HSKPNEWSLETTER - Hutchens Law Firm

Transcription

FEBRUARY 2013
HSKP NEWSLETTER
Great attorneys
Great employees
Great firm
WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?
You sometimes hear the words
“lawyer” and “attorney” used
synonymously, but are they
literally the same thing?
The answer is yes and no.
An attorney is a lawyer, but a
lawyer may not necessarily be
an attorney. Confused yet? See
page 2 for further explanation.
DID YOU KNOW?
GREETINGS ALL!
Welcome to this year’s first company newsletter!
Since this is something new, and will develop
Our firm has been growing, and with that growth over time, we want you to help contribute by procomes more news and
viding fresh content each
special announcements
month. If you want to recogHAVE SOMETHING TO SHARE?
to share. Each month, this
nize someone for their hard
Let us know and we’ll put it in the
internal company newswork, share your own permonthly newsletter!
letter will report what’s
sonal achievements, have
been happening around
ideas for additional content,
Hutchens,
Senter,
or just have something you
Kellam, & Pettit. It is here you can find firm updates, feel is newsworthy, please contact Sara Gamache in
announcements of new hires, individual achieve- the Marketing Department.
Sara Gamache
ments of employees and attorneys, and information
ext. 1511
about upcoming events.
sara.gamache@hskplaw.com
THE LATEST & THE GR EATEST
WELCOME NEW EMPLOYEES (as of Feb. 11th)
FAYETTEVILLE OFFICE:
Claire Collins
Creditor’s Rights and
Civil Litigation Attorney
Priscilla Hartsoe
Legal Assistant to H. Hutchens
Debbie O’Day
Twilla Vess
Chrystal Jones
Theresa Ring
Danielle Diller
Leona DiMase
Marcus Murphy
Marissa Geraffo
Arielle Bednar
Foreclosures Packages
Foreclosure Billing
Foreclosure Hearings
Foreclosure Status B Team
Foreclosure Status A Team
Real Estate
Distribution
Distribution
Bankruptcy
CHARLOTTE OFFICE:
Monica Kovonlenko
Anita Barton
Linda Singleton
Nicole Lynam
National Bankruptcy
Foreclosure Referrals/Input
Billing
Receptionist
CONGRATULATIONS VETERANS
Hutchens, Senter, Kellam &
Pettit is an AV-rated firm. What
does that EVEN mean?! Well, it
is a rating given by a company
called Martindale-Hubbell that is
calculated by a series of reviews
given by other lawyers and
judges.
In the legal world, the AVrating, which is the highest, is a
significant accomplishment - a
testament to the fact that an
attorney’s peers rank him or her
at the highest level of ethical
standards and professional
ability.
We currently have six
AV-rated attorneys:
Terry Hutchens
Scott Flowers
Sarah Miranda
Bill Kellam
Bill Senter
Joe Vonnegut
Anniversary Years w/firm
Terry Hutchens
Managing Partner
2/1
32 yrs
Alice Cain
Bankruptcy Mngr.
2/1
32 yrs
ARE YOU KIDDING ME?
Debra Milligan
Foreclosure Mngr.
2/1
17 yrs
Weird North Carolina Law:
Vicky Pope
Traveling Paralegal 2/15
14 yrs
Bridgette Smith Fay- Bankruptcy
2/10
13 yrs
Julia Mulvey
2/25
13 yrs
Fay- FC Input
In the state of North Carolina there
is a law against using elephants to
plow cotton fields; however, not
because the animal is plowing the
fields, but because it
is illegal to
own an
elephant!
Page 2
The HSKP newsletter can also be found on the intranet under “Announcements”
FEATURED ATTORNEY
Chris Foster
A New Look for the Future?
Hutchens, Senter, Kellam, & Pettit,
P.A. is excited to announce the hiring
of High Tide Creative as its new
advertising agency!
Raised in a military family, Chris
is a native of North Carolina
with deep family roots. After
graduating law school and
spending time in several large
firms in the state, he decided to
relocate back home to Fayetteville to help the community he
grew up with and loves.
Interesting Fact: Chris was a
1996 Olympic Torch Bearer for
the Atlanta Olympics!
Practice Areas: Wills, trusts
estate & gift tax planning and
estate & trust administration.
Business & Corporate law, nonprofit organizations, and tax
controversies.
EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT
A BIG thank you to Susie
Holloway and many others for
taking initiative to help a fellow
employee during hard times. Susie
collected donations and organized the signing of a card for Julia
Mulvey and her family after the
tragic loss of her grandson.
CONTRIBUTIONS
This month Hutchens, Senter,
Kellam, & Pettit made a $10,000
contribution to the Community Development Foundation’s
Linda Lee Allan Legacy Fund
that supports the Fayetteville
Regional Chamber’s newly
formed economic development
division, The Economic Development Alliance of Fayetteville and
Cumberland County.
The Alliance is charged with
leading the effort to grow jobs
and private sector investment in
our community.
After interviewing five other
agencies, three of which were local to
North Carolina, we were most impressed with High Tide’s exceptional
design work, experience working with
other law firms, and the uniqueness
and personality of their team. Over the
next year, Marketing Director, Sara
Gamache will work closely with High
Tide to develop a strong brand image
for the firm, create marketing
materials, and design a new website.
Keep an eye out for our advertising
in local publications such as Cityview,
the Fayetteville Observer, and Carolina
Banker.
The ad to the right, designed by
High Tide, was created for one of our
newer attorneys, Chris Foster, and will
appear in the Cityview March/April
issue.
CONGRATULATIONS!
Congratulations to Terry and Hutch Hutchens on your selection
to the 2013 North Carolina Super Lawyers® list! This is Terry’s 7th
year of selection as Super Lawyer® for his civil litigation defense. His
son, Hutch has appeared on the “North Carolina Rising Stars” list
for the last two years for his business litigation practice.
The Super Lawyers® selection process includes peer nominations,
a blue ribbon panel review, and independent research of candidates.
Because lawyers are not required or allowed to pay a fee to be included, a selection for Super Lawyers® is widely regarded within the legal
profession as an honor conferred on a lawyer by his or her peers.
Only 5% of the North Carolina attorneys are chosen each year.
Real Estate attorney, Susan Benoit, was recently presented the
Past President’s Award by the Mortgage Banker’s Association of
Fayetteville for her dedication and service. Susan has been a member
of the MBA of Fayetteville since 2007 and currently serves on the
board of directors. She attends all meetings and social functions
and last year prepared and submitted the required documents to the
Mortgage Bankers Association of the Carolinas which won the MBA
of Fayetteville “Association of the Year.”
When former President, Gary Cooper, presented Susan her
award he stated “Mortgage Bankers wouldn’t be what it is today
without Susan.”
What’s the Difference Between an Attorney and a Lawyer?
According to thelawinsider.com, a lawyer is simply one who is
trained in the law who may or may not provide legal guidance to
another. Thus, anyone who has attended law school in the United
States can consider themselves a lawyer. However, until they pass
the bar exam in the jurisdiction in which they intend to work,
the method by which they use their lawyering skills is limited.
For example, a policy advisor or consultant to the government,
who attended law school, is technically a lawyer and may offer
his skills in the course of his work, but must not cross the fine
line into providing legal representation.
An attorney is also a lawyer. They have attended law
school and presumably “practice” the study of law as a
career; however, attorneys by definition have passed a bar examination and have been admitted to practice law in the
particular jurisdiction. They may go beyond the realm of
lawyer and provide legal representation to an individual.
The relationship is more than merely providing the factual state
of the law and delves into providing strategy for the client’s
needs in reference to the law. An attorney can also appear in
court and other settings on behalf of a client.
MARCH 2013
HSKP NEWSLETTER
Great attorneys
Great employees
Great firm
FEELING PHILANTHROPIC?
In February 2013, The Arts Council
of Fayetteville/Cumberland County
partnered with power2give to offer
a creative form of online giving for
local organizations. The power2give
funding program allows anyone to
visit the website www.power2give.
org and donate to local organizations
in their community that they feel
passionate about.
Fayetteville companies who are
currently accepting donations
through the site include Cape Fear
Botanical Gardens, Fayetteville
Symphony Orchestra, Fascinate-U
Children’s Museum, FayettevilleCumberland Parks & Recreation, and
many others.
Charlotte
DID YOU KNOW?
Fayetteville
WE HAVE SPIRIT, YES WE DO!
WOW! Thank you to all the attorneys and staff
As an additional fundraiser, “Hope” our maniwho donated to The V Foundation and showed their kin mascot was auctioned off to the highest bidder
team spirit for Jimmy
- the “Ocagula Crew” who
V Day, on March 11th.
donated $100 to dress her in
THANK YOU FOR YOUR DONATIONS
Those who participated
Ferris State University gear.
TO THE V FOUNDATION FOR
donated a minimum of
$5 and earned the right
Together we raised over
CANCER RESEARCH!
to wear their favorite
$1,100 making it our most
sport team’s apparel to
successful Spirit Day yet!
work. A variety of teams were represented, making 100% of the money will go directly to the V Founit a very colorful day at the office! Participants dation for cancer research, bringing them one step
sported everything from NC State red, to UNC closer to a world without cancer.
blue, and Syracuse orange.
