J. Converse Bright

Since 1965, J. Converse Bright has handled hundreds of civil cases and hundreds of criminal cases. He has tried over 50 murder cases; resulting in no capital punishment for any of his clients. Mr. Bright has tried over 200 criminal cases and handled over 500 criminal cases. Mr. Bright has appeared in 139 reported decisions in the Georgia Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court of Georgia. He has also appeared in 25 reported decisions in the United States District Courts and the Federal Court of Appeals.

Mr. Bright grew up in Valdosta, Georgia. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in History from the University of Virginia in 1962 and his Bachelor of Law degree from the University of Georgia in 1965. Mr. Bright was admitted to the Georgia Bar in 1964.

He is a member of the Court of Appeals of Georgia, the Supreme Court of Georgia, the United States District Courts for the Northern, Middle, and Southern Districts of Georgia, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth and Eleventh Circuits and the Supreme Court of the United States. Mr. Bright also became a member of the Florida Bar in 1976 and is a member of the United States District Courts for the Northern and Middle Districts of Florida.

He is a past president of the Valdosta Bar Association and as a former member of the Board of Governors of the State Bar of Georgia. Mr. Bright was appointed a member of the Advisory Board of the United States District Court, Middle District of Georgia, where he arbitrated over twenty cases.
Mr. Bright was appointed by the Supreme Court of Georgia as a Special Master for disciplinary hearings. In 1999, he was appointed by the Supreme Court of Georgia as a member of the Georgia Board of Bar Examiners and served in that capacity from 1999 until 2004, serving as chairman in 2004. During his time as a bar examiner, Mr. Bright graded 11,345 exams.

Mr. Bright is certified in Criminal Trial Advocacy by the National Board of Trial Advocacy. He is also a fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, an invitation-only membership where less than 1% of lawyers are invited. Mr. Bright is also a member of American Board of Criminal Lawyers, a fellowship even more limited than the American College of Trial Lawyers.

Mr. Bright is also a member of the Georgia Trial Lawyers Association, the Georgia Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, and the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. For over 35 years, he has been an A-rated lawyer in Martindale Hubble, a peer reviewed lawyer directory and rating system. Mr. Bright has been listed for over twenty years in “The Best Lawyers in America” and in “Super Lawyers” since its inception.

Since 1985, Mr. Bright has been part of the faculty for the Georgia Institute of Trial Advocacy at the University of Georgia Law School. He has also taught at Valdosta State University, serving as a professor of American History and Political Science. Mr. Bright is also a coach of the Lowndes High School mock trial team, which has won the last three region titles.

Listed in: National Directory of Criminal Lawyers; The Best Lawyers in America (Criminal Law). Recipient, Pro Bono Award, State Bar of Georgia. Instructor, History and Political Science, Valdosta State College. Faculty, Georgia Institute of Trial Advocacy. Member, Advisory Board and Arbitrator, U.S. District Court, Middle District of Georgia. Special Master for Lawyers Disciplinary Hearings, Georgia Supreme Court. Member, 1999-2004 and Chairman, 2004, Georgia Board of Bar Examiners.