It is going to be hot again today. High of 106 about 5 pm. I am tired if driving the Infiniti, and am really considering driving either the Sunchaser or the Vespa. These are the trials of our times. I can’t help it, I just like these things.
This has been a pretty good week so far. My new attorney and new receptionist started, and I really like both. I feel like a coach who lost a key player to fre agency, but having found some talent on the open market, is ready to play a new style. Sometimes, new blood can invigorate things.
On Tuesday, I represented a client who, 6 years ago, was working as a field foreman in the vineyards for someone else. His boss got flaky, and the farmer contracted with my client to provide and direct a small crew, and a small business was born. He lucked into a bigger client, and has gone from field worker to solidly middle class business and home owner. But like most young people, he owes money on a house and a vehicle. He made some mistakes due to lack of knowledge. The opening demand in his lawsuit was $1.5 million. I settled it for a little over $100k, and he spent less than $20k in attorney fees to get there. I got almost a third of the settlement paid by his customer. That is a win in our world.
Yesterday, I represented a nice, but very frightened, young couple who immigrated here from the Azores (Portugal) about 15 years ago. He has been working as a dairy herdsman since he arrived. A year and a half ago, he leased a small ranch, borrowed money to buy a small number of cows, and decided to make go of it as a dairy farmer. This is not a decision any financial adviser would encourage, but for dairy people, that life is a labor of love.
This couple had screwed up everything on their one employee. The records were a disaster, and they owed this guy money. Their best day in court would be about $24000, which would bankrupt them. End of farm. The claim was for $93,000, and the opening demand was $40,000. The wife was crying througout the process. I settled it for $7500, and they could not have been more grateful and relieved. I told them we would help them fix it all so this did not happen again. The husband said to me, “I never see anybody who talk like you.” That was a good day.
I have a big trial next week. Let's hope my luck holds.