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A solo practitioner in a lawyers group asked what is a fair wage to pay a law clerk who is still in school. The responses went all over the place. Some paid little more than minimum wage while others paid slightly more. One paid a lot more. Since there is no recommended minimum as exists with the major law firms, it is anybody’s guess.
Some based their answers on what they got paid when they were a 3L. Others based the pay on the number of applicants they received. Or they base it on what they thought was the going rate by asking around or searching online.
The short answer is you can pay whatever you can get away with.
But just because you can pay a small wage to a law student, does it mean that you should? I have heard the typical reasons for not paying a lot to law students. They come with little-to-no experience, are likely to make mistakes, and the employer (and the client) should not have to pay for that. Also, since most law student jobs are likely to be temporary, the law student might not notice the higher wage. The on-the-job experience they receive is more valuable than the money. And some firms just cannot afford to pay more than the bare minimum.
Some have said that the pay is comparable to similar positions in government. While government jobs generally pay less than the private sector, the training is usually better, the work is less stressful, and employers generally prefer people with government experience. Most small firms cannot offer similar intangible benefits like these.
I may sound crazy or financially wasteful, but I think it would be beneficial in the long run for small firms to pay higher than market rate for law students. Why?
For starters, you will generally attract better employees. I know this sounds obvious but most lawyers aren’t famous for their business acumen. Let’s face it, money talks. Especially when law students today have $300,000+ of student loan debt chasing them. The best firms tend to pay the best salaries. A higher salary means that you will get candidates who actually want to work for you instead of seeing you as a last resort résumé gap filler. They will be motivated to stay and go the extra mile since they know they are paid better than their classmates.
Also, you should see this as an investment. You see, these 3Ls will one day become your colleagues, potential referral sources, or co-counsel. The sad truth is that some of them may end up being paid less as new attorneys. And others may not find jobs at all. A few years ago, I wrote about why small firm junior associates are paid relatively little. I think the struggle for new attorneys will continue, especially if Siri is one day allowed to give legal advice. You may be the one bright spot in their lives and they will remember you when they need to refer potential clients.
Of course, there are some steps you should take to make sure you don’t end up paying more than necessary. Start new law student hires on a part-time basis and with tasks that are appropriate for their skill level. If the new hire is not performing well, it is best to let him go as soon as possible.
This post was not meant to be a definitive “how to” on hiring clerks or staff in general. I only hope that it will make employers think twice before deciding to pay law clerks the least amount as possible. Most of us probably remember what it was like to work as a law clerk during law school. We did our best, no matter how much we were paid. Employers who pay the bare minimum usually end up with employees who do the bare minimum. Attorneys only have their reputation. This not only applies to future clients but also to future employees. If you want to attract the best talent, you will have to be known for paying for the best.
Today as a nation we are smarter in using energy and improving efficiencies because we have to be. By an example, it is documented that we can now deliver over 40% of greenhouse gas emissions reductions needed to meet global climate goals because we have improved energy efficiencies! If that is the case with energy then just think that if we can mimic efficiencies and alter some of the ways our business work just by avoiding duplicating efforts we can use that extra time in other areas in our organization. In addition, if small and mid-sized firms use automated processes whenever possible, that too will help minimize resources needed in our businesses. To be the most profitable and be a small law firm there is a need to do more with less. We have to begin thinking of building something worthwhile with what we have but which will improve productivity. We have to have a way to measure productivity and then we have to evaluate whether our goals can be met. In short, in order not to just stay in the race but to stay ahead, there is definitely a lot more we can do to create efficiencies. Part of that is to retain the personnel we have. Part of it is using our time more productively. Part of it is holding people more accountable. Part of it is using automated processes. Part of it is avoiding duplications. Part of it is evaluating where changes can be made.
The Nancy Grimes Simple Rules of Doing More with Less
1) Don’t try to offer everything to your clients.
2) Keep Focused on the Goals.
3) Evaluate everything you and your team does and discard duplicate processes.
4) Change the rules mid-stream and become more nimble and flexible, as needed.
Once asked about how he prepared for a film role, Daniel Day-Lewis replied, “I don’t rehearse at all in film if I can help it. In talking a character through, you define it. And if you define it, you kill it dead.”
On the surface this may be interpreted as ‘Oscar winning actor doesn’t rehearse so why should I?’ However, anyone who knows anything about this Oscar winning actor will be aware that Mr Day-Lewis is the very personification of the technique known as method acting. He lives, sleeps and breathes his characters in a preparation process that can last for months.
So yes, he can get away without rehearsal. Those, however, who are not portraying the likes of President Lincoln in Lincoln, Christy Brown in My Left Foot and and Daniel Plainview in There Will be Blood but rather find themselves delivering deep analysis on the legality of agreements made by two or more parties where there is an exchange of some sort intended to take place to a niche audience of clients and peers cannot get away without rehearsal, that is, if they wish to deliver an effective presentation.
A successful delivery on stage is the result of many hours of preparation, and this will often include several renditions of the end speech, in various forms, as the speaker hones in on what works and what does not.
It’s not a glamorous process. Often these rehearsed speeches are delivered to inanimate objects – house plants are good listeners – but ideally to animate ones. An actual person who is able to give feedback is optimum here.
Yes you think you look silly, yes you get bored of the sound of your own voice and yes those around you might wonder at your soliloquising. But it is you who will have the last laugh.
1) Practice Makes Perfect
As with every cliché there is truth behind it. A written presentation is very different when spoken. That bit that really works on the page may well be a linguistic trip hazard on the stage; packed with too many syllables, misfiring alliteration and hidden layers of unintended confusion.
