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4 Published by The Newsletter Pro • www.newsletterpro.comTORONTO OFFICE: 416-900-3889 WWW.KRUSELAW.CA

Last month, we talked about stress. It’s one of those things we all have in common and something we all experience in our daily lives. What sets us all apart, however, is how we deal with stress. For me, stress is something I use to my advantage. In many ways, it motivates me when I prepare for a case and when I walk into a courtroom.

As a lawyer, I often put in long hours both in court and at the office, and I bring work home with me. It’s not uncommon for my schedule to be completely full, day after day, six or seven days a week. I love what I do and I’ve dedicated myself to the profession. You may very well be the same way, dedicated to what you do and willing to put in long hours to see the results you want.

Regardless of whether you’re working at a job you’re completely immersed in or you’re in search of something better, we would be lost without balance. Whether you call it a diversion, or a hobby, we all need some activity that takes us out of our daily routine and restores all the energy we pour into our jobs and the relieves the stress we build up. When I was younger I played just about every sport I could get into from baseball to tennis to football to hockey. I was even on the track team at one point.

Now, did I play any of these sports particularly well? That’s up for debate. But I held my own, playing various sports through high school and into college-a jack of all trades and master of none. Though I was not good enough to pursue sports past college, the lessons

I learned during my time playing stuck

with me. First and foremost, I learned team-building skills. I learned what it meant to work with a team and function in a highly competitive environment. You learn quickly that it’s not all about you. You’re out there to help one another, focused on a common goal.

The core concepts I learned in high school and college translate well into the professional world. If you played sports when you were younger, you may have carried many of those same lessons into your career. But for me, the love of fitness and sports goes beyond those lessons. I’ve kept fitness and sports in my life, and today they provide work and life balance.

In fact, outside of practicing law, hockey is one of my great passions. I try to play at least once a week if I can. When you work, and work, and work, sometimes that can weigh down on you.

Even when it’s something that you absolutely love, having a balance between what you do for a living and the rest of your life is important for your mental and physical health. There may be those weeks when I’m in the office six days out of seven, but I still make it a point to get to the gym or the rink.

What’s your “diversion” or hobby? What do you do to manage your stress, or maintain your mental and physical health? Take some time to find that balance, and don’t forget one of the most important persons in your life: yourself.

The Importance of Our Diversions

Michael Kruse

KRUSE NEWSINSIDE THISISSUE

St. Patrick’s Day was not always about beer-guzzling revelry and dyeing the Chicago River green. Canadians and Americans have transformed the religious celebration of Saint Patrick and the appreciation of Irish culture into a celebration of fortune and good luck, and the green four-leaf clover symbol is integral to the holiday’s branding.

Some superstitious symbols are so commonplace today that we don’t even question their origins. Items like the dreamcatcher, the horseshoe, and the rabbit’s foot are all charms we have appropriated. But since the dawn of civilization, people all over the world have used good luck symbols to represent the fulfillment of common needs, protection against injury or death, or the promise of money and wealth.

In Australia, Aboriginal people saw the frog as a symbol of good fortune, because they believed the amphibian brought rain and thunder to the land. Other choice animals, and their choice parts, are associated with luck in many cultures as well. One of these “charms” in Africa is the vulture head,

believed to possess powers to predict the future due to the bird’s incredible sight. Sadly, the trade of vulture heads has resulted in increased poaching and has had a devastating impact on a majority of the vulture species there.

The “beckoning cat” is a good luck symbol you might be more familiar with. Known in Japan as the maneki-neko, this paw-waving cat is often seen in storefront windows, and is meant to attract wealth (no actual animals harmed). In India, a cat’s eye gemstone is meant to bring good luck and is said to shield you from misfortune in business and money matters.

Other good luck charms include tiny handmade worry dolls of Northern Guatemala, which are placed under one’s pillow at night to bring solutions to everyday woes. Acorns have been associated with power since the Norman Conquest, when the English carried them as protection from harm. And if you’re ever in China and spot someone who has a mole with an impressively long hair sprouting from it, don’t be alarmed! Moles are a sign of good luck, too.

The Importance of Our Diversions PAGE 1

Spring Sanity Testimonial PAGE 2

The Best Way to Select a Criminal Lawyer Memes Baked Asparagus Fries PAGE 3

A Charmed World PAGE 4

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A Charmed WorldGOOD LUCK SYMBOLISM FROM ALL CORNERS OF THE GLOBE

2 TORONTO OFFICE: 416-900-3889 3WWW.KRUSELAW.CA

INGREDIENTS• 1 cup Panko bread crumbs

• ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

• 1 pound asparagus, trimmed

• ½ cup all-purpose flour

• 2 large eggs, beaten

DIRECTIONSPreheat oven to 425 degrees F. Lightly oil a baking sheet or coat with nonstick spray.

