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FEELING LUCKY? The Truth About Lyman Beginning a Journey Starts with Dedication to Transparency 2860 Piedmont Road, Suite 275, Atlanta, GA 30305 lymanfirm.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
MARCH 2026
G eorgia is a blue-collar state — a grassroots mix of farmland,
Celebrating St. Patrick’s Day With the Lymans
St. Patrick’s Day is always a fun time for our family. Some of our ancestors on my dad’s side were Scots-Irish emigrants who left Ulster for the United States centuries ago. On my mom’s side were German and Irish ancestors. Also, the celebrations on March 17 dovetail perfectly with my birthday on March 16 and my son’s birthday on March 18. We don’t necessarily go crazy on St. Patrick’s Day, but it’s always a happy time of year. Everybody in our family is amped up. On the actual day of St Patrick’s, I will definitely wear green. If I didn’t, my kids would be ganging up on me, pinching me. 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, My relatives on my dad’s side of the family are students of genealogy, and apparently, our lineage goes way back to a guy called Freney the Robber, an 18th-century rogue who was also known as the noblest highwayman in Ireland. Freney was said to have stolen riches from the wealthy and helped peasants in need. People saw him as the Robin Hood of Ireland! Of course, this is my family telling me this, but we do have a family tree that my aunt made, which goes back hundreds of years. My kids love that story: “Dad,” they say, “we are descended from the Robin Hood of Ireland! We have to be nice to people!” And I’m like, “Yup, that’s exactly right. We have to be kind to the poor!” The Luck o’ the Irish I definitely believe in luck. I’ve been really lucky. My dad aIways used to say that life is basically all about timing. And in some ways, the timing of my dad’s life turned out well, at least for me. My dad was a very good baseball player in high school. By his senior year, he had attracted the interest of some scouts from Major League pro teams who were planning to come see him play. This was a big deal: Big league scouts were coming to this tiny little town in Pennsylvania to see my dad! As luck would have it, about 1–2 weeks before they arrived, my dad was in a car accident. It wasn’t his fault, but he hurt his knee so badly that he just couldn’t run as well. After watching him play with that injury, those Major League scouts passed him up. My dad was disappointed at the time, of course. But in reality, if he had become a pro baseball player, I probably wouldn’t be here today! In some ways, I got lucky because of that, and he did, too. I had a great dad, and I was very close to him. heroes — I work for as I drive our cases forward to the fullest extent within our legal system, fighting for what’s right.” 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 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. 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, “I believe one person can be the face of a greater movement, and these are the everyday people — the
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.
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.
Greening the Planet Going green on St. Patrick’s Day resonates with me in another way. I’m trying to raise my kids to be environmentally aware, and I’m focusing more on sustainability. We just got back from visiting my uncle in Boston and saw how diligent my aunt is about composting. She also shops for food through a local farmers’ co-op, and I want to look into that. I wish we could do more in our country to protect the environment. My kids and I recycle, and I teach them about how our activities affect the climate. But it’s hard in an age of consumerism to keep it together, especially with kids. I just tell them, “Look, this is your world. You’re the ones who will inherit this planet.” Will we continue to damage it? Or will we behave more like our ancestor of old, Freney the Bandit, and start giving back some of our environmental riches to the people who need it most? 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.
Only time will tell. 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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AI’S HIDDEN RISKS TO CONSUMERS DIGITAL DANGERS
If you’ve been to an airport lately, you likely have posed for a facial recognition camera before entering your security checkpoint. This technology is just one example of how artificial intelligence (AI) is being used to not only identify who we are, but also learn more about us than we might realize.
In some cases, this reality is not a great thing.
