Client Newsletters – 2010

By December 31, 2010 March 3rd, 2020 No Comments

January 4, 2010

NEWS FROM THE DESK OF STACEY L. ROMBERG

Happy New Year! Please note that our office will be closed January 14th – 22nd. During this period, Lisa Vargo will be available to assist our existing clients with on-going work. Lisa can be reached at lisa@staceyromberg.com. During most of this time, I will be in Phoenix enjoying the sun and cheering on my niece as she runs her first marathon. Also, our office will be closed on February 15th for the President’s Day holiday.

On December 10th, along with Ann Guinn of G&P Associates, I both co-chaired and presented at the Washington State Bar Association’s continuing legal education course entitled, “Strategic Solutions for Solo and Small Firm Practitioners.” The program was a success, attracting over 200 attorneys who attended.

On January 21st, I am excited to partner with Debbie Whitlock of Sound Financial Partners for an EWomenNetwork event entitled, “Your Family – Your Business – Your Legacy: Dying with Clarity in a Culture of Denial.” Our one hour presentation, which will be held at Maggiano’s Little Italy in Bellevue, will focus on key issues for business owners to get their “house in order,” including estate planning, business succession and insurance. If interested, please contact my office or EWomenNetwork for more details (www.ewomennetwork.com). The event will be followed by an intensive workshop on January 30th for EWomen members in order to explore these topics in more detail and develop a plan of action.

I am also pleased to announce that, for our estate planning work, Seattle Magazine recently named me as one of their 2010 Five Star Wealth Managers. We also received this recognition in 2009.

I will be a featured guest on KKNW 1150 am on Friday, January 8th, at 9am to discuss the importance of setting estate planning goals in 2010. Please tune in!

As a small business, we rely primarily upon referrals in order to grow and sustain our practice. As we start 2010, please keep our office in mind. We would greatly appreciate any referrals in the areas of business law, estate planning and probate!

Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new.   ~ Albert Einstein

 

 

 

February 1, 2010

NEWS FROM THE DESK OF STACEY L. ROMBERG

Please note that our office will be closed on February 15th for the President’s Day holiday.

On January 21st, I teamed up with Debbie Whitlock of Sound Financial Partners for an EWomenNetwork event entitled, “Your Family – Your Business – Your Legacy: Dying with Clarity in a Culture of Denial.” Our one hour presentation focused on key issues for business owners to get their “house in order,” including estate planning, business succession and insurance. The event was followed by an intensive workshop on January 30th for EWomen members in order to explore these topics in more detail and develop a plan of action. If you would like more information about how to handle your particular business succession issues, please call us.

I also enjoyed being interviewed a featured guest on KKNW 1150 am on January 8th, to discuss the importance of setting estate planning goals in 2010. Many people have New Year’s Resolutions about establishing or revising their estate planning documents, but don’t follow up. So be sure to take the bull by the horns this year – don’t procrastinate!

Enclosed, please find a gift certificate from a valued client, Penelope Bell of Simply a Moment, for $50.00 off of her services. Enjoy! Please find out more information about her business at www.simplyamoment.com.

Andrea Logan, our paralegal, is also a founder of Pawsitive Alliance, a nonprofit helping homeless dogs and cats in Washington. Pawsattive Alliance is holding their annual benefit. “Pawsitive Futures.”  on Saturday, March 6th from 6:30-8:30 at Theo Chocolate in Fremont. Theo Chocolate is located at 3400 Phinney Avenue North, Seattle, 98103. Enjoy tasty appetizers while you sip wine, sample Theo chocolates, and bid in their silent auction… have fun while helping homeless animals! “Pawsitive Futures” will support 2010 adoption events, giving homeless dogs and cats a second chance for healthy and happy lives.  To learn about Pawsitive Alliance and RSVP for the event please visit www.pawsitivealliance.org.  Please RSVP as space is limited.

Without ambition no conquests are made, and no business created.
Ambition is the root of all achievement
.   ~ James Champy

 

 

 

March 1, 2010

NEWS FROM THE DESK OF STACEY L. ROMBERG

Initially, while our focus is on the Olympics, I want to take this opportunity to acknowledge my “Olympic” team! I feel incredibly fortunate, in these scary days of downsizing and unemployment, that our office team remains intact – and we continue to work together to serve our clients. Kristen Larsen, our Office Administrator, is doing a fabulous job in scheduling and otherwise keeping our office running smoothly. Please note that Kristen has a new direct line, 206-303-0695. Please feel free to call Kristen directly if you need assistance or would like to set an appointment.

