Upfront "53).%33
Walk-in retail law center opens in Palo Alto #%/ SAYS GATHERING SPOT WILL MAKE THE LAW @MORE ACCESSIBLE AJ !BHYANKER WANTS TO CHANGE THE PUBLIC S PERCEP TION OF LAWYERS STREAMLINE PART OF THE LEGAL PROCESS AND RES URRECT THE h-AINSTREET BOOKSTOREv BUSINESS MODEL ALL BY OPENING A RETAIL STORE IN DOWNTOWN 0ALO !LTO THAT SELLS LEGAL ADVICE BOOKS AND TABLETS !BHYANKER IS THE #%/ OF ,EGAL &ORCE A COMPANY THAT AIMS TO IM PROVE THE ACCESS BETWEEN LAWYERS AND THE PUBLIC BY USING TECHNOLOGY (E HOPES HIS STORE THE ,EGAL&ORCE "OOK&LIP WILL TRANSFORM THE WAY
R
THE PUBLIC LOOKS AT LAWYERS h7E WANT PEOPLE TO REALIZE THAT LAWYERS LIKE DOCTORS CAN PROVIDE HELP THROUGHOUT VARIOUS STAGES OF LIFE v SAID !BHYANKER WHO HAS A LAW DEGREE AN -"! AND A MASTER S DE GREE IN ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING h&EW PEOPLE KNOW WHERE TO TURN FOR LEGAL HELP 7E SOLVE THIS BY LETTING THE PUBLIC WALK INTO A MAJOR RETAIL LOCA TION FOR HELP v 4HE STORE WHICH DEBUTED THIS WEEK ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE NEW !PPLE STORE ON 5NIVERSITY !VENUE WILL BE OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK TO
Veronica Weber
,EGAL&ORCE S RETAIL STORE COMBINES ON SITE LEGAL CONSULTATION SALE OF TABLET COMPUTERS AND BOOKS AND A CONFERENCE AREA FOR FREE TALKS AND WORKSHOPS
PROVIDE WALK IN ACCESS TO LAWYERS WHO WILL GIVE INITIAL ADVICE ON PER SONAL AND BUSINESS TOPICS ! MIN UTE APPOINTMENT WITH A LAWYER WILL COST 3UBSEQUENT APPOINTMENTS CAN THEN BE SET UP WITH ,EGAL&ORCE AFFILIATED SPECIALISTS h4HE SWEATY PALMS COME FROM THE FIRST VISIT TO A LAWYER v HE SAID h)F YOU RE SICK YOU GO TO URGENT CARE )F YOU NEED TAX HELP YOU GO SEE A TAX PROFESSIONAL 4HERE S NO EASY WAY TO WALK IN AND SEE A LAWYER v $ESPITE DOWNTOWN 0ALO !LTO S HIGH LEASE RATES "OOK&LIP S SPACE COSTS A MONTH !BHYANKER SAID HE THINKS BEING WITHIN WALK ING DISTANCE OF DOZENS OF 0ALO !LTO S STARTUPS WILL BE WORTH THE INVESTMENT (E HOPES REPRESENTA TIVES FROM STARTUPS WILL COME INTO THE STORE TO SECURE A PATENT PROTECT A PATENT OR GET LEGAL HELP WITH SOME OTHER BUSINESS RELATED ISSUE 4HERE WILL BE DIFFERENT FEES FOR PEOPLE WHO WANT AN APPLICATION FILLED OUT ENTIRELY BY A LAWYER WITH A LAWYER S HELP OR MERELY REVIEWED BY A LAWYER !BHYANKER SAID LARGE BOOKSTORES AND ELECTRONICS STORES ARE FINDING IT DIFFICULT TO SURVIVE IN THE ELECTRON ICS AGE 0EOPLE GO TO THEM FIND OUT WHAT THEY WANT AND GO HOME AND BUY ONLINE 4HE RESULT HE SAID IS THE LOSS OF THE h-AINSTREET BOOK STORE v LIKE "ORDERS "OOKS AND -USIC IN 0ALO !LTO WHICH CLOSED IN
