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Brains, Bonds, and Buzzer Beaters lymanfirm.com The Lyman Firm Newsletter TELEGRAPH Amicus Curiae www.LymanFirm.com 404-267-1986 February 2019 2860 Piedmont Road, Suite 275, Atlanta, GA 30305 The Truth About Lyman Beginning a Journey Starts with Dedication to Transparency T: 404 267 1986 F: 470 745 0699 The Lyman Firm Newsletter JANUARY 2026
I’ve always loved learning about history, pop culture, and movies. My appreciation for random knowledge stems from my dad, who loved playing trivia and doing crosswords. I grew up watching “Jeopardy!” and playing Trivial Pursuit with him. That fascination runs in the family. My grandma was a crossword puzzle addict, and an uncle of mine came very close to becoming a contestant on “Jeopardy!” I saw some of that passion for knowledge trickle down to the next generation recently when my mom, my two kids, and I competed in Trivia Night at a local pizza joint. In recognition of National Trivia Day on Jan. 4, I’m thinking about the fun we had and how the way we acquire this kind of knowledge has changed over the years. My kids are only 10 and 12, but they did their best during the contest to help answer questions. My daughter loved writing down the correct answers. They were also excited to hear the announcer say our team name. We called ourselves Courage Bob, Courage! after a quote from the recent Paul Thomas Anderson action film, “One Battle After Another.” It was funny when the announcer read team names: “Here we have the Star Triviers, and over here, we have Courage, Bob, Courage! G eorgia is a blue-collar state — a grassroots mix of farmland, 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 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,
How Trivia Night Became a Family Pastime
of?” came easily to me as a lifelong golfer: Bermuda grass. My son and I won on another question: “What extreme sports athlete has the highest video game sales?” James came up with Tony Hawk, the skateboarder whose numerous achievements landed him in Guinness World Records. I was struck by the way technology has changed everything. If you wanted to cheat on a trivia question when I was in college, you would go to the pay phone by the bathroom and call someone: “Hey, can you get on a computer real fast and find out what president is on the $2 bill?” Now that everyone has smartphones, they lay out the rules at the beginning of the contest: No cheating! The announcer even called out one team that was obviously breaking that rule. When I took my phone out to text somebody at dinner, my son jumped on me: “Dude, put your phone away! It will look like you’re cheating!” As the contest wore on, Courage, Bob, Courage! was in the running! Bless their hearts, the kids were trying their best! But their bedtime came well before the game’s 10 p.m. ending. As we made our way out, the announcer kept everyone laughing by calling out, “Where are you going, Courage, Bob, Courage? Come on, have some courage!” We slipped out, citing the kids’ bedtime. I hope the experience underscored for my kids the value of challenging themselves to be curious and learn about the world. I had plenty of encouragement growing up to value learning. Trivial Pursuit was a sensation when it was released in the U.S. in 1983. People threw parties just to play. Now, we can search out information so easily that many kids think learning history doesn’t matter. Why try when they can just find facts on Wikipedia? I tell my son that learning history isn’t about memorizing bare facts; it’s about learning how to analyze and work with information. After all our shared fun playing trivia as a team, I hope that lesson sticks with both of my kids. 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. 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. 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 an answer — the names of their lawyers completely lost in the tides of life’s trials.
I began to look for a new avenue to pour my passions into.
One trivia question that stumped us was “What bill carries Thomas Jefferson’s picture?” We went through all the bills we could think of: Washington is on the $1, Lincoln is on the 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, 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. “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.” $5, Alexander Hamilton is on the $10, and Andrew Jackson is on the $20. The one we missed: The $2 bill is the one that carries Jefferson’s portrait. We did well on other questions. The answer to “What grass are most golf courses made
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.
At home with my wife Lindsay beside me, and our two children — our five-year-old son
-Thomas Lyman -Thomas J. Lyman
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HOW TO MODEL CONFIDENT CARE FOR KIDS The Power of Hearing in Healing
No matter what station of life someone is in, they deserve to feel safe. Of course, physical safety is always paramount, but what about emotional safety? In our often busy and complex lives, ensuring our loved ones feel safe on the inside can be overlooked. This is especially true if you’re a working parent, juggling obligations to your young ones and your own sense of stability and peace of mind.
