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James M. Bendall

Associate
JamieB@RealLawyers.net
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290 Hilderbrand Dr
Suite B2
Atlanta, Georgia 30328

I am the newest attorney in the firm. My story is slightly different than either my father's or Kevin's. When I was growing up, I knew my father was a lawyer. He would tell me about the kinds of cases that he was working on, helping me understand the legal or medical idea behind the case. He was also the father who would organize the field trip for my class to go see the jail, or meet one of the judges. I can remember friends telling me in the hallways, "Your dad talked to my class today."

As I got older, I came to realize that my father also prioritized our family. He made a point of being home for dinner, something I now realize is increasingly harder to do. Being a good parent, and being a good lawyer weren't mutually exclusive concepts. He showed me that you can do both.

Here is where my story gets interesting. In 1991, I took up stand-up comedy. I wasn't known as the class clown, and I didn't really give it a lot of forethought. I simple decided to try it. Lucky for me it worked out. By the time I graduated from college in 1993, I was travelling the southeast performing regularly. I really didn't know what I wanted to do, so I decided to go to law school in Los Angeles. I was able to answer two questions. Did I want to be a lawyer? Did I have what it takes to move to the next level in comedy? The answers turned out to be yes and no.

I learned that I did want to be a lawyer. I also learned that while I was a good comedian, and I enjoyed performing, I wasn't willing to pursue it to the exclusion of my other interests. I have had the good fortune of opening for such acts as Adam Sandler, David Spade, Brett Butler, Pam Stone, and others. I continue to perform at comedy clubs in Atlanta, and at corporate or private functions.

I can't adequately describe how much I have enjoyed working with my father. Both he and Kevin are two of the best mentors that a young lawyer could have. I look forward to continuing the tradition that they have nurtured for our firm in New York, as much I look forwarding to sharing in the growth of our firm in Georgia.

Born:      Schenectady, New York, June 7, 1971

Education

J. D., Pepperdine University, 1996

B. A., Emory University, 1993

Jurisdictions Admitted to Practice

Georgia, 1996
New York, 1997
Massachusetts, 1997

Professional & Bar Association Memberships

Atlanta Bar Association

New York State Bar Association

State Bar of Georgia

American Trial Lawyers Association

Georgia Trial Lawyers Association