On the day, your delivery will be a key factor in the success of your presentation – when to pause for dramatic effect, when to raise your intonation to hammer home a point, when to slow down and fix your audience to emphasise a theme. Only by repeated practice will these subtle, but very necessary, tweaks become clear to you.
2) It’s a Question of Timing
An effective presentation has balance. It has a clearly measured beginning, middle and end. Crucially, that end will come at the prescribed finish time. If you’ve done your rehearsal you won’t even have to check the clock because you will know it ends on time. Note: Underestimating the amount of time your ‘set’ will take is one of the most common pitfalls to afflict our species since the invention of the microphone.
3) It’s Not a Question of Spontaneity
The speakers’ graveyard is littered with the carcasses of those who, often swept up with hubris, boldly pronounce that they don’t rehearse because that would remove any spark of spontaneity. Many will add for good measure, ‘besides, I’m always better speaking off the cuff.’ In my experience, you are statistically more likely to be mauled by a bear than be proved correct in this assumption (these odds differ if you are reading this in certain parts of Canada) and in any case, those who do ‘speak off the cuff’ tend to be the ones who have been at it for a good while and have developed their style and skill so they’ve already put in the hours.
4) More Slides, More Haste
Whenever you see a presenter skipping through several slides at once you can draw two conclusions: a) The speaker has probably not rehearsed their speech and has simply crammed in far more slides than is necessary; and b) The speaker has to cut their talk because the one before overran due to that speaker cramming in far too many slides which has resulted in a scheduling issue!
Rehearsing with slides will allow you to sort the wheat from the chaff so that each slide counts rather than hides. It also looks quite good when presenters can actually speak and ‘click’ simultaneously rather than giving the appearance of a toddler trying to grasp how a new toy works that is in reality more suitable for an older child.
5) Rehearsal Means Relaxed
Giving a presentation is a daunting occasion for many. Far less daunting if you have prepared for the occasion however. It is highly likely that during your rehearsals you won’t have had had a perfect run; you will have got confused, fluffed your lines, missed whole sections out, forgotten to change slides and lost and added minutes. However, cometh the hour, your rehearsal and practice will be the making of you.
All that repetition will have formed a brain muscle memory. On stage you will be delivering with an effortless ease and dreaming of your own Oscar-winning performance. And you don’t even have to get into character.
“Dressing up for work continues to go out of style,” says Brandi Britton, District President at OfficeTeam Los Angeles.
Chances are if you work in an office today, your attire is more casual than ever before.
Reasons for the Continued Casualization of the Workplace
Competitive job market.
Since more than half of job seekers said a company’s dress code is either very important or moderately important when it comes to accepting a job offer, companies are using flexible dress codes as a way to attract talent…especially Millennials.
Rise of remote working.
Working at a coffee shop, co-working space, or at home alleviates the need for dressing formally.
Increased visibility and awareness.
Instagram, Snapchat, YouTube, etc. provide outsiders an inside look into the culture and dress codes of other companies around the world. This increased exposure has instilled new expectations–especially for the emerging generations–of what dress codes could and should be.
Impressions are changing.
More and more the appearance of suits (even in client-facing roles) strikes people with fear of an audit than it does with the impression of professionalism. The consumer impressions of what a professional person looks like is also loosening. People are more open to tattoos, beards, piercings, etc. which is why Starbucks, PetSmart, and other retailers and employers have relaxed their dress code in each of these categories.
Surge of Millennials.
The below describes why and how companies are relaxing their dress code for Millennials.
Why Should Companies Rethink Their Dress Code?
Some professionals are still split on the topic of dress code. Some question the seriousness, professionalism, and productivity of companies with a flexible dress code. Others question the culture, relevance, innovation, and management of companies with a strict dress code.
So why consider updating your dress code?
“It’s an employee’s market. People wearing suits and more formal attire seem to return in tougher economic times,” says Britton. “More casual dress codes seem to be the trend when economic times are good and it’s an employee-driven market. If there are more jobs than there are people, what are you as an employer doing to attract talent to your company? You do the things employees want: They want money and they want perks such as a more casual dress code. Right now, companies are having to be competitive for talent.”
As the demand for Millennial talent grows and more Millennials step into decision-making roles, expect the trend towards more casual to grow.
In addition, by 2020 at least half of U.S. households will be participating in the gig economy (or independent work) and 70 percent of Millennials might reject traditional business to work independently. People dressing formally while working independently is unlikely.
Employers’ dress policies are being held accountable by the desire and possibility of Millennials working for themselves where they could dress as they wish.
The Best Dress Code for Millennials and Your Multi-Generational Team
During a networking event before a recent presentation of mine, Lauren Williams, Principal at the CPA Firm Johnson Lambert LLP, expressed their desire to change their existing dress code.
“We wanted to set a tone that we are a professional services firm and we should dress the part. However, when we’re at the office, we do not have many clients visiting (as we go to them more than they come to us) and our office had become more casual over the years as our partners relaxed enforcement of the business casual dress code,” said Williams.
I recommended they explore smart casual.
Smart casual can be considered a combination of casual, business casual, and business dress codes. Formal and casual clothing pieces can be mixed and matched to combine into a “smart” ensemble. It’s considered neat, conventional, and professional yet relatively informal. The best of all the dress code worlds.
The advantage is that smart casual is ambiguous which caters to Millennials desire for flexible dress and to other generations desire to keep it professional. The disadvantage is that smart casual is ambiguous and might require more guidelines than other dress policies.
I followed up with Williams a few months later to see how the transition to smart casual went. Below is her response.
