A TT ORNEY OF THE MONTH Jason Freeman Judge Monica Purdy JUDICIAL PR OFILEWWW.ATTORNEYATLAWMAGAZINE.COM Contact us for more information or to reserve your spot at (214) 597-5920 or pjhines@attorneyatlawmagazine.comACCREDITED BUSINESS BBB ratingAttorney at Law Magazine is published by: Target Market Media Publications Inc. Ken Minniti PRESIDENT & CEO Howard LaGraffe VICE PRESIDENT Caitlin Keniston EDITOR Patty-Joan “P.J.” Hines DALLAS PUBLISHER Jaqueline Dávila GRAPHIC DESIGN Susan Cushing Veronica Jauregui ASSISTANT EDITORS Kay Van Wey CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Dan Baldwin Ken W. Good Jeff Storms Billie Tarascio Rhonda M. Ware CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Hatley Studios PHOTOGRAPHY Copyright ©2020, Target Market Media all rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part is strictly prohibited. Advertising rates on request. Bulk third class (standard) mail. Although every precaution is taken to ensure accuracy of published materials, Attorney at Law Magazine & Target Market Media cannot be held responsible for opinions expressed or facts supplied by authors. Corporate Office : 5828 North 7th Street, Suite 200 Phoenix, AZ 85014 Phone (480) 219-9716 www.tmmpublications.com • info@tmmpublications.com FROM THE Publisher CONTRIBUTING Editor KAY VAN WEY MEDICAL MALPRACTICE Northern Alabama | Atlanta | Chicago | Dallas | Ft. Lauderdale Jacksonville | Los Angeles | Miami | Minnesota North Carolina Triangle | Ohio | Philadelphia | Phoenix | San Antonio Salt Lake City | Middle Tennessee | Washington D.C. Dallas Legal Community, you deserve a break, and to have a good time; so, sit back, relax, and enjoy the 27th issue of Attorney at Law Maga- zine, Greater Dallas Edition! Jason Freeman, Attorney of the Month and cover story is the founding member of Freeman Law, PLLC.; Jason is also a CPA. He is the current president of the North Texas Chapter of the American Academy of Attorney-CPAs; and, in 2021, will be the youngest chairman in the history of the Texas Society of CPAs. Ask him about his passion outside the law, and soon Jason is talking about his deep appreciation for music and the piano. Jason actually started his legal career through the lens of music and believes music and law have more in common than meets the eye—or ear. Civil District Court, Associate Judge, Monica Purdy is responsible for 13 district courts, and sat down with us to discuss her insights and career. She will be running for the 95th Civil District Court in November. AALM got “Out on the Town” (5K Run to the Polls) AND “Zoom on the Town” (DBA Events). Special thanks to Anya Lucas, Dallas Trial Lawyers As- sociation (DTLA), and Jessica Smith, Dallas Bar Association (DBA). Quaran- tining didn’t stop the movers and the shakers in “Talk of the Town”. In the mix, is our popular local columnist, Kay Van Wey (Medical Mal- practice) gets it ‘right’ with her article “Leg is the New Heart”, along with very helpful, business and marketing-related articles from national experts in their field. Special thank you to our advertisers who’d appreciate hearing from you, should you need their expertise. I hope you enjoy. If you’d like to discuss getting more involved with the magazine with an article or interview, please feel free to reach out to me. Please do SUBMIT nominations for features, profiles, and special recogni- tions at: http://www.attorneyatlawmagazine.com/nominate/ SUBSCRIBE AND SHARE – it’s FREE! https://attorneyatlawmagazine. com/subscribe Carpe Diem, Patty-Joan P.J. Hines PUBLISHER (214) 597-5920 PJHINES@ATTORNEYATLAWMAGAZINE.COM WWW.ATTORNEYATLAWMAGAZINE.COM/DALLASTABLE OF Contents 16 HA TLEY S TUDIO S 6 Judge Monica Purdy Judicial Spotlight 9 Leg Is The New Heart By Kay Van Wey 10 7 Steps to Create Your Own Path to Business Development in 2020 By Rhonda M. Ware 14 On Your Own Don’t Throw Away Your SHOT By Jeff Storms 16 Jason Freeman Attorney of the Month 24 Criminal Justice Reform Do Advocates for Change Even Care About Results? By Ken W. Good 26 Advanced Zoom Techniques By Billie Tarascio SPECIAL SECTIONS 12 Out on the Town 22 Zoom on the Town - Dallas Bar Association Events 28 Talk of the Town AttorneyAtLawMagazine.com 5M ONIC A PURDY S e e ki n g Re s o l u t i o n Ju d g e Attorney at Law Magazine Dallas sat down with Judge Monica Purdy, an associate judge of the Civil District Courts, to discuss her career. Judge Purdy is responsible for seven of the 13 district courts. She oversees jury and bench trials, injunctions, temporary restraining orders and discovery disputes. She was unanimously selected for her bench by a merit panel, consisting of the 13 elected Civil Court District judges in February 2013. AALM: What court do you preside over and how long have you held that position? MP: I preside as an associate judge of the Civil District Courts. I am responsible for 7 of the 13 District Courts. I handle multiple day- to-day judicial tasks, which include both jury and bench trials, in- junctions, temporary restraining orders, presiding over motions, and discovery disputes. I was unanimously selected by a merit panel in February 2013, consisting of all the then presiding thirteen elected Civil Court District Judges. AALM: How did you transition from your career as an attorney to your career as a judge? What prompted the change? MP: My transition from my career as an attorney to judge was prompted by my desire to accommodate the needs of my growing family. I began my legal career at a national law firm rising to the ranks of partner and wanted a better work-life balance with two small chil- dren and a husband. I love the practice of law and the opportunities it has afforded, but I also