Here are two quick but valuable tips for making the journey emotionally safer for you and them. Not every problem requires a solution. We’ve all had days when we need to vent to someone close to us. While the recipient of our woes may immediately start suggesting ways to solve the problem, all we really want is for someone to hear and understand us. It’s the same with children, who sometimes just crave the security of someone who listens to them. In these instances, saying, “Wow, you’ve had a tough day,” may be more helpful than proclaiming, “Here’s what you’re doing wrong and how to fix it.” Of course, adding something that elicits a smile or chuckle from a stressed child never hurts. Above all, be sure to validate their emotions. Even if their negative
situation seems minuscule by adult standards, acknowledging it may still mean the world to them in that moment. Calm can be found in chaos. It’s a Monday morning. Everyone is running late, the toast is burnt, a glass of orange juice has just spilled all over the kitchen table, and your little ones are talking a mile a minute. While these moments may make you want to shout on the inside, keeping a calm, gentle demeanor outside will help reduce tension for your kids before they head off to school and set a strong example of how to react under pressure. Frustrating situations are inevitable, but how we respond to them is our choice. By remaining calm and showing compassion even in challenging times, we comfort our children as much as we show them how to comfort themselves.
Despite his rightful place in history books as one of the world’s greatest minds, legendary inventor Thomas Edison was a consistent failure … and that was a great thing. By the time Edison died in 1931 at 84, he had experienced a life steeped in as many devastating defeats as world-changing ambitions. That he’s remembered today for his scientific milestones and not his epic misfires represents the spirit of “failing forward,” the concept of embracing failure as an opportunity to pursue new ideas and directions for success. EDISON’S IRON WILL From Rock Bottom to Reinvention
“I have not failed,” Edison famously insisted. “I have just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”
Here’s one example of how he turned a significant misfire into an unmitigated triumph.
From Iron to Insolvency Edison held more than 1,000 patents in his lifetime, and many of his inventions toward the end of the 1800s relied heavily on iron as a source material. When the cost of the metal began to rise, he attempted to address the problem by investing more than 10 years and $2 million in his own iron mining operation in northern New Jersey. Unfortunately for the maverick inventor, several other iron plants launched around the same time, which caused the value of iron to drop considerably and led to severe financial losses. Cement Seals Success Instead of accepting defeat when his iron operation went under, Edison turned his attention to another critical material: cement. While running his iron mine, he regularly sold waste sand to cement makers for additional revenue. Seeing an opportunity to expand further into this market, he launched the Edison Portland Cement Company, repurposing
equipment and technology he had used for iron mining. The venture was a huge success, allowing Edison to pay off his massive debts and become one of the leading forces behind the use of cement in American infrastructure. While the catastrophic failure of his iron mining endeavor would have crushed most entrepreneurs, Edison thrived by pivoting to new ventures. He never gave up. His inventions proved his brilliance, but his fearlessness in the face of failure demonstrated his resilience.
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There are several ways to become a millionaire in this country, but suing a fast-food chain over a napkin isn’t one of them. In 2014, a McDonald’s restaurant in Pacoima, California, became the focus of a national discussion on how the legal system addressed frivolous lawsuits. It all started with a customer named Webster Lucas, who complained to the manager when he discovered that he had been given only one napkin with his meal. Lucas claimed the manager had “developed a nasty attitude and mumbled a few words” before cursing at him. He also alleged that the manager’s behavior was racially motivated. The verbal altercation prompted Lucas to file a $1.5 million suit against the McDonald’s Corporation and the Pacoima store’s manager and general manager for (as reported by NBC News at the time) mental anguish, emotional distress, and discrimination. Despite being offered free food from the corporation to make things right, Lucas moved forward with his litigation. Interestingly, this wasn’t the first time Lucas had sued a major restaurant for an unsatisfactory experience. According to court documents obtained by NBC News, he had previously filed two separate suits against Jack- in-the-Box without receiving an award for his claims. Additionally, he filed suits against Denny’s and Walmart, which were ultimately dismissed. Fast-Food Folly A Napkin Sparks a Legal Storm
TAKE A BREAK
SLOW COOKER BIRRIA TACOS
Due to his habitual
• 3 dried guajillo chiles • 2 dried ancho chiles • 1 medium onion, chopped • 4 garlic cloves • 1 (14.5-oz) can diced tomatoes • 3 lbs beef chuck roast • 2 cups beef broth • 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar Ingredients
use of the California legal system, Lucas became
• 1 tbsp dried oregano • 2 tsp ground cumin • 2 bay leaves • 1 tsp salt • Pepper, to taste • Corn tortillas • Fresh cilantro and diced onion for garnish
known as a “vexatious litigant.” To earn this dubious designation, one has to file a minimum
of five non-small claims suits that have been settled against them or have been pending for at least 24 months without a hearing or trial. Additionally, an individual can be deemed a “vexatious litigant” by repeatedly filing or relitigating meritless cases. Despite online reports to the contrary, court documents confirm that Lucas’ case against McDonald’s was dismissed by the end of 2014. Unsurprisingly, little has been heard of him in the California legal system since.