“Our goal for smart casual was to allow people to wear jeans any day of the week (previously we only wore jeans on Friday) or wear tailored shorts along with a nice shirt tucked in. Jeans shouldn’t have holes and should be more fitted and put together. No tennis shoes or flip flops. More tailored outfits regardless of the fabric involved.”
“We previously allowed certain cargo shorts, flip flops etc. that do not fit in with the new dress code. Enforcing the new code for those people was initially a challenge but given the lenient boundaries of the new code, most people adapted nicely.”
“The benefits of the smart casual dress code are that we have a younger demographic of people in our office and through reading about trends, we learned that the easiest thing you can do for Millennials to make them happy is let them dress how they want. Given that we are a professional services firm, we applied some boundaries to that but overall employees are empowered to wear what works for them to get them through the work day and into the evening. Another benefit has been with recruiting. It is a selling point to potential new hires that we have smart casual dress in the office.”
“We continue to dress business casual and business professional at client sites and for various professional events, but we have received very positive feedback from employees. Overall I think we found a nice balance between ‘looking the part’ and allowing people to dress comfortably and appropriately for the office.”
Smart casual encourages Millennials to be unique and individualistic. A Millennial dream.
4 Keys When Revising the Company Dress Code
Over educate.
Don’t assume Millennials (or any employees) know the difference between casual and business casual. It’s up to employers to educate their employees and provide the necessary dress guidelines and examples. The top two most common dress code violations managers see at work are employees dressing too casually (47 percent) and employees showing to much skin (32 percent).
Make it simple.
Complexity breeds confusion. Multiple dress code rules and scenarios can be as stifling as the formal dress code you are trying to avoid. Take cue from MassMutual’s simple dress guideline of, “Dress appropriately.”
Geography matters.
Someone in San Francisco, CA might have a different interpretation of business casual than someone in Atlanta, GA. Factor in all locations and seasons when creating an updated dress policy.
Start at the top.
Often the dress code is a reflection of the company leaders (especially for small and medium-sized businesses). Ensure each leader buys-in and models the appropriate dress.
“This is always how we’ve dressed,” is not an acceptable answer in today’s 21st-century workplace. Revisit your company dress code to ensure it is positioning you for next generation growth and success.
The authority to set dress codes belongs to you. However, employers need to be especially careful that dress code requirements do not run afoul of anti-discrimination laws.
The manner of dress in workplaces can vary from uniforms to suits and everything in between. Especially due to the now accepted casual dress in various types of industries and businesses, including settings that formerly dictated formal business attire, there are standards of appearance business owners want to maintain. This is where a dress code comes in.
Do you need a dress code for your employees? If your employees deal extensively with the public, it may be appropriate to require certain standards of appearance, depending on what kind of business you have. If that’s the case, you should probably have some basic rules about what you want employees to wear. You may even require uniforms or similar attire.
On the other hand, if your employees have no contact with the public, perhaps it’s okay if they wear casual clothes. But how casual is appropriate? Even with a liberal policy, you may need some simple guidelines. When deciding whether you need a dress code and what that dress code should be, consider the following:
your business’s public image
the nature of the work performed by the employees affected by the dress code
You will want to select reasonable restrictions and requirements to impose on the dress and appearance of your employees. And whether you want your employees dressing up, down, or somewhere in between, you should consider the legal issues involved when you impose a dress code.
Laws Affecting Dress Codes
While dress codes may seem harmless enough, you need to be especially careful that dress code requirements do not discriminate against members of protected groups, based on federal and state anti-discrimination laws.
Religious discrimination. For employees who contend that their religious beliefs require wearing certain apparel or refraining from wearing certain apparel, you need to:
show business justification for your requirements
reasonably accommodate their religious beliefs
ask the employees to seek an exemption from wearing religious garb while on duty
Example
If an employee is required by safety or health standards to wear a hat during work but because of religious reasons cannot wear a head covering, you could try several approaches.
You could explain to the employee that due to state or federal safety and health laws — which constitute a business reason — the employee cannot continue the job without that hat.
Or, you could ask that the employee go to his or her religious leader and ask for an exemption from the rule barring hats for business purposes.
If, after these efforts have failed, the employee will still not wear the hat, then perhaps you can give the employee something else to do that would not conflict with the his or her religious beliefs. Termination should be a last resort.
Racial discrimination. Certain grooming and dress code requirements can unfairly affect members of certain races. Be sure that your dress code is nondiscriminatory.
Example
No-beard rules have been challenged on the grounds that shaving may precipitate a skin condition more common among black men than white. However, in one case, a court did not have to determine whether an employer had a business reason for the no-beard rule because the employee failed to show that the rule had adverse impact.
Disability discrimination. You must try to reasonably accommodate an employee with a disability that makes it impossible for the employee to conform to the personal appearance standards.
Gender discrimination. You can generally require different grooming standards for women and men as long as the policy does not do any of the following:
inhibit equal access to employment opportunities between men and women
attempt to deny employment to a particular sex
give a significant employment advantage to either sex
Warning
If you have a dress code rule that applies to all employees, regardless of gender, it must be enforced consistently for all employees. In one case, female employees were allowed to wear ponytails and earrings while the men were not, even though the company rule banning earrings and ponytails applied to all employees. While an employer can require different grooming standards for men and women, if the rule applies to both genders, the employer must enforce the rule equally. The court found the practice of not enforcing the rule equally to be discriminatory.
Sexual harassment. It is possible that the way in which you communicate your dress code, or violations of it, may constitute hostile environment sexual harassment.