WELCOME NEW EMPLOYEES
(as of March 13th)
The attorneys at Hutchens,
Senter, Kellam & Pettit have over
440 years of combined legal
experience!
Between our 28 attorneys,
we have 7 partners with an
average of 29 years of relevant
experience and 21 associates
with an average of 12 years of
relevant experience.
This impressive legal experience is what sets us apart from
other law firms in the industry
and gives us an edge over our
competitors.
ARE YOU KIDDING ME?
(employees with anniversaries in March who have been at the firm 10+ years)
Grady Vines
Jennifer Dellinger
James Freeman
IT Department
Foreclosure Billing
CHARLOTTE OFFICE:
Lisa Wise
Bill Senter
Partner
Melissa Reed
Admin/Accounting 3/14
3/28
19 yrs
13 yrs
Connie Hayward Fay/FC/Team Leader 3/19 12 yrs
According to research historian,
Ansley Wegner, there is an
ordinance in Topsail Beach, NC that
says hurricanes are not permitted
within the town limits.
How on earth are they going to
enforce that?!
Please contact Sara Gamache to contribute content - sara.gamache@hskplaw.com | ext. 1511
FEATURED ATTORNEY
Lauren Thurmond
Firm Sponsorships
Hutchens, Senter, Kellam & Pettit is once again sponsoring the
March of Dimes and participating in the March for Babies. This year
we are sponsoring two events, one in Fayetteville on April 13th and one
in Charlotte on April 27th. We encourage our staff to participate in the
fun and be a source of hope for countless families. To sign up go to the
firm’s intranet, open the March for Babies announcement, and click on
the event you want to attend. If you participated in the past, you can
use your old login and password. You will establish a personal profile
and can personalize your page with your own photo and story. Team
members who raise at least $15.00 by Friday, March 22nd, will receive
an HSKP limited edition T-shirt!
Lauren grew up in Charlotte, NC
and upon graduating from the
University of South Carolina with
her Juris Doctor, returned to her
hometown to practice law.
In August 2005, she joined
Kellam & Pettit, P.A. and began
handling litigation and judicial
foreclosure matters for Walt
Pettit. Lauren later moved into the
foreclosure department with Bill
Kellam, and today continues to
practice with them, and 5 other
attorneys in our Charlotte office.
Interesting Fact: Lauren lived in
Seville, Spain for a semester in
college and can speak Spanish.
Practice Areas: Residential and
commercial foreclosure, eviction
matters, and creditor’s rights.
STAFF STATS
Did you know we have 28
attorneys and 200 staff members
across our three offices? More
than 45 of them are active duty,
reservists, or veterans of the
United States Military.
Let’s give them a huge thank
you for supporting our country!
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
This month, attorney, Scott
Flowers, from the Fayetteville
office, will be assisting with the
Van Story Elementary School
Mock Trial Program. Scott will
draft a mock trial case and teach
the program to the Academically Gifted classes.
Students begin preparing for
the trial two weeks beforehand,
with help from six other
attorneys who act as team
coaches. Three of these coaches
are HSKP attorneys Natasha
Barone, Elizabeth Jackson, and
Claire Collins. The mock trial
will take place March 27th and
include 37 students.
Page 2
This year Hutchens, Senter, Kellam & Pettit is the
Title Sponsor of the 15th annual FTCC Golf
Invitational and Gala Dinner. Our sponsorship
proceeds will provide direct support to almost 40,000
students educated though the Fayetteville Technical
Community College. The support is granted in the
form of scholarships, student book funds, and
academic program support.
The Gala Dinner and raffle will be held on April
23rd at 6:30 PM. The golf tournament will take place
the following day; tee time is 9:00 AM. Both events
will be held at the Gates Four Golf & Country Club.
Congratulations
Attorney, Chris Foster, from the Fayetteville office, recently made one of his
clients cry! But, don’t worry these were tears of JOY! Chris was defending his client
against an assessment by the North Carolina Department of Revenue for numerous
tax years. If successful with its assessment, the NCDOR would require the client to
pay approximately $100,000. However, after Chris submitted a written legal argument
listing exhibits and several legal statutes supporting why the client was not liable to
pay the amount, the case was dropped. This is a huge testament to Chris’ abilities as a
tax attorney; generally the case would have gone to a hearing and/or a lengthy appeals
process. Very rarely are cases dropped after the first attorney submitted letter.
Remember the Martindale-Hubbell peer review rating explained in the
February newsletter? If not, here’s a recap: it is a highly regarded rating given by
Martindale-Hubbell that is calculated by a series of reviews given to an attorney
by other lawyers and judges. This month, attorney, Susan Benoit, from the
Fayetteville office, was awarded a 3.8 out of 5 rating, which means her peers
confirm that she meets very high criteria of general ethical standards. One of
Susan’s peers added this compliment to her rating: “Susan is an excellent lawyer
who zealously represents her clients in the area of transactional real estate. I have
found her competent and highly qualified in her area of practice and would not
hesitate to use her as my real estate lawyer.”
Attorney, Maggie Bennington, from the Wilmington office, has recently been
appointed to the North Carolina Bar Association Worker’s Compensation Section
Council. The three year term will begin on July 1, 2013. During the first year of
her term, Maggie will serve on the Continuing Legal Education committee and
contribute an article to the Course and Scope, a North Carolina Bar Association
publication. Maggie’s membership to this council sends a message to the public
and other lawyers in the state that the attorneys who practice in the worker’s
compensation field respect Maggie’s competency and leadership in her profession.
Employee Spotlight
Monday through Friday, you can find legal
assistant, Sheila Marshall at her desk outside of
Terry Hutchens’ office. She is usually buried behind
a stack of files or diligently trying to track down
Mr. Hutchens; however, on the weekends you can find
her singing and playing an old bluegrass fiddle!
Sheila has been playing the fiddle since she
was 13 years old. She played in a band in Arizona
when she lived there, and upon moving to North
Carolina, joined a southern bluegrass band called
The D.R. Wells Medicine Show.
Playing along side Sheila is Darrald Wells (Lead
Guitar), Robert Phillips (Mandolin), Bobby Carpenter
(Banjo), and Milton Horne (Bass).
Together this group will mix a remedy that is
guaranteed to warm your heart with memories and
get your foot a tapping. The band says their music is
“good medicine for an ailing soul,” and that’s why they
call themselves the D.R. Wells Medicine Show.
The band has gigs most weekends and occasionally
on weekdays. Visit www.drwellsmedicineshow.com
to see their schedule or book them to play at your event.
APRIL 2013
HSKP NEWSLETTER
Great attorneys
Great employees
Great firm
RULES, RULES, RULES
Good Times at the March of Dimes
On Saturday, April 13th, over 20 employees and month. By April 13th, the day of the walk, they had
attorneys from the Fayetteville office participated
raised a total of $4,186.38, making them the #2 top
in the March for Babies at Methodist University.
team in Fayetteville!
With the sun shining brightly
Attorneys Hutch Hutchoverhead, the team marched
ens and Elizabeth Jackson
together in the 2.5 mile walk
both received Top Walker
GREAT JOB TEAM FAYETTEVILLE
around campus to raise awareawards for raising more
FOR RAISING OVER $4,100!!!
ness and funds for the March
than $500 each!
of Dimes, an organization
dedicated to improving the
On April 27th, the 14
health of babies by preventing
member Charlotte team
birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality.
will participate in their March for Babies which will
The HSKP Fayetteville team, which totaled
be highlighted in the May newsletter.
35 members, began their fundraising efforts last
Aida Jack
Jessica Nauta
Julie Bahr
Katie O’Donnell
Hearings
Foreclosure Input
Bankruptcy
Distribution
CHARLOTTE OFFICE:
Carol Pearsall
Rod Smith
Ted Swan
Real Estate
Distribution
Foreclosure
WILMINGTON OFFICE:
Tammy Turner
(as of April 25th)
Real Estate
We all know attorneys at HSKP are
exceptionally good at what they do,
but did you know we are not allowed
to advertise them as being the “best”
or even say they “specialize” in a
specific area of practice (unless they
have a certified specialty recognized
by the Bar).
According to the rules and code
of ethics administered by the North
Carolina Bar Association and the
North Carolina State Bar, advertising
that we are the “best” is considered
misleading communication because
it “constitutes a comparison of our
services with those of other lawyers
in a way which cannot be factually
substantiated.”
Believe it or not, this is just one of
over 100 rules that North Carolina
law firms and attorneys have to
abide by. Over twenty of these apply
to advertising alone. Consequences
for breaking the rules can result in
suspensions, fines, or even a lawyer
losing his/her license.
STAFF STATS
In last month’s newsletter we
highlighted the years of experience
of our attorneys; but let’s not forget
about the staff!
Among our 179 staff members,
our managers and team leaders
have an average of 23 years of relevant experience, and our support
staff have an average of 10 years of
relevant experience.
This level of experience gives us
an edge over our competitors and
reinforces that we really are subject
matter experts!
