or even Google Calendar, to keep your day straight, open it up and find some time where you aren’t so busy. That could be in a week, even two weeks — no matter when that gap in your schedule is, jot down some time so you can plan for your dreams. Even if you can only spend 5–10 minutes on it over several days, it’s still better than no planning at all. The thing about dreams is that they aren’t overnight successes. Dreams like these can happen, but they are very rare. Usually, to accomplish things, it takes time and effort. All dreams can evolve from a figment of an idea and become a reality; all it takes is that first step. As we enter 2021, I want to encourage everyone to rekindle their dreams and make them shine.

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This judge-to-be was named William Marbury, and he took his case straight to the U.S. Supreme Court. After hearing the case, Marshall had two options. He could side with Jefferson, even though he believed he was legally wrong, or he could side with Marbury and risk the wrath of the president, who he feared would dissolve the court. In a historic twist, he chose door No. 3. Digging through the Constitution, Marshall discovered a line that required cases to go through a lower court before coming to the Supreme Court. That made Marbury v. Madison , which had come to the Supreme Court directly, out of Marshall’s jurisdiction. It also made the law Marbury had operated under unconstitutional. When Marshall pointed this out, it was the first time the Supreme Court had ever ruled on constitutionality, which set the precedent for its power today. If Marshall hadn’t cared so much about opposing his second cousin in 1803, it’s possible that Judge Barrett’s nomination in 2020 would have been much less contentious.

To learn more about this crazy piece of history, check out “Kitten Kick the Giggly Blue Robot All Summer,” an episode of the podcast “Radiolab.”

Chief Justice John Marshall

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TAKE A BREAK

The reality TV show “The Bachelorette” is known for being packed with drama, but last year there was just as much scandal among its contestants off-screen as there was while the cameras were rolling. Late in 2020, not one but two past “Bachelorette” contestants ended up in court. ‘THE BACHELORETTE’ CONTESTANTS GO TO COURT Judge, Will You Accept This Rose? One of them was Chad Johnson, hailing from the group of hunks who competed for Bachelorette JoJo Fletcher’s attention in season 12. That season aired in 2016, but it wasn’t until two years later that Johnson sued Sunset Studios Entertainment and one of its executives, Cristina Cimino, for sexual harassment, failure to prevent harassment, intentional infliction of emotional distress, fraud by intentional misrepresentation, and wrongful failure to hire in violation of public policy. According to Deadline, Cimino told Johnson she would help him get movie roles with her studio, but that never happened. Instead, she allegedly lured him into in-person meetings and bombarded him with inappropriate calls and text messages. After years of back-and-forth, the case is finally moving forward. In July 2020, a judge ruled that all of Johnson’s accusations were proven except failure to hire. Upping the drama, Deadline reported that “no attorneys for Cimino or the studio participated in the hearing.” Meanwhile, another “Bachelorette” contestant, Luke Parker, has been ordered by the court to pay $100,000 for breach of contract. Parker, who vied for the affection of Hannah Brown in the 2019 season, has allegedly been making media appearances without the consent of the show’s production company, NZK Productions Inc. Each appearance was a breach of contract, and now he owes the company a pretty penny: $25,000 per appearance. According to Page Six, Parker might also be on the hook for bad-mouthing the show and/or sharing information about what happened on set — both things his contract forbids. Hopefully, the 2021 season of “The Bachelorette,” which should air later this year following the postponed 2020 season, will feature less drama than these real-life legal battles.

SLOW COOKER CHICKEN CASSEROLE

Inspired by GoodHousekeeping.com

• 8 chicken thighs or Ingredients

• 2 garlic cloves, sliced • 14 oz chicken stock • 1 sprig rosemary • Finely grated zest and juice of 1/2 lemon • 1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped

drumsticks, lightly salted

• 1 tbsp olive oil • 1 tbsp all-purpose flour • 1 onion, finely sliced • 2 celery sticks, thickly sliced • 2 carrots, thickly sliced • 1 leek, thickly sliced • 1 lb potatoes, peeled and cut in large chunks

Directions

1. In a large frying pan, heat oil and fry salted chicken on high until brown. 2. Transfer chicken to the slow cooker. Add flour and stir. 3. In the frying pan on high heat, fry the onion, celery, carrots, leeks, and potatoes until lightly browned. Add garlic and fry for 30 seconds. 4. Transfer vegetables to the slow cooker and add the stock, rosemary, and lemon zest. 5. Cook on high for 2.5–3 hours or until chicken is tender. 6. Check seasoning and add lemon juice to taste. Top with parsley before serving.

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INSIDE THIS ISSUE

1

2021: A Time for New Opportunities

2

Make Your Dreams Shine

Slow Cooker Chicken Casserole ‘The Bachelorette’ Contestants Go to Court

3

The Cousin Rivalry That Gave the Supreme Court Its Power

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A COUSIN RIVALRY GAVE THE SUPREME COURT ITS POWER (YES, REALLY)

When Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg passed away and Judge Amy Coney Barrett was nominated to take her place, the eyes of the country turned to the U.S. Supreme Court. It’s no secret that the court has a lot of power. Its decisions, like Loving v. Virginia , Brown v. Board of Education , and Roe v. Wade , have reshaped America. But how did just nine people come to hold so much sway? Well, the answer lies with two rival second cousins: Thomas Jefferson and John Marshall. Back in 1803, the Supreme Court was the laughingstock of Washington. It was a collection of misfits (including a man nicknamed “Red Old Bacon Face”) and met in Congress’ basement. When Marshall was chief justice of the court and Jefferson was president, the cousin controversy reared its head. Marshall and Jefferson were in rival political parties and, to add insult to injury, Marshall’s mother-in-law had once spurned Jefferson’s romantic advances, according to Washington legend. In 1803, Jefferson (a Republican) was upset because a judge whom his predecessor, President John Adams (a Federalist), had tried to appoint was suing Jefferson’s secretary of state over failing to actually appoint him.

The Supreme Court met in these windowless chambers from 1819 to 1860.

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