Example
The circulation of a memo among management staff that detailed inappropriate employee attire and named the employees who had worn such clothing, along with the resulting offensive jokes about the memo contents, created an abusive working environment.
Handling Dress Code Violations
Handling dress code violation can be a sensitive issue. Have any complaints alleging an improperly dressed employee directed to you or to an appropriate supervisor. Then take the following steps:
You should then observe the employee. If you find that there is no issue, you should advise the individual who raised the issue that the employee’s dress is not inappropriate.
If you feel that there is a problem with the way the employee is dressed, you should address the issue with the employee in private. Don’t challenge the employee’s taste or fashion sense. Rather, explain what is unacceptable about the employee’s attire according to the policy standard and determine whether you want the employee to go home to change clothes. See if there are ways to allow the employee to come into compliance with the dress code without going home. Make it an informative discussion, not a critical one.
Example
If the issue is a T-shirt that has an offensive or inappropriate slogan or picture, the employee could turn the shirt inside out and return to the work site. Or perhaps the employee could wear a sweater or jacket over the T-shirt to cover the offensive slogan or picture.
If the majority of employees can go home, change clothes, and return within a short period of time, the policy should encourage this type of cost-conscious behavior. For the first situation requiring the employee to go home and change, you might want to consider paying normal wages and transportation costs, if any.
If the employee cannot go home and return within a reasonable amount of time, decide whether to send the employee home with or without pay for the remainder of the day or allow that employee to remain at work.
If an employee comes to work improperly dressed several times over a relatively short time frame, consider documenting the behavior and using your internal disciplinary system as you would with any other nonthreatening policy violation.
Creating a Dress Code Policy
As the employer, you have the authority regulate dress in your workplace. While that authority may be limited by law, in most cases the authority to establish or to change required dress is yours. So, if you want to have a written policy on this issue, the following is the information to consider including in your policy:
Address probable areas of conflict and specific problem areas that have or are likely to occur in your particular business.
Emphasize the importance of dress in promoting a positive company image to customers.
Keep up with the times so that your business’s view of what is appropriate for business dress stays current.
Identify any exceptions. It may make good business sense to prohibit casual dress when employees meet customers face to face. There may be work areas within your company where the casual day attire must be dressier than in other areas. Carefully itemize the differing requirements to avoid any confusion and explain why there are differences.
Never assume that your definition of terms such as “proper,” “pressed,” “reserved,” and “appropriate” is shared by every individual who works for you.
In the event that you are writing a “dress down” policy or amending your existing dress policy to cover casual dress, stress that a “casual day” or “dress down day” is a benefit, not a right.
If you are introducing “dress down” days or modifying an existing dress policy, set a future date — such as three months later — to review the policy to determine if you are going to continue the practice.
If employees consistently have trouble determining the appropriate dress and they are in positions where they deal with the public, you may want to provide them with uniforms.
In addition, the following is a list of some specific fashion-type of problems that you may wish to address in your dress code:
Slogans or pictures on T-shirts. Certainly profanity and nude or semi-nude pictures printed on shirts are inappropriate attire in most workplaces and should be prohibited. Also consider whether political slogans, advertisements for products (which may include your competitors’), or suggestive cartoons or drawings are inappropriate for your work site and should be prohibited.
Torn pants or jeans. While this style of clothing may be fashionable among some, to many others, tears in clothing are unacceptable attire and are inappropriate in most workplaces. Does your policy distinguish between this fashion trend and acceptable casual pants and jeans?
Extremely baggy shorts or pants. Also consider what to do if underwear is showing above baggy pants as is currently fashionable in some areas. Does your policy specify how these situations will be handled as well as prohibit this style of dress?
Jeans, jogging suits, or sweatsuits. For many companies, dress down attire does not include the most casual attire that is available. If your business is one for which “casual dress” means no tie and a sports coat instead of a three-piece dress suit and wingtips, you must make that distinction clear. Does your policy clearly describe what “casual” is and when it is unacceptable?
Revealing attire. Clothes such as shorts, crop tops, tank tops, and clothes made of see-through materials or clothes that expose areas of the body usually covered in the workplace are more popular during the summer months. Is this attire prohibited?
Undergarments. If the observable lack of undergarments would be an issue, specify that proper undergarments are required. Although this is a sensitive issue, it is much easier to address it in a policy than to have to debate whether or not someone’s attire is inappropriate or disruptive.
Loose footwear such as flip-flops. In some workplaces, a loose shoe may pose a safety hazard. Platform shoes may also pose a safety risk. Investigate any safety prohibitions and determine whether this type of footwear is permitted according to the dress policy.
Hosiery. In some work sites, proper footwear always includes socks or other hosiery. Other workplaces may require socks for health or safety reasons. Be sure a hosiery requirement does not interfere or conflict with safety requirements.
Hats or baseball caps. In addition to writing on hats and caps that may be objectionable, consider whether a hat could be a hazard as well.
Gang attire. Some street gangs have specific symbols, phrases, or insignias that are worn by members, while other gangs rely on specific colors as a part of their regalia. You may want to consider prohibiting gang insignias since they may create problems between employees and between employees and customers.
25 of the Most Surreal Places to Visit in the US in 2019
These are the Must See Places to visit in the USA in 2019:
1. Giant Prismatic Spring – Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming
Yellowstone National Park
This beauty is the largest hot spring you’ll find in the United States, and third largest in the world, behind New Zealand’s Frying Pan Lake and Boiling Lake in Dominica. The colors of the spring come from the pigmented bacteria in the waters. Can you dip a toe in it? No, but you can walk around the edge for a cool photo op.
