Some days, it is hard to imagine what life was like before the coronavirus pandemic. Sometimes I have trouble remembering what happened two years ago, let alone 10 years ago! LOL! But there is one thing I can remember for sure from 2011, and that is that I opened Lucid Law!
As I was thinking about this huge landmark in my professional life, I wondered what other major events happened that year. Yes, I say other major events. Opening my own law firm was, and is, certainly a major event in my life. So I decided to do a little research and I found some fun stuff and some troubling stuff.
The Royals
This year, there has been much attention on the Royal Family. We have the Harry & Meghan drama while The Crown was a binge watchers favorite. In 2011, the Royals also made headlines – The King’s Speech won Best Picture and Prince William and Kate Middleton tied the knot. Maybe they danced to the Record of the Year at their wedding, Lady Antebellum’s Need You Now.
The Crimes
The trials of Casey Anthony and Amanda Knox were all over the news. Jerry Sandusky was indicted in the Penn State child sex abuse scandal. And, for the first time, the use of social media, specifically Twitter, was nearly the cause of a mistrial when serial murderer, rapist and arsonist, Steven Hayes, appealed his death sentence for heinous crimes against 48 year old Jennifer Hawke-Petit and her 2 young daughters, as his defense attorney alleged the posting of comments and discussions about the ongoing criminal case had “poisoned the jury” and not allowed Hayes to have a fair trial. On a lighter note, winner winner chicken dinner, tiger blood, and other insanity.
The Spotlights
Thor and the Cap got their own movies. Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore split up. We saw the tragic death of Amy Winehouse and the establishment of the Amy Winehouse Foundation for the benefit of young people struggling with addiction. And, let’s not forget, Kim Kardashian managed to get married, renew her vows on The Ellen DeGeneres Show and get divorced all in less time than it would take you to get your Chapter 7 discharge!!!! #RealHousewives #Chapter7isHeaven
The Endings
Osama bin Laden was killed by Navy SEALS in a May raid. Good riddance to him. On the other hand, we saw a less controversial character leave us. Yes, I am talking about the conclusion of Harry Potter. Lastly, we saw the final mission of Atlantis. This marked the end of America’s 30-year shuttle program.
The Real Estate News
2011 was the start of a rebound in the housing market. In 2007 and 2008 we saw the greatest drop in housing prices in recent history. Homeowners found themselves out of equity and in homes that were underwater. But the peak of the foreclosure tsunami had finally passed though and people who had lost their jobs during the recession were, by and large, transitioned into new jobs. Remarkably, although nearly 25% of all residential real estate in the US was still “underwater,” 2011 marked the 1st time in 4 years that the number of homes with negative equity was on the decline.
So, in 2011, Lucid Law’s birth was just one major event in a year packed with so much news. With this sobering perspective on the year of our beginnings, we want to say how much we sincerely appreciate the support of our clients, families, friends, and colleagues. Without all of you, the last 10 years would not have been possible, and the truly bright future we see ahead would not be on our horizon. Lucid Law started with just me, and now we are a powerhouse of 5 women who care about our clients, our work, and our families. I am not calling my team superheroes, or necessarily suggesting that we should get our own movie … but you are welcome to! Here’s my take-away: 2011 was an exciting year, but I cannot wait to see what the next ten years brings to the team at Lucid Law!!!!!!