Veronica Weber
by Eric Van Susteren
2AJ !BHYANKER #%/ OF ,EGAL&ORCE SITS INSIDE THE COMPANY S NEW STORE "OOK&LIP IN DOWNTOWN 0ALO !LTO 3EPTEMBER h#ONSUMERS LACK THE SANCTU ARY THAT BOOKSTORES OFFER v HE SAID h0EOPLE MISS THEM THEY MISS GOING IN GETTING KNOWLEDGE AND RELAXING 7E WANT TO CHANGE PERCEPTION OF LAWYERS IN THE 5 3 BY MAKING LAW ACCESSIBLE IN A COMFORTABLE RETAIL AREA WHILE VITALIZING BOOKSTORES WITHOUT LOSING THE SANCTUARY FEEL v 4HE THREE STORY BUILDING WILL ALSO INCLUDE A SEMINAR ROOM WHICH !B HYANKER HOPES WILL HELP BUILD TRUST WITH THE COMMUNITY 4HE STORE WILL OFFER FREE CLASSES ON TOPICS RANGING FROM HOW TO WRITE A PATENT APPLICA TION TO HOW TO DEAL WITH A DEATH IN THE FAMILY !LSO THE SPACE WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR COMMUNITY GROUPS ,EGAL&ORCE IS OPENING "OOK&LIP WITH NO VENTURE CAPITAL FUNDING AND HAS ALREADY INVESTED MORE THAN MILLION OF ITS OWN MONEY INTO THE DESIGN AND CREATION OF THE STORE !B HYANKER SAID 4HE COMPANY S
REVENUE AFTER BUILT IN GOVERNMENT FEES WAS SLIGHTLY MORE THAN MILLION h$EPENDING ON OTHER PEOPLE S MONEY IS VERY STRESSFUL v HE SAID h7HETHER WE TAKE FUNDING LATER OR NOT IT HAS TO BE ALIGNED WITH OUR GOALS v ,EGAL&ORCE WAS FORMERLY KNOWN AS 4RADEMARKIA A -OUNTAIN 6IEW TRADEMARK LAW FIRM THAT HAS FILED MORE THAN PATENTS SINCE WITH THE HELP OF ITS TRADEMARK SEARCH ENGINE WHICH HE SAID ATTRACTS MORE THAN MILLION UNIQUE PAGE VIEWS A MONTH )F "OOK&LIP ITSELF DOESN T SEEM AMBITIOUS ENOUGH !BHYANKER HOPES TO EVENTUALLY GET INTO PUBLISHING SELLING ,EGAL&ORCE BRANDED LEGAL SELF HELP BOOKS AND EBOOKS THAT AL LOW USERS ONLINE ACCESS TO LAWYERS TO HELP N %DITORIAL !SSISTANT %RIC 6AN 3USTEREN CAN BE EMAILED AT EVAN SUSTEREN PAWEEKLY COM
#/--5.)49
Avenidas salutes community contributors 3IX HONORED WITH ,IFETIMES OF !CHIEVEMENT AWARDS by Rebecca Duran IX ACCOMPLISHED COMMUNITY MEMBERS SELECTED FROM A LIST OF MORE THAN CAN ADD BE ING WINNERS OF THE ANNUAL !VENIDAS ,IFETIMES OF !CHIEVEMENT AWARD TO THEIR EXTENSIVE LISTS OF HONORS %ACH HAS CONTRIBUTED TO THE COMMUNITY IN A DIFFERENT WAY RANGING FROM SERVICE IN MEDICINE ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY AND NONPROFIT WORK TO EDUCATION AND LANDSCAPE DESIGN 4HE HONOREES ALL OLDER THAN WERE REVEALED AT A PRIVATE CEREMONY HOSTED BY THE 0ALO !LTO NONPROFIT !VENIDAS ON 4HURSDAY 4HEY ARE $R 4OM &IENE "EN AND 2UTH (AM METT !L 2USSELL *UDITH 3TEINER AND +ATSY 3WAN &IENE WAS A PARTNER AT -ENLO -EDICAL #LINIC FOR YEARS UNTIL AND HAS TAUGHT IN THE 3TANFORD 3CHOOL OF -EDICINE SINCE (E HAS VOLUNTEERED AS A TEACHER AT THE 3TANFORD 0ACIFIC &REE #LINIC IN 3AN *OSE SINCE AND HAS SERVED ON THE 3TANFORD (OSPITAL "IOMEDICAL %THICS #OMMITTEE SINCE &IENE HAS ALSO SERVED ON THE BOARDS OF #HANNING (OUSE THE 0ALO !LTO #HAMBER /RCHESTRA AND THE 0ORTOLA 6ALLEY 2ANCH !SSOCIA
S
TION (E AND HIS WIFE LIVE IN 0OR TOLA 6ALLEY 4HE (AMMETTS VOLUNTEERISM HAS INCLUDED YOUTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL CAUSES INCLUDING ESTABLISHMENT OF THE (AMMETT !WARDS WITHIN THE $E PARTMENT OF %NVIRONMENTAL 3TUDIES AT 5 # 3ANTA #RUZ IN "EN HAS TAUGHT AND CONDUCTED RESEARCH AT 0ALO !LTO S 7ESTERN 'RADUATE 3CHOOL OF 0SYCHOLOGY AND 0ALO !LTO S -ENTAL 2ESEARCH )NSTI TUTE AND HE SERVED ON BOTH BOARDS FOR A TOTAL OF YEARS (E WAS ON THE .ATIONAL 0ARKS #ONSERVATION !SSOCIATION "OARD AND HAS BEEN ON THE .0#! 7ESTERN 2EGION !D VISORY #OUNCIL SINCE (E HAS ALSO VOLUNTEERED WITH THE 0ENINSULA #ONSERVATION #ENTER THE #ALIFORNIA !CADEMY OF 3CIENCES IN 3AN &RAN CISCO AND 0ALO !LTO S 5NITARIAN 5NI VERSALIST #HURCH 2UTH WAS ACTIVE WITH THE ,EAGUE OF 7OMEN 6OTERS IN THREE STATES SERVED ON THE BOARD AT !DOLES CENT #OUNSELING 3ERVICES AND IS NOW ON THE ADVISORY BOARD AT THE 0ALO !LTO (ISTORY -USEUM 3HE WAS ACTIVE WITH THE 04! AT VARI OUS 0ALO !LTO SCHOOLS 4HE COUPLE
Page 6ÊUÊÊ iLÀÕ>ÀÞÊn]ÊÓä£ÎÊUÊ*> Ê Ì Ê7ii ÞÊUÊÜÜÜ°*> Ì " i°V
LIVES IN 0ALO !LTO 2USSELL AN ATTORNEY IN PRIVATE PRACTICE IN 0ALO !LTO HAS MADE LARGE CONTRIBUTIONS TO LOCAL EDUCATION (E LAUNCHED &OUNDATION FOR %DUCATION IN SERVED ON ITS BOARD AND LED SEVERAL ADVISORY AND PLANNING COMMITTEES !FTER THE ORGANIZATION MERGED WITH THE !LL 3CHOOLS &UND TO CREATE 0ARTNERS IN %DUCATION 0I% HE SERVED FOUR MORE YEARS ON THE NEW BOARD 2USSELL HAS BEEN A BOARD MEM BER OF THE 0ALO !LTO (ISTORICAL !S SOCIATION 0ALO !LTO #OMMUNITY #HILD #ARE 9OUTH #OMMUNITY 3ERVICE AND THE 0ALO !LTO #HRIST MAS "UREAU (E WAS A PROGRAM LEADER AND FUNDRAISER FOR 