2. Watkins Glen State Park – Finger Lakes State Park, New York
Located in New York’s Finger Lakes State Parks, Watkins Glen State Park is a hidden gem famous for its 400 foot deep gorge with breathtaking waterfalls and scenic views. Whether you want to visit as a day-visitor or an overnight camper, Watkins Glen offers several activity options for any visitor with its picnic facilities, tent and trailer campsites, an Olympic size pool, and fishing sites where you can participate in the annual spring run of rainbow trout.
3. This seasonal waterfall (flowing during the winter and spring) at Yosemite will make you think of Mordor from Lord of the Rings, but don’t fret. That yellow-red glow is caused from the sun shining upon the falls at certain times.3. Horsetail Fall – Yosemite National Park, California
Drive 2 ½ hours from Reno and you’ll find yourself at Fly Geyser. This was created by some drilling done in the name of finding sources for geothermal energy in 1964. Minerals sprang from the hole to create this wonderfully odd formation. Fly Geyser is on private property, so don’t try to climb the tall fences that surround it. But it’s so huge that you can get a good picture from the road.
The moment you see Mono Lake in person you’ll believe you’re on another planet. Snowcapped mountains surround this salty blue lake that has plenty of Tufa, columns of limestone that have been formed by the salinity of the water.
6. The Blue Ridge Parkway, America’s longest linear park, is a favorite for a relaxed slow-paced scenic drive through Virginia and North Carolina. With a distance of 369 miles, you can find eight campgrounds, 360 miles of hiking trails, 13 picnic areas, biking trails, boating on Price Lake, music festivals, and an opportunity to join a park ranger for walks, hikes , and campfires.6. The Blue Ridge Parkway – Virginia and North Carolina
It took millions of years for winds to erode Navajo sandstone in the Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness of Arizona to make this trippy formation that’s a great photo opportunity. Permits are required to visit The Wave and are awarded via a lottery system online.
The Wave is located in a very remote area – on the border of Arizona and Utah – and the easiest ways to get there are to fly into Las Vegas or Phoenix and then rent a car for the 4+ hour drive to Antelope Canyon.
Let’s go back to the not-so-enlightened times of the 1900s when the locals would toss all sorts of household garbage over the cliffs and onto the beach below. Fast forward a few decades and the only thing the Pacific Ocean didn’t take was the glass and pottery that’s now been smoothed out from years of erosion.
The Northern Lights will make your jaw drop the moment you see them in person. And all you have to do to have that moment is visit Fairbanks or Anchorage from September to April 20.
You’ll never feel as small as you do when standing next to sequoia trees that are as tall as a football field is long. The biggest of the bunch is the General Sherman Tree – it stands 275 feet tall, is said to be around 2,500 years old and is the largest living tree in the world.
If you head to Oregon’s Cape Perpetua an hour before to an hour after high tide, you’ll be able to see one hell of a show at Thor’s Well. This saltwater fountain creates its show from the powerful ocean tides and is very dangerous, so try to enjoy it from a safe distance.
If you ever find yourself in Juneau, Alaska, a trip to these caverns are a must-do. The ice caves in this 12-mile glacier at the heart of the Mendenhall Valley give you the feeling that you’re walking through a tunnel of brilliant blue clouds.
Decorated with fragrant magnolia blossoms and 18th-century cobblestones, Savannah, Georgia is a beautiful city to enjoy the rich cuisine, art, architecture, history, ghost stories, and the good old Southern charm. Ride a carriage or trolley and make your way to Tybee Island to enjoy the sandy beaches and loggerhead sea turtle sighting.
This may look like it should be in a fairy tale, but it’s actually in Oregon’s Columbia River Gorge. This place is great to walk through on a warm summer day just to see the fern and moss that coat the walls.
Yes, there’s something even cooler beyond the uninhibited fun of Key West. Head 70 miles west of Key West and you’ll find Dry Tortugas National Park. Its home to Fort Jefferson, an unfinished fortress that the U.S. Navy began building in 1847. This place is secluded from the world. So much so that you can only access it by boat or seaplane. A fine way to unplug from the rest of the world.
You’ll be hard-pressed to find someplace flatter on earth. The Bonneville Salt Flats are what’s left of a prehistoric lake that covered the area until about 14,500 years ago. Now it’s the home to Speed Week in mid-August, where racers look to break land speed records. The Flats can get awfully hot in the summer (120 degrees Fahrenheit), so maybe stay away during that time of year. We wholly recommend heading out to the area after a bit of rain, which turns the area into a giant mirror.
The Portland Lighthouses in Maine are a significant part of the cities location. Visit the famous 6 lighthouses: Portland Head Light, Ram Island Ledge Light, Two Lights State Park, Portland Breakwater Lighthouse, Spring Point Ledge Lighthouse, and Cape Elizabeth Lighthouse. All within a 20 minute drive from each other, the lighthouses offer a valuable insight to the maritime location as well as its rich history.
There’s a creepy beauty about this beach. You can take a walk or horseback ride along this secluded beach that’s dotted with limbs and roots of tree that have tossed about due to erosion on the north end of the island. It’s a great place for a sunset, and very popular for weddings.
This stunner takes a desert but makes the sand look as white as snow. You can take various tours of the area to find out how it formed and what creatures make their homes in the dunes.
