The Manely Firm, P.C. - April 2022

The Manely Firm, P.C. - April 2022

Al l fami ly law. Al l around Georgia. Al l around the wor ld.

A pril 2022

B onding W hile Y ou W ork

INCORPORATING YOUR KIDS INTO YOUR JOB

April 28 is Take Your Child to Work Day, but when you own a business, it’s hard not to have your kids at least a little involved in what you do. Many of us hope our children will follow in our footsteps, and at the very least, we want them to be successful. Taking them to work lets them walk a mile in our shoes and imagine how their futures might look. We’ve stopped automatically expecting children to adopt their parents’ trade, but including our kids in our work is still important. As adults, work is such a significant part of our lives, and it’s where we spend most of our waking hours. Just sharing that space is valuable — and giving kids an understanding of what their parents do all day is, too. Having them with you in a professional setting also helps you become more mindful of your actions. It gives you a unique perspective on yourself and helps you ask whether you’re the best at work that you can be. They say never to do anything you wouldn’t be proud to tell your kids about — bringing them to work drives the point home. Of course, there are benefits for our children, too. All three of our sons had their first jobs here at The Manely Firm as shredders. These days, we hire an industrial shredding company, but it wasn’t so long ago that it was someone’s job to do it all by hand. Your first job is where you learn the expectations of the workplace, and our office has high standards. It’s a blessing to guide our kids in their careers in that way. Today, our oldest son is an attorney with the firm; he began with us in 2015. Our youngest son has worked as a receptionist but is more recently helping with our office redesign. Once he graduates college, I suspect he will attend law school and join the firm as an attorney as well. (Our middle son has followed a different path — he’s a brewer in North Carolina.) Shelia and I strive to give that “leg up” to more than just our own children.

Shelia and I strive to give that “leg up” to more than just our own children. If any of our employees’ kids want to work here, we’ll find something for them to do. There’s little that’s as joyous as someone bringing their child to the office, whether they’re infants or teenagers. Having done this for decades now, I’ve seen so many children grow up and provide a fresh perspective to our work. They remind us why we work hard and give us new energy. That’s not to say that working with your kid is always easy. It’s difficult to be a boss when you’re so used to being a parent. I can be harder on my sons or expect more from them than other employees, just by virtue of their relationship with me. Someday, I hope we have a Take Your Parent to School Day. Just as taking our kids to work teaches them who we are, tagging along at school can help us learn more about our children. The more time a family can spend together, the better they’ll understand and appreciate each other in all facets of their lives. I certainly can’t see any downsides there. –Michael Manely 1

Cal l for a Consul tat ion: ( 866) 245-5685

H as S pring B rought B ugs I nto Y our H ome ?

Get Rid of Them Wi th These Hacks

Cinnamon Another common pest that can be a nightmare to get rid of is ants. Once you notice ants getting into your home, they appear to be endless and can be found in just about every corner of the house. Ants hate the smell of cinnamon and will avoid areas with the scent. Sprinkle some cinnamon near the areas where they are entering your house and watch them disappear.

When the weather warms up, bugs infiltrate homes across the country. Once it happens, you’re often left scrambling to your local hardware store to get the necessary pesticide or bug deterrent. Unfortunately, many pesticides and traps postpone the problem rather than solve it entirely. The good news is that you can fix many insect problems without having to test random products you find at the store. Certain household items do a magnificent job at preventing, deterring, and sometimes even killing bugs. If you’re worried about bugs infesting your home this spring, give these methods a try. Lemon Oil The last thing we want to see in our homes is a cockroach. A popular urban legend says that cockroaches can survive a nuclear explosion, so you probably can’t keep them out of your home. Plus, many of the products you can buy to kill or deter cockroaches are extremely toxic, so setting them out is dangerous if you have pets. Instead, put a few drops of lemon oil into the water you use to mop the floor. Cockroaches hate the smell. People won’t notice the scent, and you’ll be cockroach-free before you know it. Peppermint Oil Spiders are one of the more common pests we see in our homes. Even though the majority of these spiders are not harmful (and actually eat other insects), most people still do not want them in their houses. Peppermint oil is a natural repellent. It doesn’t kill spiders, but it keeps them away. Add 5–10 drops of peppermint oil into 3/4 cup water mixed with 1/4 teaspoon of liquid detergent to create a harmless mixture that will keep spiders at bay.