In a large bowl, combine Panko and Parmesan; season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Working in batches, dredge asparagus in flour, dip into eggs, then dredge in Panko mixture, pressing to coat.

Place asparagus in a single layer onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown and crisp.

Serve immediately

Asparagus FriesMemes

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“It turns out Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is more complicated than previously thought. Most people begin to feel the effects of SAD in early fall. SAD is defined by feeling depressed — losing interest in your passions, feeling hopeless, having trouble sleeping or difficulty concentrating, being low on energy, and gaining weight.

There are so many choices out there when it comes to legal representation. You may do a Websearch or you may be referred to a lawyer by a friend. Before you make a selection, you need to ask the right questions to determine if a lawyer will be a good match for your situation and criminal charge. Where do you begin?

Start with specialization. Ask them if they are specialized in criminal law. Do they have experience with cases like yours? If you’re being charged with domestic assault, for example, do they even cover those kinds of cases? And is that their predominant focus? Is the firm devoted to the criminal law field?

Additionally, be sure to ask if the firm has former criminal prosecutors on their team. It’s advantageous for a criminal defence lawyer to have

worked for the Crown Attorney as a criminal or drug Prosecutor or both. That means they know the system and can strategize your case accordingly.

Then, ask them about experience. How many cases did they take to trial in the last year? How many did they win? How many jury trials have they done in the past year, or past five years? And again, how many did they win? Keep in mind many criminal lawyers will tell you they are trial lawyers, when they don’t do trials at all. Trial lawyers call them ‘guilty plea lawyers’.

On that note as well, be sure to ask about their reputation. Is the lawyer or firm respected by Crown Attorneys, judges and the defence bar? Do they have a reputation for excellence in their practice, winning cases and negotiating the best plea deals?

Next, ask them about their team. Do they work in a team environment? Are they willing to bounce ideas off of one another? Will they have several lawyers reviewing your case, making sure every stone is uncovered? The fact is, many minds (and perspectives) are more helpful than one.

Finally, ask yourself a few questions. Are you comfortable with the lawyer you’re speaking with? Does he or she seem engaged with you and your case? Consider the answers they give your questions. You’ll have enough information to make an informed decision to hire a lawyer who will get you results.

TESTIMONIALAccused, confused and told you’re going to lose, I decided to call Kruse. In 2013, I was charged with impaired driving and refusal to blow by police. I retained a criminal lawyer, who after reviewing all the evidence said my probability of beating the charges were “very remote”. I had spent $7000 already but decided to remove him as counsel in the days before trial. I knew if I had any chance of beating the two criminal charges, I needed a expert lawyer in DUI. I retained Michael Kruse to review my case and from his first discussion with me over the phone, I knew with Kruse Law I had a shot at winning. Over the coming weeks my confidence grew based on the professionalism and extreme attention to detail Michael and his team demonstrated. Michael Kruse left nothing to chance in my defence from the Charter applications to my witness preparation. Michael was fantastic at trial leading the Crown to request the judge to dismiss both charges half way through the trial. Michael and his team saved my life. Choose Kruse!!

The Questions You Need to AskHow to Select a Criminal Lawyer

BAKED

- NC, Toronto

For some people, though, the symptoms of SAD worsen in the spring. Not only can the symptoms of depression persist, they can become magnified. Trouble sleeping turns into insomnia. Hopelessness turns into anxiety. At a glance, this progression seems illogical. If the days are getting longer and the weather is getting warmer, shouldn’t SAD fade?

While the exact cause of SAD isn’t fully understood, there are theories as to why it can continue into the spring. One of those theories is called the “comparison factor.” A person experiencing SAD observes others who are not — people who are having fun and are

enjoying the warmer season. As a result, the person feels worse, which exacerbates

feelings of hopelessness and anxiety, among others.

Another theory takes a different approach — seasonal allergies.

In recent years, researchers have studied links between seasonal allergies and depression. During February and March, many winter SAD sufferers have renewed energy and more positive emotions. Then toward the end of March and into April, the symptoms of SAD return and the sufferer doesn’t understand why.

As it turns out, people who suffer from allergies are twice as likely to suffer from depression. But why? If you’re an allergy sufferer, you know how draining they can be. You feel generally awful day in and day out and often lose sleep. It’s that loss of sleep, combined with inflammation cause by allergies that researchers believe to be at the center of spring SAD. While allergens such as dander, dust mites, mold, and pollen can be difficult to avoid, the answer to defeating spring SAD may come down to getting your seasonal allergies under control.

Spring SanitySEASONAL AFFECTIVE DISORDER DOESN’T ALWAYS END WITH SPRING