Sure, being tracked online by AI may be considered beneficial by consumers who don’t mind receiving alerts on new purchasing opportunities based on their past shopping habits. However, society’s growing dependency on this level of technology is problematic when it leads to innocent people being incarcerated on false charges. Here’s a look at some of the growing risks surrounding the use of AI … and what you can do to better protect your privacy and rights from the prying eyes of emerging technology. Amazon’s Data Defect Debacle Although AI is seemingly everywhere these days, its use in the corporate world has existed for some time … and has created considerable gaffes along the way. Amazon learned about machine learning’s potential missteps the hard way. As far back as 2015, the company discovered that its AI-generated tools for screening resumes were biased against female job candidates. The system, designed to assign a rating from one to five stars to each applicant, gave lower scores to women who had applied for technical positions. The reason? The system had been trained to review and recommend candidates based on trends identified in resumes submitted to the company over the past 10 years, a period when men dominated the majority of positions. Instead of advancing future AI technology, Amazon stumbled back into America’s cultural past, creating a PR nightmare and “When faulty tech threatens a person’s liberty, it’s clear that AI’s road to perfection still has plenty of potholes.”
raising serious questions about the potential long-term harm AI could cause in efforts to promote gender equality. AI’s Misadventures in Faulty Arrests Facial recognition technology may be all the rage at airports, but the same can’t be said for its use at police stations. According to research conducted by the National Institute of Standards and Technology, Asian and African Americans are up to twice as likely to be misidentified by facial recognition as Caucasians. This discrepancy has real-world consequences, including the 2023 arrest of a pregnant woman in Detroit who was charged with carjacking after AI technology mistook her for someone else. When faulty tech threatens a person’s liberty, it’s clear that AI’s road to perfection still has plenty of potholes. Consumers’ Best Practices for Data Privacy Naturally, everyday consumers may also find themselves in sticky situations as a result of AI’s still-imperfect processes. Banking giant JPMorgan Chase offers the following suggestions to help better protect your personal information from AI-driven data tracking: • Utilize a separate, dedicated email address when engaging with AI chatbots, and avoid using the same email associated with your banking or social media. • Log off after every AI chat session to help ensure the system is not tracking your subsequent online usage. • Use only generative AI platforms available through the Google and Apple App stores and other reputable sources. AI may be a fascinating new chapter in our technical evolution, but it’s not without causes for concern. Whether you’re ordering shoes online or checking your savings account, forewarned is forearmed when it comes to guarding your identity … and even your freedom.
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If you’ve ever walked into your kitchen to discover your child’s mouth covered in chocolate while they insist they didn’t dip into the cookie jar before dinner, you know the importance of teaching little ones about being honest and taking responsibility for their actions. Here are a few tips for incorporating age-appro- priate lessons on accountability into a child’s daily routine. Pathways to Responsible Preschoolers When teaching children the value of personal accountability, se- lecting tasks that match their abilities and level of understanding is essential. For children ages 3–6, this could mean having them take responsibility for setting the table (with supervision as needed to ensure safety with utensils and glassware), feeding their pets, or putting away their toys neatly after they finish playing with them. If they struggle or fail to fulfill a particular responsibility, use it as an opportunity for growth, rather than a reason to ground them. For example, if they forget to feed their dog or cat, show FROM COOKIE JARS TO CAR KEYS Building Responsibility in Kids and Teens
TAKE A BREAK
them their pet’s signs of hunger … and remind your child of how sad, tired, and cranky they would feel if they were hungry and had to wait a
ST. PATRICK’S DAY SHAMROCK SWIRL PIE
long time to eat. If they for- get to pick up their LEGOs, remind them of how much it hurt the last time they stepped on a piece when they weren’t wearing
shoes. Above all, be sure to maintain a positive at- mosphere and praise them whenever they complete a task (especially when they do it without being asked!) or put in their best effort to do so. Guidance for Goal-Driven Teens
Ingredients
• 1 cup heavy cream • 8 oz cream cheese, softened • 1 cup powdered sugar • 1 tsp vanilla extract • 1/2 cup mint chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup green food coloring, for vibrant color • 1 premade chocolate pie crust • 1/2 cup chocolate syrup, for drizzling
If your child has passed the age of picking up building blocks, you can help them manage and fulfill their pre-adult respon- sibilities. Encourage them to budget their spending money (especially once they start working for the first time), take an active role in maintaining their vehicle, and coordinate their own schedules for after-school or social activities. While it’s always wise to be available to help if or when they run out of gas or sleep through their alarm, giving them space to be more independent (and occasionally make mistakes) will go a long way in teaching them the real-world rewards and conse- quences of how they handle their responsibilities. By giving children room to learn, try, and even stumble, we help them build the confidence and character they’ll carry into adulthood. With steady guidance and age-appropriate respon- sibilities, accountability becomes a lifelong habit.