Lisa C. Vargo, Of Counsel, recently moved into a new home office. She loves her new space, and it allows her the opportunity to work in a more focused and energized environment. Three cheers for Lisa!

Andrea Logan, in addition to being a skilled and caring paralegal, is also a founder of Pawsitive Alliance, a nonprofit helping homeless dogs and cats in Washington. To learn about Pawsitive Alliance, please visit www.pawsitivealliance.org. I am proud of Andrea’s work, which benefits dogs and cats throughout Washington.

In addition, we recently upgraded our case management software. This software supports our remote set up and our mission of having a “green” office, by allowing us to maintain digital rather than paper client files. Our new software consultant, Arita Sims, did an outstanding job that enabled our office to continue working with only small interruptions. Thanks to Arita! More information about Arita’s services can be found at: www.absims.com/.

He who dares, wins.  ~ Winston Churchill

 

 

 

April 1, 2010

NEWS FROM THE DESK OF STACEY L. ROMBERG

On May 18th, I look forward to again teaming up with Debbie Whitlock, President of Sound Financial Partners and Founder of Femme Finance, for a presentation at the Bothell/Mill Creek Women’s Business Group. Debbie and I have teamed up previously for a presentation for EWomen Network of Bellevue, as well as my appearance on her national radio program in January. Our topic is: “Your Family – Your Business – Your Legacy: Dying with Clarity in a Culture of Denial.” We will cover a variety of topics including estate planning, life insurance and business succession. If you would like further information about our presentation, please contact me!

As Debbie and I continue to work together, we have heard some feedback that our presentation topic is “morbid,” and makes some listeners uncomfortable. I’m interested in these comments. Is this topic truly morbid, and something that shouldn’t be discussed? Or, are these comments an example of the fact that we truly do live in a culture of denial – and that our culture doesn’t give us many opportunities to discuss these issues in an open and healthy way? Please send me an e-mail and let me know what you think!

To walk the talk, I have worked on a business succession plan for my own practice. Business succession is a particularly important topic for attorneys because, if an attorney dies or is unable to work for a period of time, the clients can suffer tremendous damage including the inability to access needed documents and also to obtain their fund balances from the attorney’s trust accounts. Please know that, if anything unfortunate does happen to me, Lisa Vargo is fully prepared to immediately take over our practice. Lisa has access to all documents, trust accounts, passwords, files and other items needed to be 100% responsive to your needs, right away.

If anything happens to you, is your business succession plan in place?

Cause change and lead; accept change and survive; resist change and die. ~ Ray Norda

 

 

 

May 3, 2010

NEWS FROM THE DESK OF STACEY L. ROMBERG

On May 18th, Debbie Whitlock, President of Sound Financial Partners and Founder of Femme Finance, and I will be the featured speakers at the Bothell/Mill Creek Women’s Business Group. Debbie and I spoke in January at eWomen Network in Bellevue, and I’ve also joined her this year as a guest on her national radio program. Our topic is: “Your Family – Your Business – Your Legacy: Dying with Clarity in a Culture of Denial.” We will cover a variety of topics including estate planning, life insurance and business succession. If you would like further information about our presentation, please contact me!

On June 29th, I’m looking forward to being a panelist for the third time for the Washington State Bar Association’s (WSBA) continuing legal education program “Lincoln on Professionalism,” be held in the WSBA’s new conference center in downtown, Seattle. This program focuses on ethical issues faced by Abraham Lincoln in his law practice, and teaches attorneys how Lincoln’s straightforward, practical values regarding ethics and professionalism still apply today. I’ve participated in these programs twice previously, and am excited to have been asked back! For more information, please contact my office or visit www.wsba.org.

Do you use social media? If so, please connect with me on LinkedIn, Facebook or Twitter (“StaceyRomberg”). I enjoy learning more about your activities and interests!

To change bad habits, we must study the habits of successful role models. ~ Jack Canfield

 

 

 

June 1, 2010

NEWS FROM THE DESK OF STACEY L. ROMBERG

Please note that our office will be closed from July 28th through August 10th for our summer recess! If you require assistance during this period, Lisa Vargo will be available and can be reached at lisa@staceyromberg.com.

On May 18th, Debbie Whitlock, President of Sound Financial Partners and Founder of Femme Finance, and I spoke at the Bothell/Mill Creek Women’s Business Group on: “Your Family – Your Business – Your Legacy: Dying with Clarity in a Culture of Denial.” We discussed a variety of topics including estate planning, life insurance and business succession. If you would like further information about our presentation, please contact me!