20. The Great Lakes – Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Ontario
Birds Eye View of Lake
Are you an adventurer seeking an adrenaline rush? If so, you should visit Lake Michigan. Or maybe you are someone who enjoys the great outdoors and natural beauty. If that’s the case, you should check out Lake Superior, the largest of the Great Lakes. Are you looking for a place to relax? Lake Huron is the lake for you. History enthusiasts? Lake Ontario is where you will find the fill to your interest or maybe you want a little of everything which you’ll be able to find at Lake Erie. The Great Lakes, the largest group of freshwater lakes, is beautiful landscape filled with indigenous wildlife that has something for every type of traveler.
Hundreds of thousands of visitors hop in their car to drive through these tulip fields in April to see these beautiful flowers in bloom. The gorgeous mountains in the distance are just a bonus.
Niagara Falls State Park is full of attractions and activities for any visitor. From renting bikes to visiting aquariums, there’s something for every type of traveler. Experience the grandness of the falls from every angle and if you dare, stand as close to get front row seats in the splash zone.
Just outside of the hustle and bustle of Washington, D.C., Shenandoah is a beautiful recreational escape into nature where you can enjoy scenic hiking trails, waterfalls, vineyards, and stunning vistas. Whether you want to enjoy an annual festival or a picnic under the stars, you can find something to do for everyone.
It took millions of years for water to carve out these crevices you can take a walk through today. The colors you actually see on the walls will change depending on the time of year when you visit. There are no private walks to the area as the Navajo Nation only allow guided tours to enter the canyon. But that’s a good way to find out even more about the area.
25. Hamilton Pool Preserve – Dripping Springs, Texas
This natural pool just outside of Austin, Texas, is a popular summertime hangout for tourists and locals alike. So how did it come to be? It actually used to be an underground river before erosion caused the dome to collapse.
An historic and highly respected law firm seeks a successor for their Real Estate Finance practice. You need a minimum of 4 to 5 years’ experience representing borrowers/lenders in Development Transactions. This is your opportunity for:
Experience
Rapport with clients
Working with senior attorneys
Potential to inherit business
We are a firm that meets the highest of standards for professionalism and first-class legal representation, with an atmosphere of collegiality and encouraging teamwork.
Join us!
Interested? Send your resume to resumes@grimeslegal.com
GLI is working with an outstanding client in New Jersey for 2 positions in Corporate Law. Below are the job descriptions. Interested? Please send current CV to glitemp@grimeslegal.com or call 800-875-3820 to schedule a call.
CORPORATE ATTORNEY
Midsize firm seeking a mid-level attorney to join the corporate transactional department, a dynamic practice representing a wide range of businesses in exciting growth initiatives and complex transactions throughout New Jersey.
Position Summary: Working under general supervision, provides quality corporate and transactional legal services to clients that involves performing complex and specialized assignments and working collaboratively and cooperatively with others in a team-oriented environment.
Essential Functions: Essential functions include but are not limited to the following:
Represent clients in complex transactional matters including structuring, drafting and negotiating related documents. Ability to revise agreements, propose strategic language and negotiate with opposing counsel.
Represent and counsel clients in connection with mergers and acquisitions and related due diligence and document preparation, business succession planning and corporate governance. Ability to identify salient issues and propose strategies to limit risk.
Assist clients in connection with the startup of new business ventures including the formation and structuring of partnerships, limited liability companies and corporations. Perform analysis and provide opinions dealing with highly complex issues that impact client.
Represent and counsel clients in connection with wealth transfer/estate planning and draft related documents.
Requirements:
5+ years’ experience in corporate, business and transactional law. The preferred candidate has mid-to large law firm experience with immediately transferrable skills.
J.D. required and admission to the New Jersey Bar required.
Financial background pertinent to transactional finance a plus.
Strong time management, prioritization and organizational skills.
Ability to communicate clearly and effectively in oral and written form with strong attention to detail. Strong drafting skills required.
Ability to work independently and efficiently.
Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to work professionally with clients, staff and attorneys, and to maintain effective working relationships.
Ability to consistently generate new clients through individual and firm-wide networking and marketing efforts.
Self-motivated and entrepreneurial.
Commitment to maintaining a high-level of proficiency in the most current and advanced legal techniques.
CORPORATE/TAX ATTORNEY
Midsize firm seeking a mid-level corporate/tax attorney to join the corporate transactional department, a dynamic practice representing a wide range of businesses in exciting growth initiatives and complex transactions throughout New Jersey.
Position Summary: Working under general supervision, provides quality corporate transactional and tax-related legal services to clients that involves performing complex and specialized assignments and working collaboratively and cooperatively with others in a team-oriented environment.
Essential Functions: Essential functions include but are not limited to the following:
Represent individual, corporate and non-profit clients in complex transactional matters including structuring, drafting and negotiating related documents. Ability to draft and revise agreements, propose strategic language and negotiate with opposing counsel.
Represent and counsel clients in connection with mergers and acquisitions and related due diligence and document preparation, business succession planning and corporate governance and compliance. Identify salient issues and propose strategies to limit risk.
Represent and counsel individual, corporate and non-profit clients in connection with project finance and secured transactions, including initial structuring, development, acquisition, divestment and restructuring, and providing advice and counsel in connection with tax credit transactions (structuring, financing, etc.).
Assist clients in connection with the startup of new business ventures including the formation and structuring of partnerships, limited liability companies and corporations. Perform analysis and make or suggest opinions dealing with highly complex issues that impacts client.
Represent and counsel clients in connection with wealth transfer/estate planning and draft related documents.
Requirements:
Admission to the New Jersey Bar required.
JD required and LLM (tax) degree or significant tax background preferred.
5+ years corporate, transactional and tax-related legal experience to include corporate and project finance, corporate structuring, mergers and acquisitions, tax credit financing and tax advice related to all of the foregoing ? preferably in a mid- to large law firm with immediately transferrable skills.