(employees with anniversaries in April who have been at the firm 10+ years)
Tina Coryell
FC Hearings
4/18
11 yrs
David Taylor
Paralegal
4/28
10 yrs
ARE YOU KIDDING ME?
A Charlotte ordinance requires
women to cover their bodies with at
least 16 yards of cloth at all times.
The HSKP newsletter can also be found on the intranet under “Newsletters”.
FEATURED ATTORNEY
Chris Huff
Born and raised in Wilmington,
NC , Chris graduated from Campbell University School of Law in
1999. After graduation, he chose to
practice real estate law because for
many people buying a house is the
largest and most important transaction they will make in their lives
and Chris wants to help them make
that decision with confidence and
the least amount of stress possible.
Chris currently serves on the
board of Wilmington Area Rebuilding Ministries (WARM), an organization that provides home repairs to
the poor, elderly and disabled. He
is also on the board of the North
Carolina Holiday Flotilla held
annually at Wrightsville Beach.
What’s with the Hard Hats?
During the week, employees at the Fayetteville
office can often hear heavy machinery, beeping
forklifts, jack-hammers, and other construction
noises coming from the property across the street.
So, what’s with all the racket?
At the beginning of April, we finally got an
answer, when signs went up on the corner of
Ramsey and Francam advertising the soon to be
shopping center, Ramsey Commons.
Sketches reveal the first phase of construction
will include a Starbucks and two perpendicular
sections intended to house about a dozen other
businesses. Three businesses who have already
signed leases are Jimmy John’s gourmet sandwich
chain, Mellow Mango yogurt shop, and Five Guys
Burgers & Fries.
Local developer of the commons, Cam Stout,
recently confirmed to one of our attorneys that the
grand opening has tentatively been set for September 30th to mid October.
It is rumored that the second phase of Ramsey
Commons will include a grocery store. Stout said
he has talked with some grocery chains - he’s not
naming names - but described the grocery aspect as
“a beautiful idea that may or may not ever happen.”
Congratulations!
Practice Areas: Residential real
estate and default servicing
Interesting Fact: Chris loves
outdoor activities such as boating, fishing, shooting and paddle
boarding.
On April 19th, at the 12th Judicial District Annual Law Gala, seniorlegal assistant, Ruth Lane, from the Fayetteville office, was presented the
first ever Distinguished Paralegal Award by the Cumberland County Bar
Association. Ruth’s family and several HSKP attorneys attended to show
support and congratulate Ruth on receiving the award.
A DIVERSE WORKPLACE
Here at HSKP we have staff
members who represent all
walks of life, and a recent inquiry
sparked an interest to find out
just how diverse we are. So, at the
beginning of the month an email
was sent to all employees and
attorneys to see who could
fluently speak a foreign language.
These were the responses:
Rosalba Farley
Nike Pascal
Rosa Colchado
Lauren Thurmond
Sylvia Bisbee
Helen Charles
Page 2
Spanish
German
Other responses included:
“Southern” “Red Neck” “Sarcasm”
Ruth, who has been an employee at HSKP for 12 years, was nominated
for her outstanding paralegal work, community service, and involvement
in organizations such as the Mortgage Bankers Association of Fayetteville
(MBAF), which she is secretary/treasurer of this year.
Ruth and her husband Wayne
Congratulations, Ruth, for being the first recipient of this award
and setting the bar high for future candidates!
Toast of the Town
This month Hutchens, Senter, Kellam & Pettit is sponsoring the 13th
Annual CARE Clinic “Toast of the Town” Wine Tasting & Raffle which will
be held Thursday, April 25th from 6:00 to 8:30 p.m. in the Ballroom of the
Holiday Inn Bordeaux.
The event is open to the public and tickets are $40 per person. To buy
tickets, go to www.thecareclinic.org/winetasting.php
Proceeds from the event and sponsorships will go to the CARE Clinic,
a non-profit organization that provides free medical care and dental extractions for the uninsured, low income adults residing in Cumberland County.
Employee Spotlight
Regardless of what department you work, or who you
work with, there is one person at HSKP you are
almost guaranteed to meet, and she is Michele O’Donnell,
the firm trainer. Michele is responsible for new employee
orientation, training on hardware and software, and
provides ongoing support for CMS.
Outside of work Michele is an avid belly dancer! She
took up the hobby seven years ago when she wanted to
find something to do to stay in shape, but wasn’t considered a traditional form of exercise. Belly dancing fit the
bill because although there are physical benefits, Michele
says “it doesn’t feel like exercise and it is complemented by
cool music, fun costumes, and instruments like drums,
finger cymbals, and bells.”
Michele and eight other belly dancers make up a troop
called Shadows of the Fire. They meet once a week at the
Omni Fitness Center in Fayetteville to rehearse choreographed dances. A second day of the week Michele meets
with just a couple of troop members to practice American
Tribal Style improv techniques.
Throughout the year the troop performs at a variety of
different events and locations, and even private parties.
Their next performances will be at the Dogwood Festival
on April 27th and 28th between 12:30 and 4:00 p.m. on
the 100 Block of Hay Street at the Market House.
To see a complete list of upcoming performances,
learn more about the troop, and get class information visit:
www.shadowsofthefire.com
MAY 2013
HSKP NEWSLETTER
Great attorneys
Great employees
Great firm
LAW DAY
On May 1, the United States
officially recognizes Law Day. It is
meant to reflect on the role of law in
the foundation of the country and to
recognize its importance for society.
Some countries celebrate May
Day on the same date, as it is
designated Labor Day or International Workers Day. But on February 5, 1958, President Eisenhower
recognized the first Law Day when
he proclaimed that henceforth May
1st of each year would be Law Day
in the United States. He stated “In a
very real sense, the world no longer
has a choice between force and law.
If civilization is to survive it must
choose the rule of law.”
Charlotte Office March of Dimes
MEMORIAL DAY
On Saturday, April 27, six employees from
The HSKP Charlotte team, which totaled 13
the Charlotte office participated in the March for
employees and attorneys, began their fundraisBabies in Uptown Charlotte. The team marched
ing efforts last month. By April 27, the day of the
together in the 3.5 mile walk to
walk, they had raised a
raise awareness and funds for
total of $357.
GREAT JOB TEAM CHARLOTTE
the March of Dimes, an organiThis was the first year
ON YOUR FIRST MARCH OF DIMES!
zation dedicated to improving
the Charlotte office
the health of babies by
participated in the
preventing birth defects,
March for Babies
premature birth and infant mortality.
fundraising event and they look
forward to doing it again next year!
(as of May 22nd)
Lissa Liverman
Davis Puryear
Business Intern
Summer Law Clerk
Wanda McCrimmon
Cynthia Pianka
Teresa Strickland
Dianne Jones
Dolly Spear
Distribution
Bankruptcy
FC/Status A
Charlotte/RE
FC/Final
If you work with clients on
a daily basis, do not forget to
update your voicemail and email
signature to notify them you will
be out of the office.
ARE YOU KIDDING ME?
(employees with anniversaries in May who have been at the firm 10+ years)
The firm is closed Monday,
May 27, in observance of
Memorial Day - a day of
remembrance for those who
have died in our nation’s service
5/5
5/23
5/7
5/8
5/9
10
11
11
12
19
In Kill Devil Hills, NC, it is illegal to
ride a bicycle without having both
of your hands on the handle bars.
FEATURED ATTORNEY
Claire Collins
Page 2
Mandatory All Staff Photo
Currently, our advertising agency, High Tide Creative, is working on developing a new website for
the firm and on the new site, would like to feature attorneys AND staff! In fact, there will be an entire
page dedicated to describing our team of staff members and how they provide integral support for our
legal services. To accompany this overview, there will be an all staff photo, similar to the ones we have
done in the past. The two requirements are that you arrive on time and without sunglasses (prescription
glasses are okay). Line up with shortest people in the front and tallest in the back. The photographer will
help position you accordingly. Below are the details for each office:
Fayetteville:
Where: In front of the building
When: Friday, June 7th @ 9:00 a.m.
Our newest attorney, Claire
Collins, was born and raised in Fayetteville, but moved to Charlotte
to attend the Charlotte School of
Law. Shortly after receiving her
Juris Doctor in 2012, she returned
to Fayetteville because she says
“there are so many young people
of my generation coming back
home to Fayetteville and I wanted
to be a part of a community that I
have always loved, in order to contribute in some way to the growth
and success of the city.”
Claire always knew she wanted
to do civil litigation and chose to
apply at HSKP since we are one of
the biggest law firms in Fayettville who focus on that area of
practice. She also said “HSKP has
always been a well-respected firm
throughout the community and I
knew I wanted to be a part of that.”
Practice Areas: Foreclosure, civil
litigation
Interesting Fact: If Claire wasn’t
an attorney her ideal profession
would be an event or wedding
planner!
Please note the new photo will be staff ONLY, no attorneys
Charlotte:
Where: In front of the office building on the steps
When: Monday, June 10th @ 11:30 a.m.