On June 29th, I’m looking forward to being a panelist for the third time for the Washington State Bar Association’s (WSBA) continuing legal education program “Lincoln on Professionalism,” be held in the WSBA’s new conference center in downtown, Seattle. This program focuses on ethical issues faced by Abraham Lincoln in his law practice, and teaches attorneys how Lincoln’s straightforward, practical values regarding ethics and professionalism still apply today. I’ve participated in these programs twice previously, and am excited to have been asked back! For more information, please contact my office or visit www.wsba.org.

Enclosed is a copy of my article published in the May 2010 issue of the King County Bar Bulletin, entitled “Online Law: Has LegalZoom Gone too Far?” LegalZoom is currently being sued in Missouri, and has ordered to cease and desist its business activities in North Carolina. The public is being harmed by online services such as LegalZoom – because they are misrepresenting the quality of their “legal products” and failing to fully advise consumers of the risks involved.

Trust in yourself.   Your perceptions are often far more accurate than you are willing to believe.  ~ Claudia Black

 

 

July 1, 2010

NEWS FROM THE DESK OF STACEY L. ROMBERG

Happy Fourth of July! Our office will be closed on July 5th for the federal holiday.

Please note that our office will be closed from July 28th through August 10th for our summer recess! I look forward to spending some time in sunny Southern California attending the Mercury Insurance Open, a professional women’s tennis tournament (www.mercuryinsuranceopen.com). If you require assistance during this period, Lisa Vargo will be available and can be reached at lisa@staceyromberg.com or at 206-595-4816. Since the office will be closed for two weeks, the time period right before and right after the office closure may be especially busy. If you can, please provide us with advance notice of work to be completed and appointment requests, so we can do our best to meet your needs. Also, due to the office closure, please note that the invoices for work performed in July will be sent out early, and will not include time billed during the last few days of the month. This time will be billed out on the following month’s billing cycle. If you have any questions, please let me know.

On June 17th, Debbie Whitlock of Sound Financial Partners and I again teamed up for a presentation at Starbucks corporate offices. Our discussion on estate planning and financial planning was especially geared toward Starbucks LGTB partners, as well as Starbucks heterosexual partners involved in non-marital relationships. Special estate planning considerations exist for unmarried individuals who want to make sure that their partners and loved ones are properly taken care of in the event of death. If you have any questions or want further information about this topic, please contact my office.

On June 29th, I enjoyed serving as a panelist for the third time for the Washington State Bar Association’s (WSBA) continuing legal education program “Lincoln on Professionalism.” This program focuses on ethical issues faced by Abraham Lincoln in his law practice, and teaches attorneys how Lincoln’s straightforward, practical values regarding ethics and professionalism still apply today.

If you think you can or if you think you can’t, either way you are right.    ~  Anthony Robbins

 

 

 

July 29, 2010

NEWS FROM THE DESK OF STACEY L. ROMBERG

Please note that our office is closed through August 10th for our summer recess! I look forward to spending some time in sunny Southern California attending the Mercury Insurance Open, a professional women’s tennis tournament (http://www.mercuryinsuranceopen.com). If you require assistance during this period, Lisa Vargo will be available and can be reached at lisa@staceyromberg.com or at 206-595-4816. Due to the office closure, please note that the enclosed invoices are being sent out early and will not include time billed during the last few days of July. This time will be billed out on the following month’s billing cycle. If you have any questions, please let me know.

Enclosed is a copy of my article published in the July issue of the King County Bar Bulletin, entitled, “Updated Cell Phone Law: Do Additional Restrictions Contribute to Safety?” In researching this article, I found the new iDrive software, which submits an “out of office reply” to text messages received while you are driving in the car, to be both amusing and disturbing. Are people really so addicted to texting that they can’t wait until arriving at their destination to look at their phone and reply to a text? Unfortunately, the answer to that question appears to be yes. Please let me know if you have any questions about the new cell phone law, or any feedback regarding my article.

Have you noticed that our e-mailed documents have a new look, in terms of the document title? We’ve made a step forward in upgrading our technology. Rather than using Microsoft Word for our firm’s document storage, our office has switched to storing the documents in Time Matters, a legal case management software. These documents then become a part of your digital client file, which includes research, file notes and memorandum, e-mails, telephone records, etc. Our office is enjoying the efficiencies created by storing documents in the digital client files – and hopefully you’ll be enjoying some cost savings as well since our work can now be performed a little more efficiently!