Strong academic and employment credentials required. Financial background pertinent to transactional finance a plus.
Strong time management, prioritization and organizational skills.
Ability to communicate clearly and effectively in oral and written form with strong attention to detail. Strong drafting skills required.
Ability to work independently and efficiently as well as within a team orientation involving extensive collaboration with other attorneys, paralegals, and office staff.
Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to work professionally with clients, attorneys and the general public, and to maintain effective working relationships.
Building upon the progress we’ve made in 2018, we’re predicting that wellness will only continue to become more accessible and earth-friendly this year. Another big theme on our radar—one that we explored during this year’s revitalize event—is the blending of old and new. More and more ancient practices that have withstood the test of time will enter mainstream consciousness, and we’re hoping this return to simplicity sparks a connection that’s real and timeless in all of us.
2019 is sure to be another exciting moment in our collective wellness journey. To recap where we came from, check out our 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018 reports. To see where we’re going, read on.
1. Our recovery will get a high-tech makeover.
Photo by mbg Creative
At mbg, we’ve long emphasized the importance of recovery in a well-rounded movement routine, so it’s been exciting to see slow fitness really take off over the last few years, in all of its foam rolling, magnesium-bath-loving glory. And as we continue to take recovery more seriously, gadgets will pop up to help us do so.
In 2018, we watched as the TheraGun, a pricey handheld massage machine developed by a chiropractor, became the go-to tool to help people recover like the pros (Kyrie Irving was spotted using one during the 2017 NBA finals, which helped catapult the locker room tool into the mainstream).
This year, celebs such as Michael Phelps and Ashley Graham told mbg that they swore by the machine; TheraGun shot up to its highest search traffic on Google; and other percussive therapy tools like TimTam and Hypervolt entered the market at slightly lower price points (TheraGun retails for $399; these come in at $199 and $349 respectively). Research continues to affirm that massage therapy helps improve muscle performance and increase range of motion after strenuous workouts, so the trend is backed by science as well as star power.
“Consumers are looking for ways to make these recovery services a part of their everyday lives. Products like Theragun allow you to take the recovery tools home, getting percussive therapy muscle relief without having to book an hour with a specialist,” Shom Chowdhury, the Global Health & Wellness Director of Soho House, speculates about the tool’s popularity. “In 2019 I expect to see more consumers adopting to at home fitness offerings, which will ultimately expand the total addressable market for the industry.”
Looking forward to next year, we bet you’ll also start to see a lot more gadgets like this popping up at your local gym, and in studios solely dedicated to recovery such as Upgrade Labs, a new fitness concept from Bulletproof‘s Dave Asprey that offers 15 treatments for improving mental and physical performance and recovery and claims to be the first facility to offer state-of-the-art biohacking equipment to the public.
“Growth doesn’t happen during the workout but during the recovery phase,” says Upgrade Labs CEO Martin Tobias. “Modern recovery technologies use stronger signals like vibration, infrared light, targeted compression, intense cold, intense heat, powerful detoxification, and advanced nutrition to speed recovery and development.”
At Upgrade, which started in Santa Monica and will expand to Beverly Hills before the end of 2018, there are cryotherapy and infrared light beds, machines like Virtual Float Tanks to “drop your brain into a meditative theta-wave state, providing deep relaxation and clarity of thought,” and treatments that specifically support brain training and recovery (another wellness trend mbg is calling this year).
Over in New York, people are also playing around with new ways to tend to their bodies and minds. Tune Studio, which first launched at mindbodygreen’s 2017 revitalize event, combines vibration and sound into recovery beds that can be booked for 15-minute sessions, each one using different frequencies to help you relax and recharge. And over at ReCover, the city’s first studio solely for recovery, the most sought-after offering is NuCalm—a 30-minute immersive “power nap” that provides two to three hours of restorative sleep. Co-founder Rick Richey says that this promise of shut-eye and stress reduction by way of technology appeals to more than just athletes. “Now we can see that recovery goes beyond athletic performance and can be used to help increase sleep, clear the mind, and de-stress,” he tells mbg. “Most people think recovery is only physical. However, there is a huge mental and cognitive component as well.”
According to Brian Smith, the Managing Director at investment banking company Piper Jaffray, this focus on what he calls “intelligent recovery” will only continue in 2019 as more people seek new ways to satisfy their fitness goals that are safe, enjoyable, and convenient.
2. Plant-based fish will be the next alt meat to go mainstream.
As we predicted, the plant-based meat market is now booming, with sales surging 23 percent in 2018 thanks to innovative companies with some serious backing behind them like Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods. Meanwhile, plant-based dairy now accounts for 13 percent of all milk sales. With chicken, beef, and dairy already transforming to keep up with consumer preferences (and the planet’s demands), fish is the logical next candidate for a plant-based makeover.
Sophie’s Kitchen, an early plant-based fish provider, now offers nearly a dozen skews to appeal to different palates (think: “scallops” and “crabcakes” made from pea and potato starch). The brand, which sells in Whole Foods Market, Sprouts, and other health stores around the United States, reported that sales increased 72 percent between the first quarter of 2017 to the first quarter of 2018. New companies such as Ocean Hugger Foods and Good Catch are entering the market just as it heats up, serving up plant-based alternatives to raw and canned tuna respectively.
