By Carol Dillon
One of the most charming aspects of the Fall season is falling leaves. They are so lovely. I like to listen to the crunch of leaves beneath my feet and I love it when my dogs dart through piles of raked leaves, causing me to have to rake them again. But what isn’t so charming is when your neighbor has a dead tree that falls onto your property and causes property damage or, knock on wood, personal injury. I recently attended my first homeowners’ association meeting, and boy was it feisty. One of the hot topics, besides no one paying their dues, was what to do with all the dead trees in the neighborhood. Apparently there are lots of them and no one is cutting down the trees or at least the branches. One particularly feisty neighbor said that a strong wind might just blow some of the trees down and then what? Well “then what” is that if you know your tree is dead and has the potential to fall over and it does, you are on the hook for any property damage or personal injury caused to your neighbor’s property because of your tree. So, if the tree is near the street, check with the City, it might be their property and their responsibility to cut it down. If the tree is on your property, start cutting, but please do it safely and watch out for anyone who helps you, or my next blog will be about what to do if someone sues you over cutting down your tree!!
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Importance of Face-to-Face Interaction
By Jeb Crandall
Last week I attended an Assisted Living Facility/Long Term Care Facility seminar in Chicago, Illinois. While you might think this sounds about as enjoyable and entertaining as a root canal, it was actually a great experience. While the seminar itself was useful and informative on the substantive areas of the practice, the real benefit and enjoyment of attending such a seminar is the opportunity to meet clients and attorneys that we typically only communicate with through email and phone calls.
Putting a face with a name goes a long way in developing a relationship and trust with a client. Face-to-face interaction with people is something that has really gone the way of the Dodo Bird with the advent of email and all of our other technological advancements. It’s amazing how much you can really get to know somebody over a few beers at a hotel bar. Those moments are what make relationships between attorneys and our clients both rewarding and enduring.
Last week I attended an Assisted Living Facility/Long Term Care Facility seminar in Chicago, Illinois. While you might think this sounds about as enjoyable and entertaining as a root canal, it was actually a great experience. While the seminar itself was useful and informative on the substantive areas of the practice, the real benefit and enjoyment of attending such a seminar is the opportunity to meet clients and attorneys that we typically only communicate with through email and phone calls.
Putting a face with a name goes a long way in developing a relationship and trust with a client. Face-to-face interaction with people is something that has really gone the way of the Dodo Bird with the advent of email and all of our other technological advancements. It’s amazing how much you can really get to know somebody over a few beers at a hotel bar. Those moments are what make relationships between attorneys and our clients both rewarding and enduring.
Friday, September 17, 2010
The Speed of Trust
By Jim Bleeke
One of the best books I have read in the last year is The Speed of Trust by Stephen M.R. Covey. The book explains very persuasively that all business (and personal) relationships succeed or fail in large part based upon whether those in the relationship can truly trust each other. He further explains that trust hinges upon two key elements: (1) Honesty/Integrity – being who you say you are; and (2) Ability to do what you promise – or doing what you say you will do.
Ultimately, the best way to build trust is to deliver excellent results.
At Sweetin Bleeke Attorneys, we strive to let our clients know exactly who we are.
We know we are not the best fit for every client; and that is fine. We want clients who appreciate our no-nonsense approach to cases that involves early evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses of each legal issue. We want to be candid with the good news and bad news of each case at its earliest stages, so our clients can make informed decisions about how they want to spend their money.
We then pride ourselves on delivering RESULTS that match or exceed our early evaluations of these legal issues. We build trust with clients only by consistently demonstrating that we can do what we said we can do. We measure our own success by those standards and invite our clients to judge us in the same way.
One of the best books I have read in the last year is The Speed of Trust by Stephen M.R. Covey. The book explains very persuasively that all business (and personal) relationships succeed or fail in large part based upon whether those in the relationship can truly trust each other. He further explains that trust hinges upon two key elements: (1) Honesty/Integrity – being who you say you are; and (2) Ability to do what you promise – or doing what you say you will do.
Ultimately, the best way to build trust is to deliver excellent results.
At Sweetin Bleeke Attorneys, we strive to let our clients know exactly who we are.
We know we are not the best fit for every client; and that is fine. We want clients who appreciate our no-nonsense approach to cases that involves early evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses of each legal issue. We want to be candid with the good news and bad news of each case at its earliest stages, so our clients can make informed decisions about how they want to spend their money.
We then pride ourselves on delivering RESULTS that match or exceed our early evaluations of these legal issues. We build trust with clients only by consistently demonstrating that we can do what we said we can do. We measure our own success by those standards and invite our clients to judge us in the same way.
Monday, September 13, 2010
Déjà vu all over again!
By Milt Thompson
Of Counsel
I’ve seen this picture before and no one wants to acknowledge history in this instance and would prefer to deny the existence of the elephant in the room.
What am I talking about now? The NFL, NFL Players Union (Players Inc.) and the powerless consumer of the NFL Brand…is to what I am referring.
When I mentioned to a group of young community leaders last spring that I thought that the Superbowl planned for Indianapolis in February of 2012 might be in jeopardy because of the impending labor negotiations in the NFL, were contentious at best, I was met with expressions of “no way” or “why would anyone allow the most successful of Sports Leagues to wilt under labor pressure?” When I began to discuss serious issues that plague the completion of a new labor deal, there was still an air of disbelief.
I’m writing this note just after the opening regular season game between the Minnesota Vikings and the reigning Superbowl Champion New Orleans Saints wherein the players from both teams made a bold union gesture of solidarity.
