West Short & Howell, PLLC

A great presentation by Mike Howell!

Today we heard from Mike Howell at West Short & Howell, PLLC. West Short and Associates is a civil litigation law firm located in Georgetown, Texas, serving its clients in all nature of civil disputes using the highest standards of quality, professionalism and ethics.

There is a simple word change that you can use to help resolve conflict, whether that is personal, business, or political conflict. That change is using "how" instead of "why." When we use "why," we are inviting someone to come up with a story that involves blame for "why" this or that happened. "Why" therefore not a useful question to ask in the midst of a conflict. When we use "how," however, we look at the process rather than the story, the practical issue of "how" something happens, in a series of steps, rather than a story about why it happened.

For example, If someone is upset at you, asking them "why" they are upset just invites them to come up with a story about all the things that you did that "made them" upset. In turn, you will likely feel obligated to defend your actions with your own story about "why" you did what you did, which will likely cause the other person to defend their story. This perpetuates and escalates the conflict, with each person defending their story, taking you farther and farther away from a resolution.

Instead, if someone is upset, and you ask them "how" they got upset, in a series of events, it invites them to look at their part in the process of them getting upset. Asking them "how" you can help them to feel better also invites them to discuss what, as a practical matter, they want you to do to help. This de-escalates the conflict, and invites resolution.

Try it for yourself and see "how" it works!

This is VERY important. If you have any claim at all relating to Harvey, go ahead and file it BEFORE 9/1 even if you don't have all the details yet. If you don't, and you fall under the new law, the penalty for insurance companies delaying payment to you is significantly less (10% versus 18% interest). Make no mistake, this isn't about "frivolous lawsuits," this is about insurance companies minimizing the consequences of mistreating their customers.

Lawyers urge Texas homeowners to file Harvey claims before new law goes into effect

We just found out that our 5th Circuit victory in SouthPeak v. TimeGate is being taught in continuing legal education (CLE) courses on arbitration. Wow!