Good Catch, which raised $8.7 million in its Series A Funding Round, sees enormous potential to bring a better product to health-conscious vegetarians and vegans as well as people with fish allergies. Their shelf-stable tuna fish, which will be sold in Whole Foods Market as well as on Thrive Market and FreshDirect (two of the company’s investing partners) starting in early 2019, is made from beans and has 14 to 15 grams of protein per serving. It also contains omega-3s from algae oil extract and “matches up nutritionally to what you’d find in fish,” according to co-founder Eric Schnell.
For Schnell and the Good Catch team, this product is just the beginning of a push to introduce a new kind of nutrient-dense “fish” to the global market. “There are 300 marine animals that are fished around the world for consumption and only 30 land animals,” Schnell says. “So the opportunity to disrupt the marine category is 10 times bigger than chicken, beef, and pork.”
Chef Chad Sarno, another co-founder, who was previously a chef at Whole Foods Market corporate, says that in a world where nearly 90 percent of the world’s marine fish stocks are overexploited, there is tons of room to grow in this space—as long as you’re putting out a product that tastes great.
T.K. Pillan, a Managing Partner at a nutrition-centric equity fund PowerPlant Ventures, echoes the sentiment: “If awareness of the negative impacts of ocean fishing and contaminants spread quickly, plant-based fish could follow the plant-based meat market in its recent accelerated growth.”
3. Understanding the circadian rhythm is the key to way more than just better sleep.
Photo by mbg Creative
By now you’ve probably heard of the circadian rhythm, also known as our body’s biological clock. But did you know that this daily cycle has everything to do with two important hormones: cortisol and melatonin? 2019 will be the year that we all learn just how important the daily fluctuations in these two hormones—and the circadian rhythm in general—is to your health.
Simply put, the hormone cortisol is supposed to peak in the morning, helping wake us up and make us feel alert and ready to tackle the day. Later on, melatonin starts to rise to encourage us to wind down at the end of the day. But when these hormones are out of whack, they can leave us feeling tired all day and totally amped when we are trying to get to sleep at night.
If you can relate to this, you’re definitely not alone. And the consequences extend far beyond poor-quality sleep. According to Satchin Panda, Ph.D., author of The Circadian Code: Lose Weight, Supercharge Your Energy, and Transform Your Health From Morning to Midnight, and a leader in the emerging science of the circadian rhythm, “When you don’t honor this daily rhythm or let this cycle get out of whack, it can contribute to weight gain, diabetes, high blood pressure, and many other diseases.”
So what exactly throws off this important hormone cycle? According to Lynn Laboranti, M.S., R.D., a registered dietitian for Nature Made, one the “major driving factors” of sleep disruption is a symptom of our crazy-busy lives: the blue light from our screens in the evening. “When we’re exposed to the light during the day, it suppresses the production of melatonin to keep us alert. But at nighttime, we might be exposed to light from our phone or computer screens, which can shut melatonin down and when we really need it to work for us to promote restful sleep,” she explains.
Shutting off electronics and light can help your body do what it needs to do in the evening: produce melatonin and wind down to go to sleep. It’s no surprise, then, that we’ve seen an explosion of blue-light-blocking glasses—from brands like Pixel Eyewear, Felix Gray, TrueDark, and Quay Australia—and blue-light-blocking screen protectors, like these from Eye Just. The iPhone now has a Bedtime feature that aims to support a regular sleep-wake cycle, and all of our phones now automatically emit less blue light in the evening. People are tracking their sleep more than ever with their phones and new technologies like the Oura Ring, which tracks sleep and activity and is a favorite of Prince Harry. GE released a new C Sleep by GE light bulb, which changes from bluish light in the morning to orange light in the evening to support your sleep-wake cycle. A melatonin supplement, like those from Nature Made, offers another way to support sleep, providing ingredients that work with your body to help you fall asleep—without drugs.*
Beyond the gizmos and gadgets, simply getting out in nature can help regulate your sleep-wake cycle. This year, we learned it only takes one weekend of camping to reset the body’s internal clock, and spending time outdoors, away from artificial light, can significantly rev up your body’s melatonin production. According to Ellen Vora, M.D., a holistic psychiatrist and mbg Collective member and class instructor, this makes a lot of sense: “I recommend that my patients crawl into bed super early—even as early as 9:30 p.m. (although many of my patients are shocked when I first suggest this, thinking, that’s not bedtime, that’s practically dinnertime!). Many of my patients’ insomnia, anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, and ADHD improve significantly with this earlier bedtime. The reasoning is that the human body functions best when it’s in sync with the sun and the moon,” she says.
One of the most important things you can do to honor your circadian rhythm is maintain a consistent sleep-wake cycle. According to Michael Breus, Ph.D., a board-certified sleep specialist, “If there’s one thing you want to do to improve your sleep quality, it is keep a consistent sleep-wake schedule—even on the weekends. Why? Each morning when you wake up at the same time, you get sunlight through your eyes, which helps reset your circadian rhythm. This reset impacts every organ system and every disease state. In addition, your brain then knows when to fall asleep and when to wake up, and this allows your sleep cycle to become more efficient, and increase deep sleep.” Amy Shah, M.D.—an integrative medicine doctor and mindbodygreen Collective member—makes a point to do this every single morning. “Getting that morning sun before 10 a.m. sends signals to your suprachiasmatic nucleus in the hypothalamus and resets your brain. And the benefits of this extend beyond sleep to better hormone regulation and overall health,” she explained.
In 2019, we’ll continue to learn more about how to live a life that supports this cycle, which could very well bring our energy levels, productivity, and mood to a whole new level. We have a circadian clock in every single cell in our body, so it’s not just about restful sleep (although that’s important!). It’s about getting in touch with our body’s natural intelligence and learning to honor it.
* This statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
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