As Georgia comes to terms with new limits on personal injury lawsuits, members of the world’s largest organization for plaintiff lawyers in that field have elected an Atlanta attorney to lead them.
John Bey, who has represented individual plaintiffs for almost 20 years, is the new president-elect of the American Association for Justice. Bey said the organization, founded in 1946, is the largest of its kind in the world, with around 20,000 members.
The group, comprised of attorneys who predominantly represent injured people, lobbies and advocates for plaintiffs’ right to a jury trial in cases against those deemed responsible for the injury — often large companies.
“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.”
The American Association for Justice, or AAJ, used to be known as the Association of Trial Lawyers of America. Its equivalent at the state level is the Georgia Trial Lawyers Association.
Bey said he has been involved in the AAJ, including in teaching and leadership roles, since he took some of its litigation skills courses about 15 years ago.
“I came because I wanted to be a better lawyer, and then I just kind of got hooked,” he said.
His year as AAJ president will begin in July 2026.
Bey’s election to the role comes as Gov. Brian Kemp’s new laws restricting personal injury lawsuits take effect. Kemp made his litigation overhaul a priority of the state’s legislative session earlier this year, saying it would help shield business owners from unreasonably large jury verdicts, among other things.
The AAJ and groups like it are on the opposing side of the fight. They view such litigation rule changes, known as “tort reform,” as tipping the scales too far in favor of insurers and companies, to the detriment of hurt individuals.
“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 said a current concern for the AAJ is loosened rules around the use of pesticides and other harmful chemicals.
“Nobody wants cancerous vegetables in their grocery cart,” he said.
Bey said his time as AAJ president will be split between Atlanta, where he will continue to work cases, and the association’s base in Washington, D.C.
He said he has spent his entire career based in Atlanta, where his wife, Ardra Bey, is a municipal court judge. He set up his law firm, Bey & Associates, which has grown to include about 15 lawyers who work all over the country from offices in Atlanta, Macon, Cincinnati, New Orleans and Birmingham.
Bey, who turns 47 this year, said it is an honor to be nominated and elected by his peers to serve as the AAJ’s next president, especially at his relatively young age.
Another Atlanta attorney, Navan Ward, served as AAJ president from 2021 to 2022.
A spokesperson for the association said Bey’s election reflects his long-standing leadership and dedication to advancing civil justice.
“He has built a reputation as a formidable advocate for those who have been harmed through no fault of their own,” the spokesperson said.
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