‘L aw F ound M e ’ MEET ATTORNEY ESSIE NDEM!

Essie Ndem didn’t always know she’d become a lawyer, but there were early signs. “I was that girl in school who used to stand up to bullies,” she says. “I wasn’t afraid to tell people when they were wrong, and I wasn’t afraid to stand up for people who couldn’t stand up for themselves.” “I didn’t find law,” Essie says, “law found me.” She originally intended to follow in her parents’ footsteps as a physician, but several doctors encouraged her to study law instead. She put her medical dreams aside, graduated from law school in 2020, and joined The Manely Firm in August 2021. “I was completely blown away during the interview with the level of detail, care, and quality,” she says, and the feeling hasn’t faded. “I really enjoy the people I work with. Law is a very challenging profession, and it makes the experience better to have a supportive group of people who can help you perfect your craft.” But as much as she loves her colleagues, her clients come first. “I enjoy helping people through a delicate part of their lives,” she says. “Family dynamics have a

lasting impression, and people are willing to go above and beyond to make sure their family is taken care of. I aim to bring every case to a soft landing because there’s so much emotion involved.” Essie comes from a big Nigerian family and loves visiting her relatives overseas. Her fiancé is in the process of moving fromNigeria to the U.S. “I do a lot of nonprofit work there,” she says. “My family and I created an organization called Father of Hope, which is a young professional’s development initiative.” She also has a background in pageantry, previously serving on the board for the Miss Columbus competition and winning the Nigerian American pageant Miss Akwa IbomUSA in 2017. “I’m very determined in whatever I set my mind to,” Essie says. “I’ve seen a lot of people in positions of power who don’t necessarily honor that position. But as an attorney, I can advocate for my clients and for what is right.” Having been exposed to other legal systems, she knows not to take that for granted. “The United States legal system works better than in a lot of countries,” she says. “I think it’s beautiful, and it’s an honor to be a part of it.”

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RandomActs of Kindness OUR MODEL FOR CONCIERGE-LEVEL SERVICE

“You can cut all the flowers, but you cannot keep Spring from coming.” —P ablo N eruda

Our clients are in the middle of some of the most challenging moments of their lives. Sometimes, they’re lucky, and they have a community that rallies around and supports them. Other times, they’re on their own. Every client is different, but it’s our goal to pay as much attention to their emotional journeys as we do to their legal ones. A part of our concierge-level service is being attentive to those circumstances by providing random acts of kindness. We need to be aware of the impact of the process on our clients and respond accordingly. Of course, we aim to be kind to everyone, but each client deserves a personalized approach.

