Tag Archives: christian lawyer

Marketing for your Personal Injury Firm Tampa

Posted on May 31, 2013 by Blick Law

Welcome to the Behind The Scenes Blick Blog. Blick Law Firm blogs over the years have provided legal information to the community, which is wonderful, but it is time to mix things up and get personal!

Behind The Scenes Blog: weekly insights from inside the firm. Today’s story is brought to you by Mahayana Sfeir, Bilingual Marketing Liaison.

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“I don’t mind living in a man’s world as long as I can be a woman in it.” ~Marilyn Monroe

The reason I started with this quote is because when I think of our Director of Marketing and Public Relations this quote just seems to fit her perfectly. Dana Blickensderfer, director of marketing and public relations at Blick Law Firm is attorney Michael Blickensderfer’s daughter and her role at the firm is vital to the ongoing excellence of daily operations.

At first glance, Dana appears to be this elegant-gentle woman, but she is mu293000_433200156730890_236531918_nch more than that. She is a smart, fierce business woman who is not afraid to shine in a man’s world. This quality in her character really intrigued me and is the reason why I chose her as the focus for our next blog topic. Dana demonstrates this type of leadership daily in her work habits and drive.  She started in her father’s practice in 2010 after graduating from the University of South Florida where she created and implemented her role from nothing.

Initially, the lack of marketing and branding of the firm was a red flag for Dana to utilize her schooling and skills to enhance the family business. To her father’s surprise, it would become a very important piece of the puzzle for the business’s growth. Attorneys, doctors and many professionals on their own must not only carry their education and expertise into their career, but also be able to produce and cultivate business. However, many business professionals lack the creative entrepreneurial mindset that it takes to run successful marketing business plans.  Dana understood the need to market the practice using her well-developed marketing planning abilities to further the family business. She implemented some of the communications and public relations concepts learned from USF, producing amazing results.

Learning from her many trial and error experiments, victories and failures, she realized the success she could accomplish. I commend Dana for her drive, which is what I admire the most about Dana Blickensderfer.

When I first met Dana, we instantly connected as like-minded ambitious women. We believe in our capabilities for success, the word “Can’t” does not exist in our vocabulary. We dream big, but we also know that everything takes time and hard work. Perseverance and dedication is what will get us to that success we foresee together for this personal injury law practice. She became one of the key employees at Blick Law Firm in charge of the office operations, as well as the marketing department. Dana has created an amazing system that I am happy to be a part of, and I look forward to helping her accomplish even more. Like the saying goes “… two heads are better than one…” Together as a team we are creating solid plans to be followed towards our growth.

Dana Blickensderfer is passionate about her work which is an enormous advantage when working by her side. Her passion and enthusiasm is contagious. I am honored to join forces with her and our Blick family to take us to another level. With God there is nothing we can not accomplish, therefore we will stop at nothing.

I would like to finish with this scripture from the Bible that iterates the way we live our day to day in our careers “…it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” (Luke 12:32 ASV)

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Close to 100 companies accepted into Social Madness

Posted on May 30, 2013 by Blick Law

The nominating period ended at 11:59 p.m. on May 15, and some local companies got in just under the wire, bringing the total number of competitors in Tampa Bay to 93.

The new companies are:

  • Blick Law Firm
  • Citizinvestor
  • Cushman & Wakefield
  • DigitalBrainz
  • Keller Williams Realty Tampa Properties
  • MB2x
  • Modern Enterprise Solutions Inc.
  • Nickel Communications
  • Pam’s Country Restaurant
  • Strategic Image Management

Social Madness is a one-of-a-kind competition that measures a company’s social media engagement.

Nominations are now closed. The competition will kick off on June 3, and if your company wins the local bracket-style competition, it will move on to the nationals, starting July 16. The winning companies will have $10,000 charitable donations made on their behalf.

Social Madness is locally sponsored by Mercedes-Benz of Tampa.

Pam Huff is Director of News Operations for the Tampa Bay Business Journal.

