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Attorney Gerald L. Marcus Steps Up to Make a Difference
Like all personal injury attorneys, Gerald L. Marcus joined the field out of a desire to help others. Just as personal injury firms can use their resources to help injury victims level the playing field, individual lawyers who have experienced success in their careers can also make a difference in the lives of those less fortunate. This is the mission that led to the founding of the Los Angeles Trial Lawyers' Charities (LATLC) in 2006 and that has seen the group grow to over 3,000 members over the years. After first becoming involved in 2013, Marcus realized he wanted to do all he could to further the organization's mission. LATLC focuses on supporting the most vulnerable among us, for whom relatively minor support can make an outsized difference. Just two years after becoming involved, Marcus was given a seat on the honorary board of governors and the board of directors. Since then, he has been elected to various executive positions in the organization, which culminated in his 2019 presidency. With Marcus' guidance, LATLC helped hundreds of thousands of Angelenos since its inception with events like Day of Dignity, the Great Tryke Giveaway, the annual Holiday "Comfort and Joy" Giveaway and much more. You can join Marcus and his firm, The Law Offices of Gerald L. Marcus, support children, families and survivors of violence by donating to LATLC today.
latlc.org/donate


The Holidays may be the Right TIme to Talk Estate Planning
Let's face it, there's no easy way to talk about estate planning, especially around the holidays. But for some families, the holidays are the only time of the year everyone comes together.
Choose the right time to bring up the topic. Since this is not a good dinner topic, it's best to choose a time before or after when everyone is relaxed and can focus. You want to avoid distractions. A day before or after the holiday would be best so long as everyone is available.
To coordinate, it is usually a good idea to notify people in advance that the discussion will take place. That way, everyone has an opportunity to contribute and nobody feels ambushed.
Don't expect to get everything done or decided in one conversation. Preparing an estate plan can take several discussions and may require a consultation with a professional before or after. What is important is to get broad ideas about who will be in charge and what will be done in the event of death or incapacity. Don't push anyone into a decision when they aren't ready but do make sure they know you will support them once they do make a decision.
Law Attorney Michael Yeager 471-2177

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How to Make the Holidays Happier When Kids have Two Homes
by Denise Lite
Negotiating visitation around the holiday season requires patience in spades. Emotions can run high as both parents picture themselves sitting alone in front of a tree on Christmas morning. I wish moms and dads thought more about how their kids feel, though, being in the middle of a custody dispute during what's supposed to be the happiest time of the year. Here's what I say way too often during these negotiations: Let's not make the holiday tradition that your child remembers the most being shuttled between a crying mom and an angry dad.
Like I shared last month, there's generally one guarantee when it comes to the family court and judges' decisions on visitation - no one gets entirely what they want. But, if it's handled right by the folks, kids can get what they deserve - a sense of emotional and physical safety; validation; care; comfort and joy when with either parent.
How can you make this happen? First, drop the ego. This isn't about you - it's about your kids and what they need. Will you be sad if you're alone on a special holiday? Maybe. Is that any of your child's business? Absolutely not.
Second, put a happy spin on the new normal. You get the kids the week before Christmas but not the week of? Great! Here's your chance to cultivate a brand-spanking-new holiday tradition. Done right, Pre-Christmas will rival the real thing in your children's minds and hearts so much that they'll want to carry it on for their own kids.
Lastly: Please remember that it is our job as adults to stay emotionally regulated and physically and emotionally available to our children all year round - but especially during times of new transitions and traditions. If your children see that you're Ok, they'll feel safe to feel their own feelings about these changes, process them... and then have a better time with both parents.
By being intentional about the time you do get with your kids, you can make this their happiest holiday yet.
Denise Lite, Esq. is a certified family law specialist at DaCorsi Placencio, PC 877-317-8080

Turning over a Newleafby Paul Butler
As we approach what I believe is the most wonderful time of the year, I was reflecting upon gift exchanges and how it relates to paychecks in the workplace.
A worker gives up a unit of time and in exchange receives payment from the employer, who used that time to create a product, or provide a service they sold to their customer.
The word "pay" originates from the French word, "paier" which means "to make peaceful." So, when an employer pays a worker, they're effectively "making peace" for the labor they received. There's a gift exchange - sweat for silver.
I remember, as a young man, my mother and father explaining the rudiments of commerce to me: "Paul, business is no more complicated than people working with people called colleagues, and other people called vendors to serve other people, called customers. Money is just the fruit that falls from the tree when you do this well. Oh, and get your haircut son."
Maybe, work is really just a gift exchange.
Paul Butler is a Santa Clarita resident and a client partner with Newleaf Training and Development of Valencia. newleaftd.com

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Wednesday | December 1
Mission Valley Bank Hosts Complimentary Livestream Business Education Series on California Employment Law Q4 Update
Feel beat up running your business with the dozens of new labor-related laws introduced just this year? Join Mission Valley Bank in the center ring as their presenter delivers more than a few punches of information your business needs to stay standing from 10am to 11:30am.
missionvalleybankrsvp.com