1. OFFER UNEXPECTED PERKS OR AMENITIES.

2. PERFORM RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS.

3. PROVIDE A SUPERIOR DIGITAL EXPERIENCE.

4. PROVIDE AN ENHANCED IN- OFFICE EXPERIENCE.

5. REMOVE CUSTOMER PAIN.

6. SERVE AS A TRUSTED ADVISOR.

C rostini W ith R icotta , P eas , and M int

When someone gets a divorce, they’re undergoing a monumental shift in their lives. Our society has elaborate rituals to celebrate a marriage, but a lot of silence surrounds divorce. Of course, a wedding is generally thought of as a happy occasion, while a divorce is not. There are, however, exceptions to every rule, and major life changes should be honored and acknowledged, regardless of the complex emotions that may accompany them. The divorce ritual can be as understated or elaborate as the person wants. Some have a quiet dinner with a close friend, while others pop a champagne cork for a small crowd. One person may write a letter to their ex and burn it, and another might hold a giant party. We support our clients holistically in their commemorations, depending on what they want. It may be providing a bottle of champagne to celebrate or gift cards for a nice dinner out. However we do it, we don’t dump our clients once the ink is dry on their divorce agreement. We strive to stay involved for as long as they need us. Maybe that means setting them up with financial coaches or tax experts to help with their new budget. Or, if selling their house is part of the agreement, we connect our client with real estate professionals who can help throughout the process. We want to know our clients are taken care of until the very end. That means accompanying them through the entire process, both legally and emotionally. You already know you deserve excellent legal representation. You’re just as deserving of kindness and care to go along with it.

Inspired by AheadOfThyme.com

I ngredients

• • • • •

1 French baguette, sliced 4 tbsp olive oil, divided 1 tbsp and 1 tsp salt, divided 1 lb English peas, fresh or frozen

• • • •

1 lb fresh ricotta cheese Fresh mint leaves, sliced

Sea salt, to taste

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

2 garlic cloves, smashed

D irections 1. Preheat oven to 375 F. 2.

On a large baking sheet, place baguette slices. Drizzle with 2 tbsp olive oil and sprinkle with 1 tbsp of salt. Bake for about 7 minutes, but do not brown. 3. In a medium pot, add water and 1 tsp salt, then bring to a boil. Add peas and cook for 3 minutes. Drain peas and place them in ice bath. Cool for several minutes before draining. 4. In a medium skillet, heat 2 tbsp olive oil over medium-high heat. Sauté drained peas with garlic until cooked through. The peas should still be firm, not mushy. 5. On a large platter, layer crostini with ricotta, peas, and a few slices of fresh mint. 6. Season each crostini with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.

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Cal l for a Consul tat ion: ( 866) 245-5685

211 Roswell St. NE Marietta, GA 30060 (866) 687-8561 www.allfamilylaw.com

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The Benefits of Bringing Your Kids to Work

Get Rid of Bugs in Your Home With These Hacks Meet Essie Ndem!

Why We Believe in Random Acts of Kindness Crostini With Ricotta, Peas, and Mint

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3 Insane Events That Happened at Augusta National Golf Club

3 I nsane E vents T hat H appened at A ugusta N ational G olf C lub

Ronald Reagan’s Bizarre 1983 Round Many presidents throughout our country’s history have enjoyed the game of golf, and Ronald Reagan was no exception. While Reagan was in the middle of a round at Augusta, a man named Charles Harris rammed his pickup truck through a locked gate, stormed into the pro shop, took five hostages, and demanded to speak with the president. Reagan left the course after Harris refused to speak to him over the phone, then the police handled the situation from there. Reagan returned the next day to play an uninterrupted round. The Years Without the Masters During World War II, golf was one of the last things people thought about. After seeing the bulk of their members sent overseas to fight in the war, the owners of the course came up with an alternative way to make money. They decided to allow cattle and turkeys to roam the course before they were ready for market. It took years for the foliage to return to playing shape. Death and Return At the 2018 Masters, a man named Johnny Pruitt got to live his dream by attending the championship as a spectator. He never made it to his seat, though, as an irregular heartbeat stopped his heart. Pruitt was taken from the course, and his heart was restarted with a defibrillator before he went into a coma. He awoke from the coma a week later, and Augusta invited him back to attend the 2019 Masters.

Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia, is one of the most famous golf courses in the world. The golf club was constructed back in 1933 and has enthralled golfers of every skill level. Augusta is mostly known for the Masters Tournament, one of the four major championships on the PGA Tour. In its nearly 90-year history, Augusta National Golf Club has seen some crazy events. From hostage situations to near-death experiences, there’s no shortage of unbelievable stories that have taken place on the course. Here are three of the most bizarre events that have occurred at this golf club.

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