This year, our team gathered at the Ameritania in Times Square for our annual retreat. It was a chance to step outside our routines, strengthen collaboration, and explore ways to elevate our work. Founder and Attorney Corey Macdonald and Office Manager Felicity Kucker led the retreat, focusing on growth, innovation, and the firm's future.

 

Our retreat opened with a series of in-depth presentations from our attorneys, each offering valuable insights into the areas in which they specialize.

Each session sparked New ideas and helped unify our approaches across the firm.

 

We were honored to hear from real estate investor, author, and systems expert Gerald Lucas, who shared powerful insights on adding efficiency and structure to the workplace through process mapping and systemization.

 

One of the points that resonated strongly with the team was Lucas's recommendation to batch tasks, such as responding to emails, instead of jumping to them throughout the day. This shift creates more focus, minimizes interruptions, and supports overall productivity.

 

He also emphasized a critical negotiation principle: know what you want before you enter the negotiation. This clarity improves both confidence and outcomes.

His perspective left a lasting impact, providing actionable strategies we're excited to implement.

Following his presentation, the team had a roundtable discussion on internal systems we can improve, such as:

These discussions were open, collaborative, and energizing! Evidence that our team is committed to continuous improvement.

 

We concluded the educational portion of the retreat with a forward-looking conversation about the next five years for both individual team members and the firm overall.

On the firm side, Corey shared several exciting developments, including:

The overall vision is clear: sustainable growth supported by strong systems, well-trained staff, and a unified mission.

 

Of course, the retreat wasn't all business. One of the highlights was attending the Broadway hit The Book of Mormon, which had the entire team laughing from start to finish. Corey also treated everyone to an incredible dinner at Empire Steak House, a meal that definitely lived up to its reputation.

 

Throughout the trip, the team enjoyed great food and quality time exploring New York City. From grabbing slices at local pizza spots near the hotel, to strolling through Central Park, to soaking in the electric energy of Times Square, there was no shortage of memorable moments.

It was a much-needed chance to unwind, reconnect, and share experiences outside the office. The morale throughout the retreat was exceptionally high, and everyone returned home feeling more connected, recharged, and excited about what was ahead.

 

This year's retreat was more than a getaway; it was a pivotal moment for reflection, innovation, and planning. With new systems on the horizon, a growing team, and plans to expand into Newburyport, the future is bright.

Most importantly, we returned united, inspired, and ready to put everything we learned into action.

 

In one sentence: Our 2025 retreat strengthened our skills, deepened our collaboration, and sparked the motivation to build the firm's next chapter together.