wanted to have time to enjoy my family. Profes- sionally, I knew at some point I wanted to become a judge, so when I left my law firm practice to achieve that balance, I served as local counsel for several law firms. After less than a year of being in my own practice, I had the unique opportunity to become an associate munici- pal court judge for the City of Dallas which allowed me to maintain my private practice. Within three years of serving in that role, I pur- sued my passion and became an associate judge for the Civil District Courts. I have served in this role for the past seven years. AALM: Describe your style in the courtroom. MP: My style in the courtroom is attention to the issues, patience and respect for all the parties, and of course being prepared. One of the best pieces of advice that I received before taking the bench is to rule. You know more about the case before you at the time of the hear- ing then you will ever know about the case once the parties leave your courtroom. If you aren’t ruling because you are afraid of being wrong, then you will never rule. A ruling helps the parties to move their case along. You owe it to the parties that have taken the time and energy to properly prepare the case before you; not ruling slows down the pro- cess and has a domino effect on all aspects of the parties’ case. Thus, I ATTORNEY AT LAW MAGAZINE · DALLAS· VOL. 7 NO. 3 6M ONIC A PURDY My style in the courtroom is attention to the issues, patience and respect for all the parties, and of course being prepared.” S e e ki n g Re s o l u t i o n Ju d g e JUDICIAL SPO TLIGHT do my best to make a thoughtful, reasoned decision based upon the evidence before me and move on to my next case. AALM: How did you decide to become an attorney? MP: I decided to become an attorney in the sixth grade. We had a close family friend who was a lawyer and neigh- bor. He was kind enough to introduce me to the practice of law. I spent summers working in his law office and ac- companying him to court. I knew I wanted to advocate for those who could not advocate for themselves, and I ulti- mately wanted to be a part of a profession that trained you to figure things out and to get results. Lawyers are change agents, lawyers are leaders in their communities, and they are trained to solve problems. I wanted to be a part of a profession that represented all these things. AALM: What do you love about your job? MP: What I love most about my job is that no two days are alike. It can be exciting, difficult, serious, challenging and rewarding. I appreciate the fact that this role allows me to draw upon my everyday experiences while remain- ing my authentic self. AALM: What do you miss about being a lawyer? MP: The rush and challenge of a new case, serving cli- ents and helping young lawyers grow professionally. AALM: What do you believe is the biggest difference be- tween practicing law and presiding as a judge? MP: The biggest difference between practicing law and presiding as a judge is that you are no longer there to advocate on behalf of your client or advance his/her in- terests. Your job as a judge is to ensure that the parties obtain justice. A judge is responsible for presiding over her courtroom and ensuring a fair, neutral and balanced forum in which the parties may present their case. As a judge you are there to interpret the law, apply the law and seek a resolution. AALM: Are there any challenges you believe need to be corrected in the legal community? MP: I think that judges and lawyers must make a long- term commitment and play a meaningful role in correct- ing the impact of racial disparities in our courts and legal decisions. The most recent events of social injustice wit- nessed this summer must cease. Its longstanding history has existed for way too long and does absolutely nothing to move our country and legal system forward. It is time to collectively work together to find a solution. Lawyers are trained to get things done, courts ensure equity and I am hopeful there can and will be a real solution soon. AALM: How are you involved with the local commu- nity? MP: I am very involved in the community. I believe the public’s trust should be paramount in our appointed and elected officials because ultimately this is who we work for. I have been involved in the community long before becoming a lawyer or a judge because my parents stressed the importance of being involved and giving back. This was the example set for me and one that I also feel is of the utmost importance that I set for my own children as well. I am involved in various boards and community service organizations on both a local and national level. I am pas- sionate about educating the public about the importance of voting, and issues affecting justice and our courts. AALM: Are there any changes in the future that you’re looking forward to? MP: The biggest change in the future that I am looking forward to is to become the next judge of the 95th Civil District Court. I am currently the Democratic nominee and will head to the general election on November 3, 2020. With the support and votes of Dallas County voters, I am looking forward to becoming the next elected judge which will give me the autonomy to create policy and pro- cedures that I have been able to hone from my years as an associate judge in order to ensure an effective and ef- ficiently run court. AttorneyAtLawMagazine.com 7Dawn M. Smith Managing Partner Personal Injury, Toxic Exposures and Medical Negligence. "Putting our clients First." Toll Free: 855.898.7800 Phone: 214.953.1900 • Fax: 214.953.1901 325 N. Saint Paul St., 29th Floor, Dallas, TX 75201 dawn@smithclinesmith.com www.smithclinesmith.comIt is with