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ABC Action News Coverage Criminal Defense Attorney Tampa

Posted on May 21, 2013 by Blick Law

Today’s story is brought to you b_MG_0888y Mahayana Sfeir, Bilingual Marketing Liaison.

“Helping the Hurting” is an amazing mission statement that really impressed me when I first came on board to the Blick Law Firm family. I call it family because it is really how they make you feel as soon as you step foot inside their office. As a Christian woman myself, I instantly connected with the Blick family.

Their relentless commitment to helping their clients goes above and beyond any law firm I have ever encountered.   When I tell you that attorney, Michael Blickensderfer will many times pray with his client,  it is a true statement. Their work and passion comes from the heart, it is not about the dollar amount, although it is a business and they have to diligently run it, compassion is really what makes them unique and successful. Clients are inclined to refer and make us their attorney for life.

More recently, we were blessed to have had the opportunity on Thursday May 16 2013, to receive a call from ABC Actions News journalist Alison Morrow requesting attorney, Michael Blickensderfer to discuss recent legal ramifications on a local breaking news story: A Lutz man accused of murdering his unborn fetus faces federal charges because Florida state law would not have considered the baby “viable”. 

Our team was more tReporter Alison and Mikehan thrilled for Blickensderfer, who has more than 25 years legal experience and is a former prosecutor and well versed in criminal defense.  To be able to share his expertise with multimedia journalist Alison Morrow from ABC Actions News from the marketing aspect of what we are trying to accomplish, was a true blessing.

 

Although short notice, Blickensderfer did an excellent job with the interview and appeared very comfortable in front of the camera, so our job becomes a whole lot easier! Alison Morrow was very accommodating to Blickensderfer and her questions about the story aimed at the severity conviction charge the man may face and the difference between state and federal laws. Check out some footage behind the scenes here:

Over all, the dynamic of the office is an extraordinary environment to work at. It is based on Christian values, integrity, loyalty, contagious optimism and cheerful ambiance. These are all traits that are instilled on every employee, which is a recipe for immediate success.  I would like to end with an inspiring scripture from the bible:

“Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work with us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.” (Ephesians 3:20, NLT)

Think quick, call Blick! 813-931-0840. www.blicklawfirm.com

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Real Estate: Short Sale

Posted on May 15, 2013 by Blick Law

Homeowners are often unsure of what options are available when they reach financial hardship. A short sale is an agreement by a mortgage lender to sell property for an amount lower than the balance owed in order to relieve the buyer of the mortgage obligation.

A short sale can be a helpful tool when trying to avoid foreclosure. Depending on the negotiated amount of the sale and the timeliness of past mortgage payments, a short sale may help avoid the huge hit to your credit score that foreclosure causes. Additionally, short sale participants can later purchase a home in a shorter time than those who foreclose on their property.

A short sale can be completed by finding a buyer to purchase the home who is willing to pay current market value, and having the mortgage provider agree to the sale. Any shortage after the sale will then either be written off by the lender and an IRS 1099 is issued to the seller, or a deficiency remains which the lender may pursue to collect against the seller.

The short sale process can be complicated, and the lender may not be willing to negotiate. It is important to know that a real estate attorney can help negotiate the sale and terms with the mortgage lender and provide you peace of mind that your sale is being handled by an accountable professional.

If you have legal questions regarding your short sale or you are considering your options, call Blick Law Firm today at (813) 931-0840 to schedule a free 15-minute consultation with attorney Michael Blickensderfer.

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Foreclosure Defense Tampa

Posted on April 22, 2013 by Blick Law

Foreclosure is the process by which a lender attempts to recover the unpaid balance of a loan after the borrower discontinues payments. Foreclosure allows the lender to force a sale of the home in order to satisfy the remaining balance of the loan.

In Florida, if you have received a foreclosure summons complaint, you have 20 days to answer in order to avoid a default judgment being issued against you. Once your home is threatened by foreclosure, it is important to seek legal advice and explore what options may be available.

