Giving Back - Community Involvement

People & Profits

Some people say that business is all about profitability. Those people are mostly right. If you can't make any money, you won't be in business for very long. 

At St. Augustine Law Group, we believe that business and law are more than just a transactions involving profitability. They involve real people! People with families, friends, history, and a future. Our desire is to meet people where they are, and hopefully assist them on a human level, as well as help them navigate a complex legal issue. As an Attorney & Counselor at Law, part of our job is help set the minds of our clients at ease as we work towards a resolution related to their case, or help them prevent future headache by providing them advice ahead of a planned action. This focus on people is what leads us to give back to the community.

St. Johns County Legal Aid

Part of the Jacksonville Area Legal Aid network, St. Johns County legal aid is located on San Marco Avenue. They offer a variety of services to citizens whom could not otherwise afford an attorney. In addition, it serves as a central gathering place for attorneys in our community wishing to serve those in need of legal services. Everything from teaching a forms class to free legal representation, Legal Aid provides services to those that qualify. Richard Brooks regularly volunteers at the monthly advice clinics where members of the community receive a free consultation on their legal issues with the opportunity of obtaining full time free legal representation if they qualify.

Guardian Ad Litem (GAL)

Many people are unaware of what a GAL is. in general, a GAL is an advocate for children within the "system" otherwise known as dependency. There are a variety of reasons that a child might become the responsibility of the state. Abuse, neglect, and family tragedy are just a few possible reasons. When these children become part of the "system" GAL's act specifically on their behalf, advocating for their needs, and wants before the court and other agencies. Feel free to read more about the program here. Mr. Brooks is a GAL for the 7th Circuit. 

Gamble Rogers Music Festival

In 2015, St. Augustine Law Group, PA co-sponsored the "Pickers" stage at the Gamble Rogers Folk Festival held at the St. Augustine Amphitheater. The festival proceeds are for the benefit of the Gamble Rogers Memorial Foundation. 

More to come...

At St. Augustine Law Group, PA our goal is to be more involved in our community every day. We don't want to only be seen in an office, or in the court room. We want to be seen and known by our community as a company, and as people that strive to make our community a better place by supporting local organizations, businesses, and a variety of causes that benefit our community. 

Contracts - The Basics

In today's world, hand-shake agreements do still exist, but as the risks for each party increase, written contracts are not only desired, but required. Whether you realize it or not, contracts pervade the lives of every citizen, not just business owners. If you have participated in any of the actions below, whether you knew it or not, you were agreeing to a contract!

• Residential Lease
• Cable/Internet Subscription
• Buying a Car
• Buying a House
• Getting a loan
• Opening a Credit Card
• Signing a receipt
• etc. (You get the picture)

Contracts are an essential part of life. We hate living with them because they can complicate a seemingly simple transaction, on the other hand, we can't live without them.

What are the Basics?

Every contract is effectively comprised of the following three elements:

Offer

While seeming obvious, an offer can sometimes be difficult to find. Generally speaking, one person or business is offering its products or services for a given price. The offer may come in the form of a written offer, but it more than likely to take place over the phone, in an email, or even in a text message. Advertisements are not always considered offers. An example of an offer would be: I offer to sell this bike to you for $50. If you agree, then you have "accepted the offer".

Acceptance

Much like offers, acceptance can come in many forms. Often times, acceptance is visualized as a handshake. Two parties are agreeing to a certain set of terms, and they commemorate their acceptance by shaking hands. While verbal contracts memorialized by a handshake are technically enforceable, the best form of acceptance (legally that is) comes in the form of a signature at the end of a written contract. Without acceptance, the contract is not valid. Even if the parties "Agree" a valid contract may not be present if consideration is not also present.

Consideration

Consideration has been termed in law books as "the benefit of the bargain". For example, you walk into a store selling widgets. You walk to the counter and inquire about the price. The shop-keep tells you that the price is $25 dollars. You promptly take $25 out of your wallet and hand it to the man or woman. The $$$ you paid is the consideration of your verbal contract. You agreed to pay $25 in exchange for the widget you desired to purchase.

An extreme example of a situation where consideration is not present would be something like the following. Someone walks up to you and says "I'd like you to sign this document that says you will pay me $50/mth to lease the car you already own from me. You will receive no additional benefits, other than the satisfaction of paying me $50/mth." For one reason or another, you sign the document. This contract would lack adequate consideration. Absent some additional facts, you already own the car you are driving. You aren't receiving any additional benefit for paying him the $50/month. This contract would thus be invalid.

Conclusion

At the end of the day, everyone deals with contracts. The more complex the contract, the more difficult it can be to pick out the three essential components. St. Augustine Law Group, PA reads contracts the way many people read the newspaper. We've seen good ones, and bad ones. If you ever need help with a contract for your business, personal life, rental property, or even your work, St. Augustine Law Group, PA would be happy to help you understand the terms and conditions you are agreeing to. We invite you to Contact Us to get a free consultation!

Support Local Small Business!

Saint Augustine Law Group, PA is pleased to announce that we will be exhibiting at the St. Johns County Small Business Expo. The event is scheduled for May 6th, 2015 from 9am - 2pm EST at Saint Johns River State College. Please visit http://stjohnsbusinessexpo.com/ for more information.  If you are a local business owner, or you are a citizen that likes to support local business, please be sure to attend this event.

Danielle Brooks of Danielle Brooks Photography will be there to take new studio style head shots for both exhibitors and attendees!