Wilmington:
Option to attend Fayetteville photo
Time for Donations
The Mortgage Bankers Association of
Fayetteville is hosting their “Tots for Pots” to
benefit the Cumberland Interfaith Hospitality
Network. They are looking for donations (new
or gently used) of any unwrapped toys and
household items such as: pots, pans, dishes,
flatware, can openers, toasters, microwaves,
general kitchen items, linens, or anything you
may need to set up a household.
Drop off your items anytime with Ruth
Lane or Susan Benoit in the title/real estate
department on the 2nd floor. If you would like
to make a monetary donation, please make
checks payable to: Cumberland Interfaith
Hospitality Network or MBA of Fayetteville.
The next HSKP sponsored blood drive for
Cape Fear Valley Blood Donor Center is
Thursday, June 6th from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
at the Fayetteville office. If you are interested
please register online instead of the sign-up
sheet in HR. You can visit this site to register:
www.savingliveslocally.org
Donors will receive a CF Blood Donor
t-shirt while supplies last. If you registered last
time, you will be able to use the same login
information. If you are not available to donate
on this day, we will have more blood drives
later in the year.
HABITAT FOR HUMANITY
Over the years, our firm has been
very involved in Habitat for Humanity, a non-profit organization that
builds and repairs houses all over
the world using volunteer labor and
donations.
At the beginning of the month,
Fayetteville attorney, Sarah Miranda,
was invited to speak about foreclosure and bankruptcy on an “Ask the
Expert” panel at Camp Habitat, a
statewide conference in Asheville.
In addition to her involvement at
the conference, Sarah currently
serves as Secretary on the Habitat
for Humanity Board of Directors.
Our Charlotte real estate department has also done pro bono
work for Habitat for Humanity by
providing around 25 closings since
October 2011.
HSKP’s Own Private Lake
Though “April showers” are supposed to be a thing
of the past, you never know when a summer storm
might roll in, and around here, when it rains, it pours!
Unfortunately, when it does, we get blessed with our
own private lake...in the Fayetteville office parking lot!
Most of the HSKP veterans already know to be prepared; but, for the newer employees- it is usually beneficial to bring rain boots to work in case of heavy rainfall.
The picture on the right is IT Manager, Jim Roberts,
enjoying a morning of “fishing” in Lake Hutchens.
Employee Spotlight
Some of Debra’s baskets displayed in her home
Debra Milligan, foreclosure manager at the Fayetteville office, has been weaving baskets for about 25 years
and she’s not stopping now! It all started when her neighbor yelled across the street asking if she wanted to participate in a basket weaving class. Debra’s husband who
was there at the time, encouraged her to do it; and Debra
jokingly says he has regretted it ever since because after
taking the class she was hooked! And maybe “hooked” is
even an understatement; over the years Debra has woven
between 500 and 700 baskets!
This dedication has allowed her to master three different types of baskets: Nantucket, Ash, and Reed.
The one she finds most rewarding are the Nantuckets,
which usually take at least 8 hours to complete depending
on size. One very large basket even took all weekend!
Debra says she enjoys the social aspect of basket
weaving the most, since she usually weaves in a class with
others. She is a member of the Cape Fear Basketmakers
Guild who meets regularly and sells their baskets at the
annual Yule Mart Bazaar on Ft. Bragg. Debra also attends
the weaving convention in Raleigh every year.
Debra plans on continuing to weave and adding to her
collection displayed in her home. She also enjoys giving
her baskets as gifts to friends, family, and co-workers.
JUNE 2013
HSKP NEWSLETTER
Great attorneys
Great employees
Great firm
YMCA MEMBERSHIPS
On June 19th, two representatives from the YMCA came to the
Fayetteville office to do membership sign-ups for employees and
answer questions about the new
YMCA that opened on Ramsey
Street. Thank you to attorney Scott
Flowers for getting the enrollment
fee waived for HSKP staff.
If you were not able to sign up
for a membership on the 19th,
you can still take advantage of the
enrollment fee waiver by taking a
pay stub with you when you go in
to enroll.
The new YMCA is located in
Northgate Plaza where the old
Walmart used to be. For more
information about the YMCA and
their programs visit:
Community Involvement
http://ymcaofthesandhills.org
Thank you to everyone who volunteered
HSKP helped the Express Professionals
to donate blood on June 6th. The Cape Fear
Fayetteville office collect non perishable food
Blood Donor Center was able to collect 18 pints
items. This effort was part of a larger effort of the
of blood despite the fact that
Express Professionals
many of our employees were
offices from around
GREAT JOB HSKP STAFF ON
absent due to vacations and
the U.S. and Canada
HELPING THOSE IN NEED!
high school graduations.
as part of their 30th
If you missed the blood drive
Anniversary. From
we will have more throughout
May 23 to June 7, we
the year.
filled eight tote bags full of food.
(as of June 25th)
Crystal Cochrane
Mary Sing
PROMOTIONS:
Jennifer Trapp
Foreclosure/Loss mit.
Real Estate
Promoted to Litigation
Administration Assistant
The new HSKP website, which will
launch in August, will feature
client testimonials for the firm. If
you have received any over the
past two years, please forward them
to: sara.gamache@hskplaw.com
CHARLOTTE OFFICE:
CLIENT TESTIMONIALS
ARE YOU KIDDING ME?
(employees with anniversaries in June who have been at the firm 10+ years)
On the website, the Ramsey Street
location is the “North Branch.”
Ann Savage
FC/Bankruptcy 6/24
27
Ruth Lane
RE/Title
6/25
12
Stephanie Specht
IT Dept.
6/8
11
It is illegal to hold more than two
sessions of bingo per week, and
those sessions may not exceed 5
hours each session, unless it is
held at a fair.
FEATURED ATTORNEY
Bill Senter
A Brand new Brand!
On June 3rd, Marketing Director, Sara
Gamache, and advertising agency, High Tide
Creative, presented the future look for HSKP.
If you missed the presentation please feel free
to contact Sara for the details.
Attorney, Bill Senter, was
raised in Raeford, NC, and after
graduating from the Wake Forest
University School of Law, moved to
Fayetteville to begin practicing law.
Eventually, Bill started his own
firm that handled a variety of
legal matters, two of which were
personal injury and workers’
compensation, which Bill finds to
be the most enjoyable and professionally rewarding. At HSKP, he
now concentrates his practice in
these areas.
In his spare time Bill enjoys a
good game of golf and spending
time with his four granddaughters.
Interesting Fact: If Bill was not
an attorney, he would have been a
professional baseball player (rumor
has it, he was an excellent athlete
in college).
The above picture was taken at the
North Carolina Bankers Association
convention, held at the beginning of
June in Hot Springs, VA.
Page 2
As stated in the meeting, the actual launch and
implementation of the new brand will not be until
the beginning of August. At that time, the new
website will launch, there will be new indoor and
outdoor signage, all inter-office stationery will
change, staff and attorneys will begin answering
the phones differently, and an advertising
campaign will run locally and in industry
publications.
So, you might be wondering, what exactly is a
“BRAND” and why is it important? Some popular
misconceptions of a brand is that it is strictly a
“marketing” function and only entails creating a
new logo.
However, it is much more than a marketing
function. In its entirety, a brand should be
looked at as more of an “umbrella” - something
that encompasses everything a company and its
products/services stands for in the hearts and
minds of the public.
Thusly, while developing the logo is an important step in the branding process, it is only a small
piece of the overall picture. A brand is developed
and influenced by all aspects of the firm including customer service and the value of the legal
services we offer, to the attorneys and staff who
often provide a first impression to clients.
As employees, you can look at yourselves as
the “brand ambassadors” - active advocates who
support our motto of being a “High Performance”
law firm. More information about our brand goals
and guidelines will be released in the near future.
Congratulations!
On June 9-11, attorneys from the Fayetteville and Charlotte offices
attended the North Carolina Bankers Association convention in Hot Springs,
VA to promote the firm’s default service work. Included on the convention
agenda was a tennis tournament, open to all attendees. Congratulations to
Charlotte attorney, Walt Pettit, on winning the men’s division and his wife,
Margie, on winning the women’s!
Fayetteville attorney, Lanée Borsman, was recently appointed to the volunteer committee
of the Lawyer Assistance Program (LAP), a service of the North Carolina State Bar which
provides confidential assistance to North Carolina lawyers to help them identify and
address problems with alcoholism, other drug addictions, and mental health disorders.
FIRST AID/CPR/AED
On May 16th, the Health
and Safety Committee in the
Fayetteville office participated in
the American Heart Association
Heartsaver First Aid/ CPR/ AED
training.
The following members are
certified for 2 years:
Amy Holt
Christine Searight
Debbie Luck
Elizabeth Jackson
Jennifer Trapp
Keola Keannaaina
Linda Smith
Michael Tinklepaugh
Michele O’Donnell
Stephanie Holliday
Title Clerk, Belinda Perez, in the Fayetteville office, graduated from Liberty University,
Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science in Paralegal Studies and a minor in
accounting. The ceremony was held on May 11th at Liberty University in Lynchburg, VA.
IT Programmer, Jenna Whyte, in the Fayetteville office, graduated from the American
Military University with a Bachelor of Science in Information Systems Security, Cum
Laude. The graduation ceremony was held in National Harbour, Maryland on June 15th.