a heavy heart that I write you today with news of the latest medical scam that could hurt you or someone you love. The practice has been referred to as “predatory screening.” It works sort of like this: a company offers to come to your church or an employ- er-sponsored health fair to do a free screening, or you could receive a flyer in the mail inviting you to come to a local hotel for a “preventive health screening.” Heck, I received one of these recently – the flyer gave me a special priority code and invited me to a local screening, telling me that “space is limited, so act now to re- serve your spot.” For the mere sum of $149.00 I could receive a “painless, non-invasive” test and could even keep my clothes on! (An added plus for the over-60 set). The flyer scared the hell out of me. It said that my chance of getting a stroke is 1 in 5 and that most people who have a stroke have no symptoms. These companies rely on scaring potential consumers enough to convince them to purchase a screening package. Turns out the company that does the screenings is “sponsored” by a local group of vascular surgeons. If a blockage is found on the “preven- tive screening” the patient is told there are medical procedures to zap it and, in some instances, even prevent an amputation down the line! Heck, who wouldn’t want to have that limb- threatening blockage removed ASAP? So, who stands to profit from this screening? The patient or the doctor treating the results of the screening? Ding. Ding. Ding. Clearly, you’ve been reading my articles if you guessed, “the doctor.” The peer-reviewed medical litera- ture is clear. Routine screening for asymptomatic patients is medically unnecessary. Most people have some leg pain at some point in their lives and many patients over 60 (yes, that’s me) will have some amount of vessel narrowing or “blockage.” But stent- ing, lasering or “ballooning” legs are not typically medically necessary and has not been proven to have any real health benefits for the patient. These procedures have been known, how- ever, to improve the financial health of the physicians who choose to turn a blind eye to medical ethics and sci- ence. The unnecessary treatment, in sum, is THE POINT of the screening. It is a “business model” that has proven to be very lucrative for particular brands of entrepreneurial doctors. Dr. Martin Makary, M.D., is a can- cer surgeon at Johns Hopkins, a best- selling author and one of my personal heroes. In his latest book, “The Price We Pay,” he tells a story of a church fair that resulted in converting “a community of average residents into a pool of patients.” Dr. Makary is the one who coined the phrase “Leg is the New Heart.” You see, sending a patient to a cardiac cath lab to have a stent placed can be lifesaving. How- ever, routinely stenting heart vessels has been shown to have no long-term effect on survival rate. Unnecessarily stenting heart vessels has come under scrutiny and, as a result, the practice is on the decline while routinely putting stents or “ballooning” leg vessels is on the rise. But, if patients aren’t having active problems, how do you build a medical practice? Where do the pa- tients come from? Yes, you guessed it, “predatory screening.” The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force has been abundantly clear, “there is no evidence to support screening for peripheral artery dis- ease.” Simply put, luring potential patients in for unnecessary medical procedures is wrong. Using patients as human ATM’s is wrong. There is a consensus in the medical literature that it is wrong. There is no empirical data that these screening procedures are beneficial to patients. But, none of this is enough to stop doctors who place their own profits over patient safety. I wish I could say that over-stenting and “ballooning” legs is an isolated in- stance of healthcare providers screw- ing the patients and the system. But predatory medical screening is only one part of a bigger problem. Kaiser Health News published that “Some experts state that approximately $200 billion is wasted every year on ex- cessive and unnecessary testing and treatment.” This “overtreatment” is believed to cause 30,000 deaths each year. This waste causes patient harm and excessive cost. And yes, some of this is costing you and me money in the form of our tax dollars and our in- creased health insurance premiums. And who is most often getting tricked into these schemes? Lots of good folks including approximate- ly 1,100 churches, synagogues and mosques who have inadvertently served as vascular screening cen- ters, according to Dr. Makary and his team. And the results are in and should be no surprise... Dr. Makary’s research found that this practice is more prevalent in poorer socioeco- nomic areas of the country. What do most of the victims have in common? A genuine interest in their health and a desire to get the medi- cal treatment they have been tricked into believing they need. It’s just wrong. KAY VAN WEY | Medical Malpractice Kay Van Wey is a plaintiff’s medical malpractice attorney. After more than 30 years, her goal is to make herself extinct by helping to eradicate preventable medical errors. Voted Texas Super Lawyer for 17 consecutive years and recognized by Best Lawyers in America for her work in medical malpractice and personal injury litigation. Kay is board certified in Personal Injury Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization and named Trial Legend by the Dallas Bar Association. Kay serves as adjunct professor at SMU Dedman School of Law teaching Law and Medicine. Contact Kay online at: vwpwlaw.com or kay@vwpwlaw.com. 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