The Lyman Firm - August 2020

The Lyman Firm - August 2020

Everything’s Peachy The Storied History of the Peach The Truth About Lyman Beginning a Journey Starts with Dedication to Transparency 2860 Piedmont Road, Suite 275, Atlanta, GA 30305 lymanf irm.com The Lyman Firm Newsletter TELEGRAPH Amicus Curiae www.LymanFirm.com 404-267-1986 February 2019 The Lyman Firm Newsletter T: 404 267 1986 F: 470 745 0699

AUGUST 2020

G eorgia is a blue-collar state — a grassroots mix of farmland,

August marks the peak of peach season, so there’s no better time to talk about the decadent stone fruit and its history. mountains, and urban development representing ever-expanding opportunities. Being a native of North Atlanta, I have spent most of my life in this fair state, cultivating both my character and my profession as I grew up. Now, I have a distinct opportunity to help those around me in ways I hadn’t anticipated For many people, peaches are the ultimate summertime fruit, right up there with watermelon and strawberries. They’re in season between June and August, but it isn’t until August that peaches are said to be at their most flavorful. One state in particular has a close affinity with the peach. Just as Florida is associated with the orange and Hawaii is associated with the pineapple, Georgia is all about the peach. Every summer in Georgia, you can find peaches around every corner and in almost every culinary creation, including pie, cobbler, tea, and even salsa. But how did the peach come to be associated with Georgia? Well, it’s a long story that spans several thousand years and countries across the globe. in my younger days. I lead The Lyman Firm as a proud curator of justice for the everyday person, somebody who might not have gotten a fair shake before they met me. I believe one person can be the face of a greater movement, and these are the everyday people — the heroes — I work for as I drive our cases forward to the fullest extent within our legal system, fighting for what’s right.

By the year 300 B.C., the peach entered parts of Europe. There are tales of Alexander the Great bringing the peach to Europe after discovering the tasty fruit during his quest to conquer the Persians, but these stories are largely untrue. The peach simply found its way around the globe thanks to good old-fashioned trade. It wasn’t until hundreds of years later in the 1500s that the peach made its way to the Americas. It was brought to North America by Spanish explorers. Interestingly enough, the peach wasn’t introduced to England and France until the 1600s. As the peach gained popularity, it became a status symbol. It was difficult to get, which drove the price up. But it wasn’t long until the peach found its way into the American colonies where even Thomas Jefferson planted peach trees around his estate, Monticello. But back then, it wasn’t being broadly or commercially cultivated. On top of being difficult to get, peaches spoiled easily. Anyone who has had peaches can attest: Fresh peaches don’t last long once they’re harvested. Because of this, peaches remained expensive until the 1800s when the growing U.S. population began providing more opportunities to take this fragile fruit to market. In response, farmers began planting peach groves in many eastern states —which have temperate climates, ideal weather for a long peach season — to make a profit. While peaches can be grown anywhere in the United States, the best peaches come from temperate states, like Georgia, which is why it’s nicknamed “The Peach State.” Oftentimes, I ask a client to share the names of the attorneys they’ve worked with on other cases. Almost none of them are able to muster James and three-year-old daughter Cleo — I am fully immersed in the fun-loving, homely, and exciting life of my family. They are my foundation, and without them nothing would be possible. But I also have a second family of sorts in my clients, whom I treat with the respect and attention a person is owed whenever they find they’re backed in a corner and need help. The pleasure I get from representing good, honest people in the courtroom is unrivaled when compared to the other fields of profession I’ve engaged in life.

I began to look for a new avenue to pour my passions into.

As we grow older and further away from our teens and 20s, we begin to realize that life isn’t always about going fast, both literally and metaphorically. It was during my post racing downtime that I realized I wanted to go back to school at Georgia State. After spending years as a writer and editor, I discovered and followed my newfound calling and began practicing law after graduating from law school. After years of unparalleled grit, drive, and success in the field of law, I was fortunate enough to be able to open my own practice in January of 2018. This new venture has even allowed me to work alongside my brother, a paralegal and case manager, in what has been one of the most exciting periods of my life. For now, our plans for the future include an imminent expansion of the firm and growing the company in ways that still allow us to keep our fundamental values and operations in check.

In 2014, researchers confirmed they had discovered major archaeological evidence that the peach was being cultivated in China around 6,000 B.C. They published their My passions weren’t always for courtroom thrills, though. Growing up in Smyrna, I sought to chase a different kind of rush: the roar of the racetrack. I wasn’t half bad either, eventually taking my hobby for auto racing from amateur status in 2004 all the way to semi-pro in 2007. Unfortunately, like so many other things that went down along with the economy the following year, my racing career crashed in 2008. Shattered by the abrupt end to my racing journey due to a lack of financing, findings in PLOS One, a peer- reviewed journal published by the Public Library of Science. Up to that point, most evidence suggested that the Chinese began cultivating peaches only around 2,000 B.C., but it seems that humans and the peach go even further back. “I believe one person can be the face of a greater movement, and these are the everyday people — the The fruit, native to China, found its way to Japan around 4,500 B.C. By then, it was starting to become the peach most of us are familiar with today: a juicy yellow- or white-fleshed fruit packed with flavor. Through trade and travel, the peach made its way across Asia and the Middle East. heroes — I work for as I drive our cases forward to the fullest extent within our legal system, fighting for what’s right.”

This summer, as you bite into a sweet, juicy peach, you’ll know that single piece of fruit comes with a history that spans the globe and several millennia. That’s when I tell them that there are a million different lawyers out there doing a million different things, but when I take on your case for a serious injury or a wrongful death suit, you’ll remember me as a man who gave you the best possible chance while shooting you straight every step of the way. an answer — the names of their lawyers completely lost in the tides of life’s trials.

At home with my wife Lindsay beside me, and our two children — our five-year-old son

-Thomas J. Lyman

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THE LASTING IMPACT OF THE DEEPWATER HORIZON OIL SPILL LEGAL IMPLICATIONS WE CAN STILL SEE TODAY

the U.S. justice system. However, protecting >Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4

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