Congratulations to legal assistant, Ashley Beck, in the Fayetteville office, on her recent
engagement! Her fiancé proposed to her in their hometown of Charleston, SC, on
June 14th, their 4 year anniversary.
We have twins in the Foreclosure department! Julia Mulvey and Niki Wallace
both celebrated their 24th birthdays on June 22nd! Don’t believe it? Okay, well
since Julia is a great sport, it can be announced she actually turned 77,
making her our oldest Fayetteville employee!
Employee Spotlight
Susan Omell, legal assistant to Joe Vonnegut, has
always wanted to own a horse. Like most children, she
asked her parents for one every Christmas, but only ever
received the Bay horse figurines.
It wasn’t until adulthood that Susan got her first horse.
She remembers it clearly, the year was 1988, she was
working as a teller at a bank in California when one of her
customers handed her the names of 3 retired race horses
and told her to choose one she wanted. Since that time,
Susan has developed a love for the animals and has also
taken up the sport of riding.
For the past seven years, Susan has owned and showed
her Oldenburg mare named Weltfarben (German translation for “world colors”). Her nickname is “Farbie” for
short. Weltfarben is stabled at Encore Sporthorse, a 50acre horse farm in Sanford. Every day before work Susan
drives to the stable for a morning ride.
In addition to the leisurely rides, Susan also receives
professional Dressage lessons from a 5 star international
Olympic judge! These lessons help Susan and Farbie prepare for shows. Their next one will be in Raleigh this fall.
JULY 2013
HSKP NEWSLETTER
Great attorneys
Great employees
Great firm
BASKET AUCTION
To continue fundraising efforts
for Grady Vines, the bankruptcy
department has organized a
basket raffle and auction.
The auction, which is currently
being hosted on the firm’s intranet
under “break room” is open for
bidding and includes 5 baskets,
each with a different theme.
Raffle tickets for the remaining
baskets are currently being sold in
the bankruptcy department and in
the break room during lunchtime.
Staff members can buy tickets
and make bids until Friday, August
2, at 2 PM. All winners will be announced around 3:00 PM.
STAFF PHOTO
Baking for a Cause!
At HSKP we have always been good at helping
On July 19, aromas from the delicious cookies,
people during times of need. Recently, Grady Vines, brownies, tarts, and homemade biscuits and gravy
from the IT Departattracted employees from
ment was hospitalized
all departments. The “hot”
GREAT JOB EVERYONE ON HELPING
with a serious condition
item was a rum cake which
A FELLOW EMPLOYEE DURING A TIME
and endured a lengthy
was auctioned and sold to
stay. He is recuperating
high bidders Hutch HutchOF NEED.
at home now. To help
ens and Luanne Serik for
him and his family with
$130. In conjunction with
the financial strain, donations are being accept- the bake sale, raffle tickets were sold to win one of
ed and can be given to IT Manager, Jim Roberts. Debra Milligan’s famous handwoven baskets. ConAs an additional fundraising effort, the foreclosure gratulations to lucky winner, Lisa Plants! Overall,
department organized a firm-wide bake sale.
the bake sale and raffle were a huge success, raising
an impressive $1,400 for Grady and his family!
(as of July 30th)
ARE YOU KIDDING ME?
(employees with anniversaries in July who have been at the firm 10+ years)
Rhonda Holtslander
Accounting
CHARLOTTE OFFICE:
Jeff Bunda
Kerry Owen
Attorney
Real Estate Assistant
Promotions:
Susan Benoit promoted to Partner
Hutch Hutchens promoted to Partner
Shellice Stephans promoted to RE Closing Processor
Niki Wallace promoted to Billing Specialist
Cassie Dean promoted to Senior Hearings Coordinator
Julie Webb
Legal Assistant
7/21
16 yrs
Tara Shealy
Sales Team Lead
7/26
14 yrs
7/14
10 yrs
Cashanna Eaton Hearings
The Fayetteville staff photo
taken last month, was not enjoyable for anyone since the sun
was shining brightly overhead,
making it hard for everyone to
keep their eyes open. As a result,
the final photo was not acceptable for the new website.
Therefore, once the signage
on the outside of the building is
installed with the new brand, the
staff photo will be retaken.
Marketing director, Sara
Gamache will send out an e-mail
with the new date and time.
According to North Carolina
General Statute § 14-12.10, it is
illegal for a person at least 16 years
of age to wear a mask, hood, or any
item to disguise or conceal the face
while holding a meeting
or demonstration.
FEATURED ATTORNEY
Lacey Moore
Lacey Moore graduated from
the Cumberland School of Law
in 2002 and after graduation,
moved back home to Charlotte
to be closer to her family and
became a litigator at a local firm.
Lacey says she enjoys litigation
and adds: “on a day to day basis I
enjoy that what I do allows me to
think and solve problems…and
that the court room affords me
the social aspects that I need.”
Lacey joined HSKP when we
merged with Kellam, Pettit &
Thurmond last year.
Practice Areas: Litigation,
creditors’ rights, foreclosure,
bankruptcy
Interesting Fact: Lacey teaches
Sunday School for kindergartners
and first graders at St. John’s
Baptist Church.
If she was not an attorney, Lacey’s
ideal profession would be a high
school history teacher.
ATTORNEY RETREAT
On July 26-28, attorneys and
managers from all three offices met
in Wilmington for the firm’s summer retreat. Every year, the retreats
are scheduled to bring all the
attorneys and managers together
in one central location.
During the retreat business
sessions, a variety of topics are
discussed, including industry news,
updates within the firm, announcements, and plans for the future.
Topics specifically covered at
the summer retreat were marketing strategies for the new brand,
introductions of new attorneys and
partners, the Flotilla grand prize
announcement, and Mr. Hutchens’s
future plans for the firm.
Page 2
We Are Giving Away a What?!
To continue our support of
the annual event, HSKP
will be the Commandant
Prize Sponsor and are
providing a brand new 17’
JV Carolina Skiff!
Approximately 200 people
were at the announcement
on July 27 to see the boat
which was on display in the
office parking lot. Last year’s Flotilla winner, Skip
Wilson, was also on-site and led the first-ever How to
Decorate Your Boat Demo. Since the entire event was
televised and aired on the radio, the Flotilla board
is hoping for record breaking attendance this year.
On July 27, the Wrightsville
beach community, local media,
and HSKP attorneys and
managers gathered at the HSKP
Wilmington office for the grand
prize announcement of the 2013
Flotilla. This year marks the 30th
anniversary of the Flotilla boat
parade which takes place at
Wrightsville Beach the weekend
after Thanksgiving. To celebrate 30 years, the Flotilla
board wanted to offer a grand prize that was bigger
and better than anything they’ve offered before. As a
past sponsor, they contacted our firm to help make
that possible. We were happy to step up to the plate!
Congratulations
Managing partner, Terry Hutchens, was recently appointed to the North Carolina Economic Development Board. By statute, the Economic Development Board is
charged with a strategic plan to grow the North Carolina economy. Terry and the rest
of the board members will use strategic thinking coupled with their knowledge of the
state and the international economy to develop what will be the Administration’s economic recovery roadmap. The destination of this roadmap will be economic growth
through the creation of sustainable 21st century jobs for North Carolinians.
Fayetteville attorney, Sarah Miranda, was recently appointed to the North Carolina
Bar Association’s Women in the Profession Committee for the 2013-2014 fiscal year.
The Women in the Profession Committee serves as a resource for the NCBA by, among
other things, identifying ways to encourage and maintain the active participation and
advancement of women in the Association and the legal profession. This is achieved, in
part, through educational programs, awareness initiatives, and networking events that
highlight the accomplishments of women attorneys.
Fayetteville attorney, Natasha Barone, was recently appointed to the North
Carolina Bar Association’s Lawyer on the Line Committee. The Lawyer on the Line
Committee (formerly Call 4ALL Task Force) plans, oversees and implements the
NCBAF-Legal Aid of North Carolina partnership program. Lawyer on the Line
volunteers provide advice by phone to Legal Aid-screened clients in a practice area
of their choice at the frequency he or she designates. Natasha also recently joined the
Wake Forest University School of Law Young Alumni Board.
Attorney, Elizabeth Jackson, from the Fayetteville office, was recently appointed
to the North Carolina Bar Association’s Military and Veterans Affairs Committee.
The general mission of the committee is to develop and oversee NCBA-led efforts
serving attorneys that practice in military and veteran-related areas of law, and
organize and promote activities and projects that directly serve current military and
retired personnel and veterans.
A huge congratulations to attorney, Erik Bennington, from the Wilmington office,
who just received an AV-rating from Martindale-Hubbell for both legal ability and
ethics. An AV® certification mark is a significant rating accomplishment, a testament
to the fact that a lawyer’s peers rank him or her at the highest level of professional
excellence. The Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Ratings system is based upon confidential opinions of members of the Bar and the Judiciary.