It is important to seek legal advice from an experienced foreclosure attorney prior to filing an appropriate answer to a foreclosure summons. The answer to a foreclosure summons can be the difference between quickly losing your home to a default judgment or maintaining and keeping your home for an extended period.

If your property becomes subject to foreclosure, here are some potential remedies to discuss with an experienced attorney:

  • Reinstatement – To avoid the completion of the foreclosure process, you may be able to reinstate the loan by making payments on the past due amount. Generally, the lender will be cooperative if you bring your account up to date, or demonstrate that you now have the means to catch up on the past due payments.
  • Mortgage Modification – The lender may be willing to modify the terms of the mortgage. Modification of the agreement may involve adding payments to the end of the mortgage and simply extend the term of the loan. Modification of the mortgage agreement may also be made by reducing the interest rate of the original Mortgage Agreement, and it could include partial forgiveness of the amount of money you owe.
  • Forbearance Plan – As a borrower you may be able to file a forbearance plan with your mortgage provider. Under this arrangement, the lender will agree not to pursue the foreclosure action; but, the lender will likely require proof of adequate means to satisfy the repayment on the loan. This is generally a viable option if you have encountered a temporary setback such as poor health or loss of employment.
  • Deed in Lieu of Foreclosure – You may also deed the home back to the mortgage provider if the lender agrees to accept a Deed in Lieu of Foreclosure. The lender will take back the property and cancel the remaining debt. You will be unable to keep your home, but avoid foreclosure and minimize the detriment to your credit score.
  • Short Sale – To avoid foreclosure, you may also be able to sell your home for less money than the amount owed. A short sale can be completed by finding a buyer willing to pay current market value to purchase the home and have the mortgage provider agree to the sale. Any shortage after the sale will then either is written off by the lender and an IRS 1099 is issued to the seller, or a deficiency remains which the lender may pursue to collect against the seller.

Foreclosure continues to be a growing problem in Florida, and if it happens to you, the worst thing to do is ignore it.

If you or a loved one are being threatened by Foreclosure or have legal questions regarding any potential legal remedies, call Blick Law Firm today at (813) 931-0840. Schedule a free 15-minute consultation with attorney Michael Blickensderfer to see what your legal rights are in defending a foreclosure action.

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What is personal injury protection?

Posted on April 19, 2013 by Blick Law

Personal Injury Protection (PIP) is a mandatory coverage on Florida car insurance policies that covers medical expenses, lost wages, and other damages. The original purpose of PIP coverage was to make sure that anyone injured in an auto accident would quickly receive money to treat their injuries. In Florida, all drivers are obligated to obtain a minimum of $10,000 PIP coverage for medical bills and lost wages following an auto accident.

Due to rampant fraud and misappropriation of PIP coverage in Florida, insurance companies have lobbied to pass PIP insurance reform to limit the types of treatment available to crash victims covered by PIP, and limit the amount of coverage in order to avoid abuse and fraud.

The new PIP law, which took effect January 1, 2013, requires that persons injured in an accident must begin medical services and care within 14-days of the accident in order to be eligible for PIP benefits. The law also requires that injured persons obtain their initial medical treatment from specific medical entities. The initial treatment must be administered by the following:

  • Emergency medical services personnel
  • Hospital
  • Facility that owns or is wholly owned by a hospital
  • Medical doctor, dentist, chiropractor or osteopath.

Additionally, the new law bans the use of PIP dollars to pay for massage or acupuncture treatments and will limit the payout for non-emergency treatment of accident-related injuries to $2,500.00. A widespread concern is that accident victims with serious injuries won’t be able to get the care they need if they sustain an injury such as a whiplash or herniated disc because these injuries may not qualify as an emergency.

Nonetheless, supporters of the new law insist that the reform will contribute to overall lower insurance premiums and provide much needed relief to Florida drivers.

If you or a loved one have been a victim of an auto accident and have questions concerning your rights, call Blick Law Firm today at 813-931-0840 to schedule a free 15 minute consultation with attorney Michael Blickensderfer. Think quick, call Blick!

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