George Speedy graduated from high school convinced he didn’t have the intelligence to pursue the practice of law, but he was quickly disabused of that theory in the course of his service as a “grunt,” or member of the infantry, during the Vietnam War. George quickly ascended through the ranks during his military stint, emerging with a sense of confidence and self-assurance that he lacked beforehand.
On his return from Vietnam, sights set on becoming an attorney, George completed his undergraduate studies in 1971, and began attending the University of South Carolina School of Law in the fall of 1972.
In January of 1975, just a few months shy of graduation, George met with H.W.C. Furman, an attorney out of Camden. Before the day was done, Furman offered George a position practicing alongside him. George accepted Furman’s offer, and began practicing in the firm known today as Speedy, Tanner, & Atkinson, LLC. Though the name has occasionally changed over the years, the commitment to serving Camden and the surrounding areas, has never wavered.
Education is a pervading theme running through George’s relationships with his clients. They educate him about their circumstances, and in turn, he explains the application of the law to their specific situation before walking them through the entire legal process from what to expect to what to wear.
More than forty years after accepting Furman’s offer, George’s enthusiasm for what he does is perhaps his most remarkable quality. It speaks to an earnest desire to help people, by offering them honesty, compassion, and time. Hoping to rectify the wrongs they’ve suffered fuels his impassioned arguments before the court. George’s integrity has never waned in the last forty years, rather it has grown to be an impressive mark of his character, one his colleagues rally around and work to uphold.
The team George has built and surrounded himself with at Speedy, Tanner, & Atkinson is possibly his proudest professional accomplishment. The truly unique environment of care and support within the office, speaks to the genuine sense of compassion everyone in the office has for each person who walks through the door. With George at the helm, Speedy, Tanner, & Atkinson has cultivated a collaborative spirit that fosters the firm’s growing momentum.