August 26, 2025
Attorney John Bey brings nearly 20 years of experience to his new presidential role.
A Black attorney from Atlanta will now lead the American Association for Justice, the largest organization for plaintiff lawyers.
John Bey is officially the President-Elect of the association, bringing almost 20 years of experience in representing individual civil lawsuits. He shared that the organization has over 20,000 members nationally, making his appointment a significant honor.
“I’m excited to represent trial lawyers and their clients across the country,” Bey told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “I really do kind of embrace this David-versus-Goliath role and the ability to go out there and get justice for folks who don’t always have the opportunity to have the best representation.”
As plaintiff lawyers, these attorneys represent individuals initiating a lawsuit to seek compensation from a defendant. Their clients typically include injured people, lobbies and advocates for plaintiffs’ right to a jury trial, often against large companies. Bey has also been a member of the AAJ for 15 years, and hopes that his tenure will incur more justice for the individuals they serve.
Since beginning his law career, the attorney has grown his own law firm, Bey & Associates, to 15 offices and associates across cities like Atlanta, New Orleans, Cincinnati and Birmingham. Before his new role, Bey held teaching and leadership jobs within the AAJ, formerly known as the Association of Trial Lawyers of America. He seized the opportunity to grow with the organization, providing better service to his clients.
The news comes while Georgia cracks down on the amount of compensation one can gain from personal injury lawsuits. A law passed by Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp will limit these lawsuits, stating that they will protect small business owners from lofty damages in jury trials.
However, the AAJ has spoken out against this legislation, emphasizing how it favors insurers and larger companies instead of victims. The Black attorney also wants his leadership to advocate for plaintiffs’ rights within and beyond the state.
“It’s always going to be about access to justice, and is this bill or new rule going to be something that stops folks from being able to bring cases and get justice?” Bey said. “A successful time in that role as president is being able to help maintain the clients’ access to the courtroom through advocacy at the Capitol in D.C. and being able to really give life to our clients’ stories and the things that they are going through.”
Bey intends to keep getting his clients justice as he splits time in his home base of Atlanta and the AAJ’s headquarters of Washington, D.C.
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