Wyzga On Words

National Day of Listening - Who Knew? Friday, November 25th.

I have written often and much about listening, the value of listening, techniques of listening, listening between lawyer and client, listening to the sounds of silence, and who knew?  there is actually a National Day of Listening.  On Friday, November 25th when many are sure to be out and about enhancing retail sales, others may just be listening for the stories.

When I speak on listening skills and storytelling, lawyers often confess that listening skills they incorporate in the office with clients often bleed over into their household.  Bravo! 

I am taking the liberty of directing you to my friend and colleague, Kathi Hansen, who blogged on the National Day of Listening in a way that bears repeating.  Click here to be connected.

Next week come back and tell us about the stories you heard tell.

Take a Look at Georgia Trial Advocate, a Worthy Blawg!

Jarome Gautreaux, attorney at law and shareholder with O'Neal, Brown and Gautreaux, is my friend and client in Macon, Georgia.  His blawg, Georgia Trial Advocate, is a worthy read.  Jarome discusses trial advocacy, safety issues, wrongful death and catastrophic injury.

Jarome recently blawged on a topic near and dear to my heart: Distracted Driving, as follows: 

        "Posted: 28 Feb 2011 02:55 PM PST

         Most of us have heard the dangers of driving while texting or talking on a cell phone, but we do it anyway.   That is, until we personally know someone who has been injured or killed by a distracted driver. 

      There are lots of statistics showing the number of people killed or injured by distracted drivers, but sometimes seeing a bunch of numbers can fall flat and the numbers can lose their meaning.  To have a real impact, people need to see real life situations of sons, daughters, sisters, brothers, mothers or fathers killed or injured by a distracted driver. 

     The website www.distraction.gov lets you see the faces of people whose lives have been permanently altered because of distracted drivers.  I urge everyone to go to this website, click the faces tab, and listen to each story.  Each situation is similar in that someone was killed as a result of a distracted driver, but each one is also very different.  You will not be able to watch these without believing that no one should be driving while texting or talking on the phone. 

     As a lawyer who represents people injured in auto and trucking accidents in Georgia, I’ve seen firsthand how  families can be devastated by a terrible irresponsible decision by a reckless driver, or by companies allowing truck drivers to drive without regard for the rules of the road.  Having seen such tragedy and being the father of two young boys, I want to do whatever I can to try to make our roads safer for my family and for others.  Please take a moment to visit this site."

I hope you will take a moment to subscribe to Jarome's blawg. 

And allow me this opportunity to re-post an article about a trucking case I worked on with Tommy Malone and Randy Scarlett, entitled "This Is Not a Cell Phone Case," republished by my friend and trial consultant colleague, Eric Oliver in his Summer 2010 newsletter, "News From the Mental Edge."

 

Keep your eyes on the road, your hands on the wheel, live long and prosper. 

 

 

Dust Off All Your Old Crim Law Textbooks - OR - Dig Into Blawg Review #296: Images From Criminal Law Blawgosphere

                                

They say: an image is worth a thousand words.

They say: less is more.

They know what they are talking about; and so does Attorney Jamison Koehler in this outstanding review of images from the criminal law blawgosphere.

Pour a tall cold one & read with relish!