Employee Spotlight
Marissa Geraffo has enjoyed cooking since she
was a kid, which isn’t surprising since it runs in
her family. Her father who is full-blooded Italian,
moved their family to Fayetteville in 1991 to start
Primo Pizza, an Italian restaurant and pizza chain.
When Marissa is not working as a receptionist
in the Fayetteville office, she is helping cook and
cater at one of the two Primo Pizza locations on Raeford Road and in the Cross Creek Mall.
In addition to cooking Italian food, Marissa also enjoys cooking baked goods such
as cheesecakes, cookies, biscottis, and more.
When she is experimenting with new recipes,
Marissa brings in her dishes to share with fellow HSKP employees. In fact, at the end of July,
she brought a spinach and artichoke dip to the
administration potluck that was to die for!
In addition to cooking, Marissa enjoys hiking in
Arizona, snowboarding, and spending weekends at
her family’s house at Holden Beach.
The picture on the left is of Marissa and her
mom, who taught her everything she knows about
cooking!
AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2013
NEWSLETTER
A Grand Brand Celebration!
ANGEL WINGS
Hutchen Law Firm employees
have always stepped up to help
co-workers in need, and the
month of August was no exception. Several employees and
departments organized different
fundraisers to raise money for Ann
Savage.
Participants organized everything from a casual dress day, to
a food plate sale, and a raffle with
27 items!
All fundraising efforts were a
huge success and a testament to
how lucky we are to work with
such generous people!
SOCIAL MEDIA
On August 27 and 28, marketing director
Sara Gamache and High Tide Creative account
executive Jen White held a brand training for all
office locations. Each thirty minute session was
broken down into groups of 10-20 staff members and consisted of general brand education
followed by an explanation of the changes that
would take effect on
September 3.
To celebrate the launch, on September 4,
a Hutchens themed cake was delivered to all
three offices. At 2:00 PM employees and
attorneys gathered in the break room to eat
cake and celebrate. Mr. Hutchens opened the
event with a speech and partners at each location cut the cake. Moving forward, September
4 will always be
known as
“Hutchens Day”
SEPTEMBER 4TH WILL
and in recognition
OFFICIALLY BE KNOWN AS
employees can wear
HUTCHENS DAY
Hutchens red.
When September 3 finally
rolled around, the entire staff
did an excellent job following
the instruction given during
the meetings. Voicemail recordings, e-mail signatures, and office materials
were all changed to reflect the new brand. Other
changes included signage throughout the buildings, departmental letterhead, envelopes, and
several digital documents.
Shortly after the
roll-out, the firm also filed a Notice and
Certificate of Assumed Name in all 100 counties
in North Carolina.
(as of Sept. 30th)
Michelle Stinnett Attorney
Christy Jensen
Foreclosure Billing Team
Jessica Edwards Foreclosure Input Team
Ashley Mulrine
Distribution Team
CHARLOTTE OFFICE:
Andrew Perry
Attorney
Randall Faircloth Attorney
Janet Umphred
Assistant to Attorney Walt Pettit
Nicole Willinsky
Foreclosure Referrals Team
Lynn Henderson Foreclosure Billing Team
Diedor Williams
Distribution Team
Promotions:
Elizabeth Price promoted to Senior Sales Coordinator
ARE YOU KIDDING ME?
(employees with anniversaries in August who have been at the firm 10+ years)
Joe Vonnegut
Partner
Cindy Andress
Traveling Paralegal 8/30
Jennifer Leon
Receptionist TL
8/28 13 yrs
Helene Charles
Foreclosure Billing
8/13 12 yrs
Karen Hall
CFO
8/15 10 yrs
8/3
15 yrs
14 yrs
(employees with anniversaries in September who have been at the firm 10+ years)
Shanna Campbell Litigation
We finally made the plunge
into the world of social media!
In conjunction with the brand
launch and new website, a
Facebook business page was
created for Hutchens Law Firm.
If you have a Facebook
account and want to support
the Hutchens Law Firm page,
please “like” us. The business
page will be updated weekly
and include firm announcements, news, and community
involvement. There will also be
pictures posted from firm events.
Also, please be mindful that
if you have Hutchens Law Firm
listed as your employer on social
media accounts, the material
and pictures you post will reflect
on the firm as a whole.
9/1
13 yrs
Debra Christian
Bankruptcy
9/17
12 yrs
Jim Roberts
IT Manager
9/25
12 yrs
Jennifer Cribb
Foreclosure
9/15
10 yrs
It is a felony in the state of
North Carolina to steal more than
$1000 of grease.
The law went into effect on
January 1, 2013 and states that
grease collectors must carry
liability insurance and provide
certain paperwork that establishes ownership of the grease.
Grease theft became a national
problem when small bio fuel
producers began using left over
restaurant grease to create biodiesel that could be used to run
specially equipped automobiles
and home heating systems.
The Hutchens newsletter can also be found on the intranet under “Announcements”
FEATURED ATTORNEY
Michelle Stinnett
After graduating from college,
Michelle Stinnett worked as an
insurance agent for several years
in Fayetteville, NC and then in
Clarksville, TN before she attended law school at the University of
Notre Dame. While in law school,
she was an Executive Editor and
served on the Executive Board
of Notre Dame’s Journal of Law,
Ethics, and Public Policy.
In 2012, Michelle began her
career at Hutchens Law Firm as
a summer law clerk and in September of this year she became
an associate at the Fayetteville
office.
Practice Areas: Creditor’s rights,
litigation, and real estate.
Interesting Fact: After taking lessons for several months,
Michelle flew an airplane by
herself for the first time when she
was only 18!
MORE GENEROSITY
In August, several employees
from the foreclosure department
brought in supplies to help an
effort that the Southern Cruisers
Riding Club was doing on behalf
of SECU Family House. Items
included gift cards, food, and
cleaning and paper goods.
Each year the SECU Family House
benefits hundreds of families
and their loved ones who endure
extended treatment for cancer,
organ and bone marrow
transplant, burn injuries and other
serious illness and trauma at
UNC hospitals.
Hutchens Law Firm employees
together with the Southern Cruisers donated $1,000 worth of items.
Page 2
High Performance Fishing
Not only did the Hutchens
fishing team catch the
largest Spanish Mackerel
fish, they also raised
approximately $3,000 for
the charity event.
In addition, the firm
contributed by becoming
a Captain Sponsor. All
proceeds from the
tournament went to Kid’s
Chance of North Carolina, a scholarship fund
for children of workers injured or killed on the
job. Congratulations team! We won’t tell
anyone you caught the fish using Hutchens
“High Performance bait.”
Recognize these fisherman?
If not, it is probably because
you are used to seeing
Wilmington attorneys Chris
Huff (on the left) and Erik
Bennington (holding the fish)
in a suit and tie working behind
a stack of legal documents.
However, on September 8,
these two put on their fishing
gear and participated in the first
annual Kid’s Chance In-Shore Charity Fishing
Tournament. The picture above was taken of Chris
and Erik claiming their 1st place trophy for the
Spanish Mackerel division.
Sponsorships
Give it Away
As part of the new brand launch, staff members
turned in old items that featured previous firm
names. Everything from pens and nail files, to
T-shirts and coffee mugs, were redeemed for raffle
tickets for a chance to win an array of prizes.
In addition to making donations, the firm
sponsors several organizations and events
throughout the year. In August and September
we sponsored the following:
M&T Bank Golf Tournament
Fayetteville Rotary Club Golf Championship
Mamie Adkins Golf Tournament
Fayetteville Symphony Annual Sponsorship
NC Banker’s Association Mortgage Conference
Kid’s Chance Fishing Tournament
The Five Star Institute Laura Bush Luncheon
Cape Fear MOAA Golf Tournament
YMCA of Sandhills Y Kid’s scholarship program
The clothing items
were donated to
Swansboro United
Methodist Church for
the preschoolers to use
as painting smocks
and the remainder
will be taken on a mission trip to Africa.
The school type supplies were donated to Snyder
Memorial Baptist Church and will be taken with
missionaries to Haiti. The rest of the items are
going to be put in Christmas boxes that Samaritan’s Purse collects for Operation Christmas Child.
The boxes will be sent all over the world.
Several of these were charity events to raise
money for local causes such as educational and
scholarship funds and various programs for
children.
Congratulations
Congratulations to Fayetteville attorney Joe Vonnegut, for winning “Best Lawyer”
in the 18th Annual Fayetteville Observer Readers’ Choice Awards. Every September,
the Fayetteville Observer gives the local community an opportunity to vote for their
favorite things in Fayetteville! The categories include everything from the best places
to eat and shop, to the best nightlife and people. The “Best Lawyer” title that Joe received, appeared under the People & Personalities category. The complete list of The
Readers’ Choice Awards comes out on October 27th.
Congratulations to Fayetteville attorney Sarah Miranda, for being chosen as an
honoree for the North Carolina Lawyers Weekly’s 2013 Women of Justice awards. On
November 14, an awards dinner will be held in Charlotte to recognize women across
the state who have demonstrated leadership, integrity, service, sacrifice and accomplishment in improving the quality of justice and exemplifying the highest ideals of
the legal profession. The awards will reach out to 27 women in various segments of the
legal community and a top ‘Woman of the Year’ award will be selected out of the 2013
class of honorees and revealed the night of the event.
