Happy Holidays from our team to yours!
Christmas is almost upon us! It is time to take a break from work, reconnect with family and friends, and fatten ourselves up with cookies (albeit, gluten-free, dairy-free, and soy-free ones for some of us). We would like to take a moment to thank everyone who has made this year possible. As a new firm, we couldn’t have done it all without the support of our amazing family, friends, and colleagues. We are wishing you all a wonderful holiday season and sending you warm hugs, like our favorite snowman!
Holiday Time Off Is A Basic Need
Yes, even for lawyers.
Our firm will be closed December 24th – January 1st. We are looking forward to relaxing and coming back refreshed and ready for the new year! Rest assured, if you call during that time, we’ll still try to get you the attention that you deserve–we’ll be manning the phones in other words, but we may not be able to get back to you as quickly as we normally would.
It’s sad, though, that we e one of the few firms with extended leave not just during this week, but throughout the year. In the coming months, Jenn will also be on maternity leave for many weeks and we’ve arranged coverage for her cases and fully expect her NOT to work. This is not the case for many solo and small firm attorneys. Even attorneys at major law firms are expected to work during their allotted PTO days–yes, even those closures over the holidays.
According to more than one source online (like this and this and this), this drive to work nights, weekends, and holidays is expected of attorneys. Why? This is a horrible trend and not something that we support. Dentists and medical doctors (NOT ER docs, obvi), don’t work on Christmas. Retail does, and that’s stupid, too. We’re working to change this… one holiday closure at a time.
If you see someone who has to be at work on this holiday — or any of the other various holidays that occur around this time of year — please take a moment to say a kind word or go out of your way to be appreciative of their work. They’re spending time away from their families to make your lives easier. A little empathy for other people will go a long way especially this time of year.
Dealing with Holiday Drama?
We know that sometimes the holiday isn’t what it’s cracked up to be. If you are struggling with stress or legal drama this holiday season, you’re feeling overwhelmed or you’re just down in the dumps, chceck out our Dealing with Holiday Drama in a Productive Way blog post and our Holiday Help blog post. Additionally, learn to manage your stress – especially if arises from a criminal charge – with tips from our Recognizing The Impact of Stress & The Law blog post. If that doesn’t cut it, consider reaching out to Nicol Gersch Petterson for a free 30-minute consultation. Find more information at https://NicolGerschLaw.Com or call 970.670.0378.
IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER: This blog post does not create an attorney-client relationship. It’s a blog post and not legal advice. Each case is different, and this post is meant for generalized knowledge, only. If you haven’t signed an engagement letter (or even received an engagement letter) AND issued some form of payment (peanuts do not count), then no attorney-client relationship exists. Nevertheless, we will do our best to ensure your confidentiality should you choose to contact us privately, but do not post about your case in the comments here (because reaching out for help with your case should be confidential, damn it).
If you have done both of the things mentioned earlier–signed a letter and paid us–then, and only then, you might be a client. But merely chatting with us online does not a client make. Suffice it to say, if you aren’t absolutely certain about whether or not an attorney-client relationship exists between yourself and Nicol Gersch Petterson, you should probably ask for some clarity. Until then, we’ll keep your secrets but we don’t formally represent you… YET.