0ALO !LTO S 9-#! COACHED FOR THE !MERICAN 9OUTH 3OCCER /RGA NIZATION FOR THREE YEARS AND HAS BEEN ON THE BOARD OF 0ALO !LTO (IGH 3CHOOL S 'OLD 3TAR -EMO RIAL 3CHOLARSHIP &UND SINCE 3TEINER HAS MADE A CAREER IN NONPROFIT MANAGEMENT INCLUDING LEADING (IDDEN 6ILLA FROM TO ! SCHOOL TEACHER YOUTH EM PLOYMENT COUNSELOR AND LANGUAGE TEACHER FOR BOTH THE 5NITED .ATIONS
AND THE )NTERNATIONAL !TOMIC %N ERGY !GENCY SHE FOUNDED )NNOVA TIVE (OUSING ON THE 0ENINSULA A PROGRAM PROVIDING SHARED HOUS ING TO LOW INCOME SINGLE PARENT FAMILIES IN 3HE HAS SERVED ON MANY BOARDS INCLUDING THE 3E NIOR #OORDINATING #OUNCIL WHICH LATER BECAME !VENIDAS 3HE WAS THE HUMAN RELATIONS CHAIR FOR THE 04! AT SEVERAL 0ALO !LTO SCHOOLS AND HAS BEEN INVOLVED WITH THE ,EAGUE OF 7OMEN 6OTERS THE 5# -ASTER 'ARDENER 0ROGRAM AND 3TANFORD 3TUDIES OF (OMELESS &AMILIES #HILDREN AND 9OUTH 3HE WAS NAMED 7OMAN OF THE 9EAR FOR THE TH 3ENATE $ISTRICT AND WAS ONE OF FIVE FINALISTS FOR THE #ENTER FOR %XCELLENCE IN .ONPROF ITS FIRST %XCELLENCE IN ,EADERSHIP !WARD 3HE LIVES IN A SUSTAINABLE HOUSE IN 0ALO !LTO THAT SHE AND HER HUSBAND DESIGNED +ATSY 3WAN DESIGNED THE GARDENS AT 3TANFORD 5NIVERSITY -EDICAL #EN TER THE 5#3& #ANCER #ENTER COURT YARD GARDEN THE %ARTH 3CIENCES #OURTYARD AT 3TANFORD AND MANY LO CAL PRIVATE GARDENS 3HE WAS AN AC TIVE PARENT VOLUNTEER AND MEMBER OF
THE 0ALO !LTO 04! 3HE BECAME IN VOLVED WITH THE 'ARDEN #LUB OF 0ALO !LTO AND AS A VOLUNTEER ARRANGED FLOWERS FOR LOCAL EVENTS 7HILE REDESIGNING THE GARDENS AT 3TAN FORD S (OOVER (OUSE 3WAN EARNED A DEGREE IN LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE FROM 5 # "ERKELEY 3HE HAS BEEN INVOLVED WITH 'AMBLE 'ARDEN SINCE ITS BEGINNING LEADING TOURS GIVING CLASSES AND SERVING ON ITS ADVISORY BOARD 3WAN AND HER HUSBAND "EN LIVE IN 0ALO !LTO h4HIS ANNUAL CELEBRATION OF OLDER ADULTS WHO MAKE THINGS HAPPEN IS NEAR AND DEAR TO THE HEARTS OF MANY FOLKS IN THE COMMUNITY v !VENIDAS #%/ 0RESIDENT ,ISA (ENDRICKSON STATED IN A PRESS RELEASE ! GARDEN PARTY IN 0ALO !LTO TO HONOR THE ,IFETIMES OF !CHIEVE MENT AWARDEES AND RAISE FUNDS FOR !VENIDAS WILL BE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC ON 3UNDAY -AY FROM P M 4ICKETS CAN BE PURCHASED FOR BY CONTACTING !VENIDAS AT OR ONLINE AT WWW AVENIDAS ORG N %DITORIAL )NTERN 2EBECCA $U RAN CAN BE EMAILED AT RDURAN PAWEEKLY COM