We can do anything we want to if we stick to it long enough.  ~  Helen Keller

 

 

 

September 1, 2010

NEWS FROM THE DESK OF STACEY L. ROMBERG

Please note that our office will be closed on September 6th for Labor Day, and on October 11th for Columbus Day.

On October 16th, Debbie Whitlock of Sound Financial Partners and I look forward to giving a workshop at Merrill Gardens retirement community in Mill Creek.  We’ll focus on estate related work that most of us either need to tackle for the first time or to review, including estate planning, updating beneficiary designations on bank and retirement accounts, etc. Also, we will discuss how thoughtful, deliberate work in estate and financial planning can serve as part of your personal legacy, in terms of charitable contributions, end of life communications to family and friends, ensuring pets and other family members are properly cared for, etc. How can your estate planning best reflect your values? I enjoy delving into the details, and helping attendees with their unique concerns. If you have any questions or would like to attend, please contact my office.

As we head into fall, please keep in mind that I have space for new business, estate planning and probate clients! I would greatly appreciate your referrals. One of my firm’s best sources for new business is the referrals from our existing clients. Since we like you, and assume your friends, family and colleagues have similar personal qualities – your referrals are a great way for us to continue working with smart, proactive, friendly and responsible people! Thanks in advance for your referrals! And, if you’ve been putting off having a contract reviewed or your Will revised, the fall is a great time to revisit that task and get it done before 2011 comes.

Motivation is like food for the brain. You cannot get enough in one sitting.  It needs continual and regular refills.  ~  Peter Davies.

 

 

 

November 1, 2010

NEWS FROM THE DESK OF STACEY L. ROMBERG

Happy Thanksgiving! Please note that our office will be closed on November 11th (Veteran’s Day), November 12th, and November 24th – 26th for the Thanksgiving holiday. In December, our office will be closed on the two federal holidays, December 24th and December 31st.

On December 14th, I look forward to chairing a continuing legal education course for the Washington State Bar Association, “Harnessing the Power of the Internet for your Practice.” Topics include internet investigations, cloud computing, and the ethics of social media, including the importance of protecting client confidences while using social networking sites. I strongly believe that attorneys can use technology to serve their clients in more efficient and cost effective ways. For example, if probate attorneys can use internet investigation tools to locate a missing heir on line, as opposed to hiring a private investigation firm, the client is well served and the estate saves money. I look forward to chairing this seminar, providing service to the legal community, and learning about new technologies can benefit all of you. For more information about the seminar, see the Bar’s website at: www.mywsba.org/default.aspx?tabid=143.

On another note, this fall the Pacific Northwest enjoyed a better than usual mushroom growing season. Here is one of my favorite Thanksgiving recipes, Wild Mushroom Soup, from the Williams-Sonoma Thanksgiving cookbook. I hope you enjoy it!

Only those who risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go. ~  T.S. Eliot

 

 

December 1, 2010

NEWS FROM THE DESK OF STACEY L. ROMBERG

Happy Holidays! Please note that in December our office will be closed on the two federal holidays, December 24th and December 31st. In addition, in January, our office will be closed on January 17th for Martin Luther King Day as well as January 26th – 28th for vacation days.

On December 14th, I look forward to chairing a continuing legal education course for the Washington State Bar Association, “Harnessing the Power of the Internet for your Practice.” Topics include internet investigations, cloud computing, and the ethics of social media, including the importance of protecting client confidences while using social networking sites. I strongly believe that attorneys can use technology to serve their clients in more efficient and cost effective ways. For example, if probate attorneys can use internet investigation tools to locate a missing heir on line, as opposed to hiring a private investigation firm, the client is well served and the estate saves money. I look forward to chairing this seminar, providing service to the legal community, and learning about new technologies can benefit all of you. For more information about the seminar, see the Bar’s website

As of January 1st, Lisa Vargo’s billable rate will be increased from $225.00/hour to $250.00 per hour. My billable rate will stay at $250.00/hr., and Andrea Logan’s rate will also remain constant.

I understand that the holidays are an especially hectic time. However, I ask that you please remember to pay your bill before the end of this year. Remember, for businesses, legal expenses paid by the end of 2010 will be considered a deductible expense for purposes of calculating your final 2010 federal tax liability.

Finally, thanks to all of you for your business over this past year! I am truly grateful for the opportunity to  work with you. I wish you all a happy and peaceful holiday season – enjoy yourselves!

The achievement of one goal should be the starting point of another. ~ Alexander Graham Bell

 

(206) 784-5305