James “Jim” A. Bishop

Residence: Sea Island, Georgia
Email Address: jbishop@bishopfirm.com

Family Members

Wife: Mary Raulerson Bishop
Married: August 14, 1964
Son: James A. Bishop, Jr.
Practicing law since 1996 – The Bishop Law Firm
Daughter: Mary Elizabeth Bishop Easterlin
Grandchildren: Four grandchildren ages 7 through 16.

Occupation

Attorney, The Bishop Law Firm
465 Sea Island Road
St. Simons Island, GA 31522
Telephone (912) 264-2390
Facsimile (912) 264-5859

Education

• Graduated Bacon County High School, Alma, Georgia – 1960
• Graduated University of Georgia – 1964 Bachelor of Arts
• Graduated Walter F. George School of Law, Mercer University – 1967
  Juris Doctor

Business and Professional

After completing educational requirements at the Walter F. George School of Law, Mercer University in 1967, Mr. Bishop moved to Brunswick to join Anthony A. Alaimo in the practice of law. In 1971, Anthony A. Alaimo was appointed Judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Georgia. Judge Alaimo served as Chief Judge for the U.S. District Court from 1976 to 1990 for the District Court. Judge Alaimo remained on Senior Status until his death in 2009. When Judge Alaimo took the bench in 1971, Mr. Bishop continued his law practice with A. Blenn Taylor, Jr. until June 1980 when Blenn Taylor was appointed to the Superior Court bench for the Brunswick Judicial Circuit. Mr. Bishop has continuously maintained a general practice of law in Brunswick and throughout Southeast Georgia since beginning his practice in 1967. His practice continues under the name of The Bishop Law Firm. Mr. Bishop holds the highest rating in the Martindale Hubbell Directory of “AV” and is listed in the Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers.

In 2006, Governor Sonny Perdue appointed Mr. Bishop to serve as a member of the Board of Regents for the University System of Georgia from 2007 through 2011. Mr. Bishop chaired the Academic Affairs and Medical Education Expansion Committees and the University System of Georgia Foundation. As a Regent, Jim Bishop spearheaded the conversion of the College of Coastal Georgia located in Brunswick, Georgia, into a vibrant, comprehensive undergraduate institution. He remains active in supporting and guiding the College as it continues its growth and quality development. The Mary and Jim Bishop Endowed Scholarship in Public Affairs was established to honor the Bishop Family who are longtime residents and civic leaders in the Coastal Georgia region. Additionally, Mr. and Mrs. Bishop established The James A. and Mary R. Bishop Endowed Scholarship at the Walter F. George School of Law at Mercer University. In 2010, Jim Bishop was the first recipient of the annual Honorab le Anthony A. Alaimo Award for Public Service from the College of Coastal Georgia Foundation and, in 2011, he received the A. W. Jones, Sr. Award for dedicated leadership and service to Brunswick and the Golden Isles. Mr. Bishop is a nationally recognized attorney who has twice served on the state’s Judicial Nominating Commission and is a long-standing member of the United States District Court Advisory Committee. He serves as chairman of the Board of the Directors of The Coastal Bank of Georgia, a Synovus Bank affiliate, and the Southeast Georgia Health System Foundation. Mr. Bishop is a member of the Board of Directors of the Georgia Chamber of Commerce and was one of the original founding trustees of Leadership Georgia. Mr. Bishop is a General Civil Practice Attorney specializing in the areas of Litigation Management, Corporate, Probate, Bankruptcy, Commercial and Banking Law, Zoning and Land Use, and Commercial and Residential Real Estate.

Professional

• United States District Court Advisory Committee for the Southern District of Georgia – Past Chairman
• Southern District Merit Selection Panel for U.S. Magistrate Judge (2014)
• State of Georgia Judicial Nominating Commission – Former Member
• American Bar Association – Member in good standing
• State Bar of Georgia – Former Member of the Executive Committee of the State Bar of Georgia and former Ex Officio Member of Board of Governors of the State Bar of Georgia
• State Bar of Georgia Commission on Continuing Lawyer Competency – Former Member, Chairman and Vice Chairman
• State Bar of Georgia Younger Lawyers Section – Former President and Executive Committee Member
• Brunswick Bar Association – Member in good standing; Former President; former Member of the Board of Directors
• Brunswick Judicial Circuit Bar Association – Former President; Member in good standing
• State Bar Disciplinary Committee – Former Member; Representative Clients – past and present: The Coastal Bank of Georgia; Synovus Financial Corp; Synovus Mortgage Corp; The Patterson Bank; Branch Bank & Trust; The Farmers Bank; Bank of the Ozarks; Rich-SeaPak Corporation; Rich Products Corporation; Honeywell International, Inc.; General Electric Corporation; The Hampton Group; Hampton Point Property Owners Association; Coastal Health Management, Inc.; King & Prince Hotel; Mississippi Management, Inc.; Driggers Construction Company; Southland Environmental Services; Retreat Village; Georgia Theatre Company; United Water; Callaway Land Company; Mike Murphy Ford; Mike Murphy Kia; National Land Partners, Ocean Forest Property Owners Association, Inc.; Rialto Capital; Castellini Management Company, LP; Holland Pump Company; and numerous high-profile indiv iduals. Additionally, Mr. Bishop has previously represented as General Counsel, Glynn County, Georgia, the Glynn County Board of Education, the Brunswick-Glynn County Development Authority and the Glynn County Airport Commission.

Religious

Religious Affiliation: Presbyterian
Church Activities: Mr. Bishop and his family are members of the St. Simons Island Presbyterian Church where he has served several terms as a Deacon, Elder and as a Trustee.
The Gathering Place – Founding Member; community-based, regional inter-denominational youth ministry.

Civic and Service

• Coastal Bank of Georgia (Synovus affiliat e) – Chairman of the Board of Directors
• University System of Board Regents – Past Member
• University System of Georgia Foundation – Member and Past-Chairman
• Georgia Chamber of Commerce – Member, Board of Directors
• Southeast Georgia Hospital Foundation – Chairman of the Board
• Boys & Girls Club of Southeast Georgia
• Sea Island Club Advisory Board
• Ocean Forest Club Advisory Board
• Highlands Country Club Board of Governors – Past President
• Brunswick-Golden Isles Chamber of Commerce – Member in good standing
• Communities of Coastal Georgia Foundation – Founding Member
• Boy Scouts of America – Eagle Scout; Recipient of the prestigious Silver Beaver Award for Distinguished Service to Youth; Past President of the Okefenokee Area Council of Boy Scouts of America; Executive Committee Member of Okefenokee Area Council, Boy Scouts of America
• Leadership Georgia – Original Trustee (1972), sponsored by the Georgia Chamber of Commerce
• United Way – Former member of the Board of Directors of United Way of Brunswick and Glynn County, Georgia
• Member of the Board of Trustees, Mercer University – Past Chairman
• Recipient of the Meritorious Service Award from Mercer University
• Recipient of the A.W. Jones, Sr., Award for dedicated leadership and outstanding service to Brunswick and the Golden Isles