Employee Spotlight
Matt and his dog Bryson
Matt Smith from the Charlotte office, has loved
the outdoors since he was young. He grew up in
Kentucky camping, fishing, and hiking the state
parks with his father and friends. Now Matt lives
in Belmont, NC, only 90 minutes from the famous
Blue Ridge Parkway - a hiker’s paradise.
On the weekends Matt enjoys hiking in the High
Country at Beech Mountain and Linville Gorge.
He also loves to go to Panthertown Valley near Brevard, but his all time favorite spot in North Carolina is Bryson City. He even named his dog Bryson!
Matt’s favorite time of year to visit the High
Country is fall, especially because that is when the
Woolly Worm Festival is, of which he is a staunch
competitor. Summer is Matt’s favorite time to visit
the Smoky Mountains when he takes advantage of
rafting and other water sports.
If Matt could visit anywhere in the United States
known for its impressive landscapes and outdoor
activities it would be Washington State, where he
would like to climb Mt. Rainier sometime before he
reaches 40.
OCTOBER 2013
NEWSLETTER
A Hutchens Halloween
HUTCHENS ITEMS
During the second week in
November, there will be another
opportunity for staff members to
order Hutchens items. There will
be several new items available
for purchase and also new color
options.
Similar to last time, there will be
a designated time-frame to place
and pick up your orders. You will
have your items before Christmas
vacation. This will be the last
chance to order items until after
the first of the year.
An e-mail will be sent out by
Sara Gamache with more details.
OLD BRAND ITEMS
On October 31, Hutchens Law Firm will have
Prizes for the costume contests are: Best
a howl’n good time! It’s that time of the year,
Group Theme & Costume - First Place: $200,
where we dress up, decorate our cubicles, and
Second Place: $100. Best Individual Costume get competitive in the Halloween costume conFirst Place: $75 Gift Card, Second
test. If you want to participate in the costume
Place: $50 Gift Card.
contest, register on the intranet by the end of
In addition to the costume
the day October 30. Michele
contest, there will be a
O’Donnell will photograph
staff lunch at all offices.
each contestant in the FayettePizza, salad, and ice
IT WILL BE A SCARY
ville office, Wilmington and
cream will be served
Charlotte will need to send
between 11:30 AM and
GOOD TIME!
their pictures to Michele no
12:30 PM in the break
later than 11:00 AM the day
room. Lunch will be
of event.
provided for staff only.
All photos will be put on the intranet for
Friends and family members of the staff are also
e-voting. E-voting opens at 12:00 PM and ends
invited to visit the law firm for some trick-orat 3:00 PM.
treating between 12:00 PM and 1:00 PM.
The Giving Season
Although Halloween has just arrived, Thanksgiving is just around
the corner, and then Christmas will
be here before we know it. Together
these holidays bring a season of
giving and compassion for others.
The firm and our employees have
always participated in several
fundraisers, events, and donations
during this time.
THE BEST OF FAYETTEVILLE
However, this year, we are
planning something bigger than
anything in the past; a program
involving our staff that will end
up touching hundreds, if not
thousands of people.
The exciting new concept will be
unveiled at this year’s Thanksgiving potluck. Stay tuned, you
won’t want to miss it!
(as of Oct. 29th)
Katherine Yellowhair Foreclosure Department
(employees with anniversaries in October who have been at the firm 10+ years)
FC/Packages
Fay/Blue Files
Attorney
Firm Admin.
The Fayetteville Observer just
published the winners of the 2013
Reader’s Choice Awards! This year
they received hundreds of votes
for more than 115 categories, making it the biggest event ever!
Congratulations again to attorney
Joe Vonnegut for winning the
Best Lawyer category!
Visit the Fayetteville Observer
website to see the full list.
ARE YOU KIDDING ME?
Irene Faulkner
Amy Danford
John Mandulak
Carol Stephens
If you continue to find items
floating around the office with
HSB or HSKP logos, it is not too
late to bring them to marketing
director Sara Gamache. Or
you can dispose of the items
yourself. Over the next couple
of months more items will
be distributed to the staff to
replace the old ones. New items
will include pens, letter openers, writing tablets, and much
much more.
Remember, every employee
is a brand ambassador and
can help create and maintain a
strong brand identity for
Hutchens Law Firm.
10/10
10/07
10/22
10/23
12 yrs
11 yrs
11 yrs
11 yrs
According to the National
Conference of State Legislatures
website, it is illegal to marry your
first cousin in 25 states. In North
Carolina it is legal to marry your
first cousin, but double cousin
marriage is prohibited.
FEATURED ATTORNEY
Jeffrey Bunda
While Jeffrey Bunda is one
of the newest members to our
Charlotte office, he is no stranger
to the Charlotte area or the
mortgage servicing industry. Jeff
graduated magna cum laude
from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill in 2002 and from
Emory University Law School in
2005. While in law school, Jeff
worked in the Office of General
Counsel for the Dept. of Housing
and Urban Development and for
creditor’s rights practitioners.
Upon his return to Charlotte,
Jeff began practicing in the areas
of civil litigation, foreclosure,
bankruptcy and transactional
real estate. Since 2005, Jeff has
become a fixture of the default
litigation practice, representing
lenders in contested foreclosures
and mortgage-related litigation
in both State and Federal Courts.
ART ENTHUSIASTS
October 24 through December
12, 2013, Methodist University
will be featuring a David McCune International Art Gallery.
The exhibition of studio glass
will feature 27 artists from western North Carolina and is sponsored by Hutchens Law Firm.
To kick off the gallery opening, the firm hosted a private
reception on October 23. The
reception featured an exclusive
viewing of two glass pieces that
are not part of the public gallery.
To get details about the David
McCune gallery, including
viewing times, visit:
www.davidmccunegallery.org
Page 2
USFN Diamond of Excellence Award
companies who focus on creditors’
rights. The Award of Excellence
program was initiated in 1993 to
recognize and encourage Member
firms to develop and maintain high
standards of excellence in service
to industry clients and to
their community.
Hutchens Law Firm has been awarded
the 2013 USFN Diamond of Excellence
Award. This is the 7th consecutive year the
firm has received this prestigious award.
The Award of Excellence is given
annually to USFN Member firms who
meet rigorous standards which evaluate
professional activities, industry
volunteerism, and community and
charitable involvement by the firm. Recipients are
honored each year at USFN’s Annual Member Education Retreat held in the late Fall. USFN, founded
in 1988, is the nation’s oldest and most prestigious
trade association of law firms and trustee
The Awards will be presented at
USFN’s Annual Member Education
Retreat, November 6-10, 2013 in Wailea, HI,
during the Closing Banquet and Awards
Ceremony on Saturday, November 9th.
Seen at the Scene
On October 15, the Fayetteville office real estate department
worked a Hutchens booth at the Regional Realtors Rally. The all day
event was open to realtors and other industry professionals. At the
Hutchens booth the real estate team handed out promo items and
three door prizes. The picture to the right features Rochelle Tew,
attorney Chris Salyer, and Tiffany Pennink.
On October 12, the firm sponsored the 2nd Annual Taste of
Wrightsville Beach. The event featured local restaurants and beer
and wine vendors who offered samples of their best food and drinks.
Hutchens Law Firm had a booth at the event and provided plates for
the sampling. Wilmington attorneys also attended to promote their
practice. The picture to the left features attorney Chris Huff and
marketing director Sara Gamache.
On October 18, attorney Sarah Miranda attended the Fayetteville
Habitat ReStore Grand Opening. Sarah proudly serves as Executive
Officer and on the Board of Directors with Fayetteville’s Habitat for
Humanity affiliate. Hutchens Law Firm had a booth at the event and
provided door prizes. The picture to the right shows the ribbon cutting
for the grand opening and some of those who attended.
Congratulations
Congratulations to attorney J. Caleb Rogers and his unit, the Office of the
Staff Judge Advocate, 81st Regional Support Command. Recently the 81st R.S.C.
was named as one of three Army Reserve units nationwide to win the coveted Chief of Staff Award for Excellence in Legal Assistance. The Chief of Staff’s
Award honors those commands that have committed their legal resources to help
soldiers and their families with their personal legal problems. The criteria for evaluating the nominees include: The extent and quality of a nominee’s legal assistance and
preventive law programs; responsiveness to clients’ needs, and the professionalism of
the attorneys and supporting personnel.
Congratulations to Fayetteville attorney Chris Foster for being elected to
Business North Carolina magazine’s Legal Elite. More than 20,000 Tar Heel lawyers
voted to determine the best - not the best known or most influential, but the best
attorneys at what they do. Those receiving the most votes make up the Legal Elite.
Of the thousands practicing in the state, around 3% were selected as Elite this year.
Congratulations Chris on such a prestigious award!
Employee Spotlight
Mary Martha as the Lion for the
Wizard of Oz themed Contra dance
Mary Martha Vaught from the Wilmington office discovered in 1995, after her daughter moved
out to attend college, that she had a lot more freetime. Knowing immediately she needed to take advantage of this, Mary Martha took up the hobby of
Contra dancing to Celtic folk music.
