PRIORITIZING MENTAL HEALTH

PATRICK KANG, ESQ.

MAKES A CASE FOR SUCCESS

Attorney Patrick Kang knows the value of winning. As the owner of Ace Law Group, Kang leads an award-winning legal team that focuses on its clients and their success. In fact, the firm’s achievements caused it to double in size since 2018, growing to 15 employees.

“We’ve exploded as far as legal caseload and staff,” said Kang, whose firm specializes in personal injury and employment discrimination. “I think more people are coming to us because they are realizing we are aggressive and more than willing to go to court for them. Plus, we take on cases other offices might not, such as mold injury and sexual harassment.”

Kang said there’s been a resurgence of reporting sexual harassment in the workplace, especially at fast-food restaurants.

“A lot of underage girls fifteen to seventeen during Covid weren’t going to school so they were working part-time at fast-food chains, and we’ve been getting so many of those cases,” he said. “The stories I hear are bad, but the corporation’s reaction is the worst part.” Kang’s firm, located at 6480 W. Spring Mountain Rd. near Chinatown, employs staff who speak Korean and Spanish to serve clients who might be more comfortable sharing their case with someone from their own culture who speaks the same language.

“There’s a benefit to having someone on your team who understands your language and culture,” said Kang, who recalls a time he had to translate from English to Korean for his mother when she was stopped for speeding. “If I hadn’t been there, she might have received a more severe ticket or not understood what was taking place. I spent most of my life translating for my parents. I was their mini lawyer in a sense.”

He might have been small-time back then, but law school at Thomas M. Cooley Law School in Lansing, Michigan, followed by 14 years in practice paved the way for his success today.

The firm recently settled a tough case for $1.1 million. According to Kang, the defense counsel originally told him the case wasn’t worth more than a few hundred thousand dollars at best.

“We fought it out and showed them they were wrong,” Kang said.

– By Stacy D’Alessandra

For more information visit: www.acelawgroup.com

ONE TO WATCH IN REAL ESTATE COLLIN MARTINEZ

— By Ashlee DeMartino

At a young age, life hit Collin Martinez smack in the face. Born in Michigan, he and his family moved to Las Vegas when he was three years old.

“My parents divorced when I was young. My mother remarried to a doctor and our lives changed very drastically and financially for the better. Personally, it was the start of a big downfall for our family. My father saw that we were doing very well for ourselves and moved to another country to pursue business opportunities. About a year and a half later my mom and stepfather started having serious legal issues,” said Collin Martinez.

This forced Collin to drop out of High School and start working to try and support him and his two siblings, but it was not enough. At the age of 17, Collin was homeless.

“This was, hands down, one of the worst experiences I’ve had to endure in my life, but it was also the best thing that could have happened to me. It taught me perspective and that life is not all what it seems” he said.

Collin was working as a bartender when one of his regulars, a realtor, started talking with him about what she did and how he would be great at it.

“The thought of working in real estate had never crossed my mind. First, I tried timeshare sales at Westgate. I could not get behind the sales tactics, so I phased out rather quickly. That is when I started the transition into real estate in mid-2018. Once I was licensed, I struggled the first ten months. I felt that I needed more support being so new to the industry. I’ve met some amazing people through that struggle and an opportunity was presented to me to join Huntington & Ellis, a Real Estate Agency. Broker Craig Tann, embodies everything that a leader is. With the endless guidance, structure, and knowledge he gives us all, I’ve been able to make a name for myself” he said.

What sets Collin apart from other realtors is the way he treats others, with the Golden Rule – “Treat others as you want to be treated”. “I am an advocate for always having a Common Concern for others and how we treat each other. Authenticity is another core value that I think is so important. Stick to who you are because that is what will carry you the furthest in life. Growth is a big one for me. It can be golf, finances, your career, stretching, etc. I push everyone around me to grow regardless of what area it is in your life.Leadershipandinspiration. I’m making great strides in my life right now but if it weren’t for people with that leadership and inspirational quality in them it would have been a much harder road for me,” he said.

Always looking to the future, Collin’s goal is to start his own Real Estate team by 2022. “My father is currently taking his real estate course to be my executive assistant so I’m already taking steps in that direction,” he said.

When he is not at work, Collin spends his time either at the gym, playing basketball, boxing, golfing, or hanging out with friends. “My absolute favorite thing to do is golfing with my dad any chance that I get. We go every Sunday no matter what the weather is like. We just went a few weeks ago in 30mph winds” he said.

He also donates his time to several non-profits in Las Vegas. “I work with the Nevada Partnership for Homeless Youth and Crazy4Pawz Animal Rescue.