The owners are dug in with surplus funds to drastically change what they believe is an unsustainable business model. They also are not in accord with their current revenue sharing opportunities that pits large market owners against their small market colleagues. The owners want to essentially cut the current 60% of gross revenues to the players to roughly 50% and asking first time negotiator and new union chief, De Marcus Smith, to accept the cut without a fight.
By not extending the current CBA for this 2010/2011 un-salary capped year, the owners have drawn the first line in the sand. They are intent on systemic structural changes to their business and are well prepared to “lock out” the players next year.
There are several other deal killing issues that are not even being addressed at the bargaining table including, but not limited to, additional regular season games, pension and post career health care, and a shift in pay from rookies to veterans. Distrust and skepticism abounds.
The fans are perhaps just now getting the real urgency of these diverse issues and have been lulled into complacency as they have no real power to mediate the issues and save a season of discontent with a real chance of no NFL Football nor a Superbowl in Indianapolis in 2012. The jeopardy is real and not imagined. I hope I am dreaming this repeat of history but I remember no Olympics, no World series and cross the picket line strikes. This makes me sad.
Of Counsel
I’ve seen this picture before and no one wants to acknowledge history in this instance and would prefer to deny the existence of the elephant in the room.
What am I talking about now? The NFL, NFL Players Union (Players Inc.) and the powerless consumer of the NFL Brand…is to what I am referring.
When I mentioned to a group of young community leaders last spring that I thought that the Superbowl planned for Indianapolis in February of 2012 might be in jeopardy because of the impending labor negotiations in the NFL, were contentious at best, I was met with expressions of “no way” or “why would anyone allow the most successful of Sports Leagues to wilt under labor pressure?” When I began to discuss serious issues that plague the completion of a new labor deal, there was still an air of disbelief.
I’m writing this note just after the opening regular season game between the Minnesota Vikings and the reigning Superbowl Champion New Orleans Saints wherein the players from both teams made a bold union gesture of solidarity.
The owners are dug in with surplus funds to drastically change what they believe is an unsustainable business model. They also are not in accord with their current revenue sharing opportunities that pits large market owners against their small market colleagues. The owners want to essentially cut the current 60% of gross revenues to the players to roughly 50% and asking first time negotiator and new union chief, De Marcus Smith, to accept the cut without a fight.
By not extending the current CBA for this 2010/2011 un-salary capped year, the owners have drawn the first line in the sand. They are intent on systemic structural changes to their business and are well prepared to “lock out” the players next year.
There are several other deal killing issues that are not even being addressed at the bargaining table including, but not limited to, additional regular season games, pension and post career health care, and a shift in pay from rookies to veterans. Distrust and skepticism abounds.
The fans are perhaps just now getting the real urgency of these diverse issues and have been lulled into complacency as they have no real power to mediate the issues and save a season of discontent with a real chance of no NFL Football nor a Superbowl in Indianapolis in 2012. The jeopardy is real and not imagined. I hope I am dreaming this repeat of history but I remember no Olympics, no World series and cross the picket line strikes. This makes me sad.
Friday, September 10, 2010
Trying Not to Get Wet – Regatta 2010
Karen Woods
Marketing Coordinator
In preparation for the 2010 IUPUI Regatta, Jim Bleeke, Chris Simpkins and I went downtown to the Indianapolis Canal Walk to practice our rowing skills this past Tuesday. The weather was absolutely beautiful and we had a wonderful time practicing. Chris Simpkins is an excellent rower and Jim Bleeke has really stepped up his game this year and will make an excellent teammate. Below you can check out some pictures from our practice.
The 2010 Regatta is scheduled for September 25 and will include approximately 80 4-person teams. Two of the rowers will start and row to a trade point. The remaining two rowers then paddle back to the starting point to finish the race. Jeb Crandall and Carol Dillon will start the race for the SweetinBleeke Team and then Chris and Jim will close the race. Jim’s daughter, Christina, is the 2010 Student Chair for the event and this is the second year SweetinBleeke has been a team participant and financial supporter of the IUPUI Regatta.
The purpose of the IUPUI Regatta is to create a signature event for IUPUI that brings together students, alumni, faculty, staff, friends and families in and around the Indianapolis community for a day of fun and friendly competition. Proceeds from the event will go toward a scholarship fund for undergraduate students at IUPUI. Only students, faculty, staff, and alumni of Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis and IU alumni residing in central Indiana are eligible to participate in the Regatta as paddlers. Luckily we have plenty of IU grads in our office!
Marketing Coordinator
In preparation for the 2010 IUPUI Regatta, Jim Bleeke, Chris Simpkins and I went downtown to the Indianapolis Canal Walk to practice our rowing skills this past Tuesday. The weather was absolutely beautiful and we had a wonderful time practicing. Chris Simpkins is an excellent rower and Jim Bleeke has really stepped up his game this year and will make an excellent teammate. Below you can check out some pictures from our practice.
The 2010 Regatta is scheduled for September 25 and will include approximately 80 4-person teams. Two of the rowers will start and row to a trade point. The remaining two rowers then paddle back to the starting point to finish the race. Jeb Crandall and Carol Dillon will start the race for the SweetinBleeke Team and then Chris and Jim will close the race. Jim’s daughter, Christina, is the 2010 Student Chair for the event and this is the second year SweetinBleeke has been a team participant and financial supporter of the IUPUI Regatta.
The purpose of the IUPUI Regatta is to create a signature event for IUPUI that brings together students, alumni, faculty, staff, friends and families in and around the Indianapolis community for a day of fun and friendly competition. Proceeds from the event will go toward a scholarship fund for undergraduate students at IUPUI. Only students, faculty, staff, and alumni of Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis and IU alumni residing in central Indiana are eligible to participate in the Regatta as paddlers. Luckily we have plenty of IU grads in our office!
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