By Jack Criss, GJB Publisher
Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP is fortunate to have 33 year-old Michael Bentley working in its firm. And the city of Jackson is fortunate to have such a rising and conscientious leader as a member of its professional community.
Bentley himself shies away from such accolades (including the recent prestigious honor of being name Young Attorney of the Year by the Mississippi College School of Law) saying he prefers to focus on his work, family and community. But in such an admission of priorities, Bentley reveals the fact that his professional accomplishments are not about him: they’re about how to be a better attorney. And citizen.
Already boasting a career, which has seen many recognitions and honors, Bentley says that he is especially proud of his work with the Mississippi Association of Partners in Education. “It is Mississippi’s only statewide non-profit group focused on building partnerships between schools and businesses in their community,” Bentley says. “I’m their first Vice President and have served on the board for a few years. We work to foster school-business relationships so that public schools throughout the state have business partners they can to turn to locally, not just for financial assistance, but for mentoring and active involvement such as career days and interacting in the classroom,” he says.
“Many educators and administrators in our public school system are just too busy to reach out to the business community,” Bentley continues, “and that’s where MAPE comes in to assist. As example, every year we give out the Governor’s Awards which recognizes specific ‘best practices’ in school-business partnerships. Millsaps College was a recipient last year due to their relationship with a local Jackson school through which we saw dramatic increases in reading comprehension and class attendance.”
Bentley joined the Jackson offices of Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP in September of 2008 having served as a law clerk for the Honorable Leslie Southwick, Circuit Judge for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit and an Adjunct Professor of Legal Writing for the MC School of Law. He had also worked for the Mississippi Department of Education as Assistant to the State Superintendent and in the office of Governor Ronnie Musgrove, serving as Constituents Services Coordinator. Bentley received his undergraduate degree in Political Science from Millsaps College in 2000 and his J.D. from the MC School Of Law. His areas of expertise lie in the areas of commercial litigation with a focus on appellate work.
When asked how he balances the demands of being an attorney in 2011 as well as a civic-minded member of the community, Bentley says he really sees no conflict.
“My grandfather was an attorney in Meridian, where I was born and raised, and many lessons I learned from him became ingrained,” Bentley says. “My own father passed away when I was 10 so he took me under his wing and I picked up from him the idea that with a law degree and practice comes responsibility. To him, law was first and foremost about justice and fairness—he took that seriously. He saw being a lawyer as more than making a living; he saw it as an opportunity to bring about positive change in his community. I can say that I feel the same way and I owe that to his strong influence. Bradley Arant fosters and encourages this same kind of mentality, as well, and that’s why I have felt a perfect fit here with the firm. The corporate culture here is more than just billable hours; it’s also about making a mark within one’s community, some of which may have nothing at all to do with law per se. We are one of the few firms in Jackson that allows the attorneys to devote a certain amount of hours to Pro Bono work which will then actually count toward billable hour requirements.”
Among his community activities, Bentley has been actively involved with the Jackson Young Lawyers (JYL) since his admission to the bar in 2007, having first served as the Chair of the Pro Bono Committee and currently as a member of the Board of Directors. He has also served as voluntary attorney for the Stewpot Legal Clinic in Jackson, the MVLP Legal Line and the Mississippi Center for Justice’s Education Advocacy Project.
With the experience he has already accumulated the question is almost begged: would Bentley ever consider running for public office? “You know,” he reflects, “I thought long and hard about it after working for Governor Musgrove. In today’s political climate I really respect anyone, Democrat or Republican, who is willing to enter the arena. Plus, it can be a very thankless job. I see public service as wanting to govern, not just win elections. Having said all this, I still think about it from time to time—but it’s way on the back burner!” he laughs.
A new father to a baby son (Henry Rabb, so named after Bentley’s grandfather) Bentley is married to the former Sarah McAtee who works for the non-profit HOPE Enterprise Corporation. The couple and their child reside in the Fondren community of Jackson and Bentley says he couldn’t imagine living anywhere else. “I think the best days of Jackson are ahead even though, obviously, there is much work to do,” Bentley admits. “I’m also pleased to work for a firm that has its offices in downtown Jackson. Bradley Arant is committed to this area and it’s important to us to have a presence here and to help contribute in keeping downtown Jackson a vibrant part of our state.”
Michael Bentley noted that Jackson’s best days are still ahead. The same can certainly be said of this attorney. It will be interesting to watch his career unfold in the coming years.