Contra dance is a partnered folk dance in which
couples dance in two facing lines or a square. There
is a “caller” who calls out the dance steps, as the
partners follow along. As they go through the series of calls, they progress to the next partner.
A single dance runs around ten minutes, long
enough to progress 15-20 times.
Mary Martha participates in these dance events
on the weekends at the 5th Avenue Methodist
Church in Wilmington. Recently, she participated
in a Wizard of Oz theme dance, where she dressed
up as the lion.
When Mary Martha isn’t Contra dancing, she
enjoys kayaking and canoeing around the Wilmington area, on the Black River, and when she get’s
a chance a base camp trip from Florida!
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2013
NEWSLETTER
Happy Holidays!
LEGAL LANGUAGE
If Lawyers wrote Christmas Carols:
How many can you translate?
1. Approach everyone who is
steadfast
2. Ecstasy toward the orb
3. Quiescent nocturnal period
4. Embellish the corridors
5. I apprehended my maternal
parent osculating with a corpulent, unshaven male in crimson
disguise
6. The coniferous nativity
7. Valentino, the roseate probiscis
wapiti
8. Father Christmas approaches
the metropolis
9. The slight percussionist lad
10. The primary carol
A Hutchens Thanksgiving
Answers:
1. Oh Come all Ye Faithful
2. Joy to the World
3. Silent Night
4. Deck the Halls
5. I saw Momma Kissing Santa Claus
6. Oh Christmas Tree
7. Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer
8. Santa Claus is Coming to Town
9. Little Drummer Boy
10. The First Noel
On Wednesday, November 20, the aroma
of turkey, sweet potatoes, pie, and other
Thanksgiving dishes filled the halls of
Hutchens Law Firm. The annual
Thanksgiving feast which took place at all
three office locations, is the firm’s biggest
potluck event of the year! As in the past,
there was more than enough food to go
around. Thank you to the employees who
brought in dishes, and the firm for
providing the turkey, ham, and beverages.
Fayetteville
HOLIDAY HOURS
Congratulations to the raffle winners:
Don’t forget to notify clients
and vendors that our offices will
be closed December 24 - 26 for
Christmas vacation. Also, set up
an away message in Outlook and
change your voicemail recordings.
If you have questions on how to
do so, please contact firm trainer,
Michele O’Donnell.
Charlotte
Winners for the ham:
Billye Rivas, Niki Wallace, Barbie Joseph and Diedor
Williams
Gift card winners: Mindy LaPanne, Christian Johnson,
LaTasha Daniel and Vickie Groves
(as of Dec. 12th)
Shanell Adams Distribution
Timothy Burch Distribution
Shannon Peters Bankruptcy (returning employee)
Shannon Lynch Accounting (returning employee)
CHARLOTTE OFFICE:
Diane Stiffel
Foreclosure Billing Clerk
PROMOTIONS:
Daniel Skunza Title Search Paralegal
ARE YOU KIDDING ME?
(employees with anniversaries in Nov/Dec. who have been at the firm 10+ years)
November:
Kerri Hains
Chris Huff
Sheri Pait
Natalie Andress
Debbie Hooker
Cathy Cain
December:
Bankruptcy
Real Estate
Foreclosure
Foreclosure
Foreclosure
Foreclosure
11/3
11/12
11/20
11/22
11/29
11/25
10
11
11
14
14
17
Susie Holloway
Foreclosure
Annette Bourgeois Foreclosure
Tracy Vines
Litigation
12/03 12
12/01 16
12/01 18
If you own cats and dogs and
you allow them to fight, you
could be issued a citation if you
live in the city of Barber where
allowing cats and dogs to fight
is illegal.
FEATURED ATTORNEY
Natasha Barone
Natasha Barone has wanted
to be a lawyer since she was
seven years old. She is an associate with Hutchens Law Firm
practicing in the areas of litigation and creditors’ rights.
Over the past two years,
Natasha has taken pro bono
cases and volunteered at Legal
Aid of North Carolina’s Call for
All program. Natasha says the
experience has given her the
opportunity to explore areas
of the law in which she does
not typically practice and has
helped her realize the positive
impact lawyers can have on
people’s lives.
Natasha’s compassionate nature helps her understand both
sides of any argument.
Natasha says: “I chose litigation because it gives me the
opportunity to help people
get through some of the most
difficult and trying periods in
their lives.”
HOLIDAY LIGHTS
Hutchens Law Firm is proud to
sponsor the Cape Fear Botanical
Garden Holiday Lights! The garden
lights are available for viewing December 18-22, from 6:00 PM to 9:00
PM. Get pictures with Santa for $15
on the 20th and 21st. Also, enjoy an
array of entertainment and concerts!
Prices are:
Members - $5
Non-Members - $8
Military - $7
Children ages 6-12 - $2.50
Age 5 and under - Free
Visit: www.capefearbg.org
for more information.
Page 2
Flotilla Grand Prize Winner
On Saturday, November 30, the 30th annual NC
Holiday Flotilla kicked off with the family friendly Festival in the Park from 10 AM - 4 PM. Following the festival, was the Flotilla boat parade which
featured 30 boats decorated with Christmas lights, costume
characters, and even moving parts!
There were several different decorative themes,
ranging from a Charlie Brown Christmas to Jaws,
and even Duck Dynasty! All entrees were competing for the grand prize which was a brand new 17’ JV
Carolina Skiff (pictured below), donated by
Hutchens Law Firm! A panel of three judges were
there to determine the winner.
The day following the Flotilla, an announcement was made of the Grand Prize winner- Brady
Semmel, and his “Jaws boat” (pictured above).
Other prizes were given for the People’s Choice Award,
Crowd Favorite, and more. Over $20,000 in prizes were
given.
The Flotilla board of directors announced this
being the most successful Flotilla in all the 30
years and attribute the increased number entrees to there
being such a large Grand Prize.
Congratulations
A huge congratulations to attorney, Andrew Cogbill, from the Charlotte office, who just
received an AV-rating from Martindale-Hubbell for both legal ability and ethics. An AV® certification mark is a significant rating accomplishment, a testament to the fact that a lawyer’s
peers rank him or her at the highest level of professional excellence. The Martindale-Hubbell
Peer Review Ratings system is based upon confidential opinions of members of the Bar and
the Judiciary.
High Performance Giving
So far, three of the four Hutchens Weekly Reward
winners have been our own employees. Since the winner is selected at random, this shows just how giving
and supportive of the program we are!
Please remember that cards will be
available until December 31. If you
are visiting family for the holiday
season and going out of state, this
is a great time to take cards with
you. We would love to see the cards
used in other parts of the country.
Thank you to everyone who has participated
in the program and helped spread the word.
If you want more cards before Christmas vacation ,
please see the front desk receptionists.
Since November 21, the kick-off date of the High
Performance Giving program, it has been truly amazing to see all the good deeds done with the cards.
To-date we have given out approximately 3,000
cards. Several have been distributed to
individuals, but there have also
been a large number of bulk
requests from local businesses
organizations, and churches.
Last week a new feature was
added to the High Performance Giving
website that allows visitors to see all the
comments made on cards so far. This page is
updated daily as new comments come in and is
a great place to visit for ideas if you are still trying to
think of how to use your card.
Employee Spotlight
Above: Jennifer at the
High Performance
Giving Kick-Off
Right: Evie
As mentioned above, there have been some truly
amazing acts of kindness done through the High Performance Giving program. But one story that came
through card #102, is so inspirational I had to share it
in the newsletter.
Fayetteville employee, Jennifer Trapp, is using her
card to change the life of one special little girl by donating her kidney. The little girl, Evie, who Jennifer knows
through church, was diagnosed one year ago with a
severe case of Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS). This
life-long disease causes end stage kidney failure as well
as heart problems, diabetes, and other complications.
For months, Evie has fought her way through countless hospital visits and recently become healthy enough
to qualify for her first life-saving kidney transplant.
However, no one in her immediate family is a match.
After hearing this devastating news, Jennifer went
and got tested to see if she was a match, and amazingly
she was! Since August, Jennifer has had several doctor appointments for testing. She will have one final
appointment, which will hopefully be followed by the
transplant surgery in January or February of next year,
depending on Evie’s health at the time. Unfortunately,
the kidney will only last 5-10 years, and Evie will need
another transplant.
Evie’s friends and family have joined forces with
the Children’s Organ Transplant Association (COTA),
a non-profit organization which helps kids who need a
life-saving transplant by providing fundraising assistance and family support. The initial fundraising goal
for the Evie W campaign is $45K. 100% of all donations are used to assist with qualified transplant related
medical expenses for kids like Evie. You can help Evie W
fundraising team reach its goal by contributing to COTA
in Evie’s honor at www.cotaforeview.com
Jennifer says she doesn’t look at it as giving Evie
a kidney, but rather, giving her back her childhood.
Evie’s family says they don’t know yet how they will
use card #102, but they are confident God will let them
know when and how to use it.

HSKPNEWSLETTER - Hutchens Law Firm

Transcription

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