Directions 1. Soak dried chiles in hot water for 15 minutes.
2. Process chiles, onion, garlic, and tomatoes in a blender until smooth. 3. Place beef in a slow cooker and pour the chili mixture over it. 4. Add beef broth, vinegar, oregano, cumin, bay leaves, salt, and pepper. 5. Cook on low for 8–10 hours or until the beef is tender. 6. Shred the beef using forks, then mix back into the sauce. 7. Fry tortillas in oil until crispy, then assemble tacos as desired.
Inspired by SimpleWhisk.com
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE INSIDE THIS ISSUE
Trivia Night Becomes a Generational Sport
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My Life in the Courtroom, the Home, and the Racetrack Parenting to Empower Emotional Calm in Kids
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3 Wild Divorce Settlements Ways to Invest in Yourself After Retirement Bistecca Alla Fiorentina The Most Iconic Super Bowl in NFL History Slow Cooker Birria Tacos Cement Saves a Scientific Legend
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A Laughable McLawsuit Misfire
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Let’s Retire These Health Myths
The Legal Minds Behind Moon Missions
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The 5-Second Rule Will Make You Sick 3 Health Myths You Probably Believe Who Makes the Rules in Space? COSMIC COUNSEL
We live in the golden age of information. The answers to many of life’s questions are just an internet search away. Despite this readily available wisdom, we still have a bad habit of believing health-related myths. Here are three popular health “facts” that are total works of fiction. Simply put, space lawyers are legal professionals specializing in international law and drafting agreements between countries THE 5-SECOND RULE KEEPS FOOD SAFE regarding their activities throughout our galaxy. Instead of brokering peace treaties between humans and Klingons, these attorneys work to establish policies that outline rules and obligations nations must follow when conducting themselves beyond our clouds. Obviously germs and bacteria don’t really wait five seconds to pounce, but snatching your chip off the floor fast keeps most of the germs away, right? Not according to a 2006 study published by Dr. Paul Dawson. He found conclusive evidence that when food comes into contact with a contaminated surface, bacteria are transferred immediately. Even one second spent For example, treaties negotiated by space lawyers were instrumental in getting the Soviet Union to spend millions to clean up radioactive debris deposited over northern Canada by its Cosmos 954 satellite in the late 1970s. Utilizing Article 7 of the Outer on tile, wood, or carpet is enough to infest your food with salmonella or another serious contaminant. The phrase “space lawyer” may conjure images of an intergalactic courtroom setting in a “Star Trek” film, but the term and profession are rooted in reality here on Earth.
BOTTLED WATER IS SAFER THAN TAP WATER Space Treaty (via the 1972 Space Liability Convention), the Canadian government argued that the Soviet Union was on the hook to cover the majority of the cost of Operation Morning Light, an extensive cleanup operation by the U.S. and Canada Seeking out safer water alternatives increases the sales of bottled “spring water” each year. However, bottled water is more expensive, bad for the environment, and, as Dr. Morton Tavel of the Indiana University School of Medicine pointed out, over 50 percent of bottled water is just filtered tap water. The same effect can be achieved with a home filtration system. Of course, if the tap water in your area has been contaminated, bottled water is a safer alternative. However, in most circumstances, bottled water is no healthier than tap water.
The official stance from the John Hopkins Arthritis Center states, “There is no evidence that cracking knuckles causes any damage such as arthritis in the joints.” Still, chronic knuckle- cracking can lead to reduced grip strength, so you might want to break the habit anyway. You’ve probably heard these myths for years, but just because something is common knowledge doesn’t mean it is true. With Thanks to space lawyers, no nation can claim ownership of Earth (or any other planet), the moon, or any other entity discovered in the galaxy. However, recent debates have raised an intriguing question: Who would own the resources derived from the moon or another planet? If Russia were to one day discover a life-saving nutrient on the moon’s surface, information so easily available, always take the time to research the facts, especially when it comes to your health. would it have the right to claim exclusive ownership of this medical marvel? Would this discovery need to be shared with other nations involved in space-related treaties? While it may take years (or the invention of a good time-traveling warp drive) for us to resolve these questions, it’s clear we need space lawyers to tackle these and other questions in a legal frontier that no Earth- bound lawyer has pondered before! to remove nearly 50,000 square miles of hazardous material dropped from space.
CRACKING YOUR KNUCKLES CAUSES ARTHRITIS
The connection between knuckle-cracking and arthritis came from studies where participants self-reported their habits. Modern medical research has shown these results to be false.
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