Directions 1. In a mixing bowl, whip heavy cream until stiff peaks form. 2. In a separate bowl, beat softened cream cheese until smooth. 3. Add powdered sugar and vanilla to cream cheese, mixing until well combined. Then, gently fold whipped heavy cream into the mixture. 4. Divide mixture into two bowls. In one bowl, add mint chocolate chips and green food coloring. 5. Layer mixtures into chocolate pie crust, alternating between mint mixture and the plain mixture. 6. Drizzle chocolate syrup over top. 7. Cover with cling wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours to set. Slice and serve chilled.
Inspired by MixUpRecipes.com
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404-267-1986 www.LymanFirm.com 2860 Piedmont Rd Atlanta, GA 30335
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2860 Piedmont Rd., Suite 275 Atlanta, GA 30305
INSIDE THIS ISSUE INSIDE THIS ISSUE
A Day for Green, Grins, and Irish Luck
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My Life in the Courtroom, the Home, and the Racetrack Privacy Perils in a Predictive World 3 Wild Divorce Settlements Ways to Invest in Yourself After Retirement Bistecca Alla Fiorentina The Most Iconic Super Bowl in NFL History St. Patrick’s Day Shamrock Swirl Pie Age-Appropriate Ways to Teach Children Responsibility
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Let’s Retire These Health Myths
Fraudulent Fender-Benders
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The 5-Second Rule Will Make You Sick 3 Health Myths You Probably Believe INSIDE UBER’S RACKETEERING RESPONSE BUMPER BETRAYAL
It’s a devious enough scam to make Tony Soprano blush.
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 Uber, which claims to have already spent millions defending itself against Loynaz’s suits, is suing the attorney under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act. If he loses the suit, Loynaz may be subject to treble damages and attorneys’ fees. Interestingly, the case of the potentially crooked lawyer and his band of allegedly corrupt cronies is far from the only litigation of its kind. Earlier in 2025, Uber filed a suit in New York, alleging that another group of lawyers, medical providers, and clinics was carrying out a similar scheme in the Empire State. information so easily available, always take the time to research the facts, especially when it comes to your health. No matter how successful Uber’s battle against this level of fraud may be, the amount of allegedly criminal conniving taking place in Florida and New York is enough to make the most hardened mobster raise an eyebrow … and perhaps demand a cut.
BOTTLED WATER IS SAFER THAN TAP WATER
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.
THE 5-SECOND RULE KEEPS FOOD SAFE Imagine orchestrating a series of intentional automobile collisions with the sole purpose of suing Uber for the recovery of car repair costs and medical expenses. This outrageous scenario is at the heart of the ride-share company’s 97-page lawsuit against a Florida attorney who it claims paid people to crash into each other to instigate fraudulent suits and attempt to rake in millions. Filed in Miami last June, Uber’s suit alleges that personal injury attorney Andy Loynaz, co-founder of the firm Law Group of South Florida, compensated drivers to stage accidents and later claim they were using the Uber app at the time. According to the complaint, these bogus bang-ups occurred near Hialeah, Florida, in 2023 and 2024, with Loynaz submitting $1 million insurance claims for each one and later suing Uber and its insurance carrier in four separate cases. Additionally, he allegedly coaxed representatives from Miami’s River
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.
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 Medical Center, area auto body shops, and other medical clinics to falsely claim the accident had caused injuries and property damage requiring care and repairs. on tile, wood, or carpet is enough to infest your food with salmonella or another serious contaminant.
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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