JAMES R. BRIGHTPartner

216.696.4200 x1012jbright@sssb-law.com

1375 E. Ninth Street, Suite 900 | Cleveland, OH 44114216.696.4200 | www.SSSB-Law.com

Jim Bright, has practiced law since 1976. His practice is focused on probate and trust administration; estate planning for individuals and family groups; estate, gift and generation-skipping transfer tax planning; charitable gift planning; income tax planning; and providing counsel to trustees of private foundations on administration, initial formation and tax qualification. Jim served as President of Spieth, Bell, McCurdy & Newell Co., L.P.A. after 2009.

Jim is a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel and is listed in Best Lawyers in America. He has served on the Board of Directors/Trustees of many charitable institutions in Cleveland, including The Cleveland Museum of Natural History and the Cleveland Play House. He has also been a member of the Princeton University Planned Giving Advisory Committee since 2002. Jim has also served as Honorary Consul for the Duchy of Luxembourg since 1995, and has been a partner in Cleveland Social Venture Partners since 2004. Jim was also President of the Cleveland Racquet Club in 1982.

Practice Areas

Probate and Estate AdministrationTrusts and Trust AdministrationEstate PlanningFiduciary RepresentationTax Law and PlanningCharitable Planning and Giving

Education

Georgetown University Law Center, 1976 J.D.

Princeton University, 1971 A.B.

Admissions and Associations

State of Ohio American Bar Association - Member, Real Property, Probate and Trust Law Section, Member, General Practice Section Member, Taxation Section Ohio State Bar Association - Member, Estate Planning, Probate and Trust Law Section Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association - Member, Estate Planning, Probate and Trust Law Section

Professional Involvement

Fellow, The American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC)

Awards and Honors

Martindale-Hubbell® AV Preeminent®

Best Lawyers® 2006 - present Trusts and Estates

Ohio Super Lawyers® 2006 – present

Cleveland’s Top Rated Lawyers

JAMES R. BRIGHTPartner

216.696.4200 x1012jbright@sssb-law.com

1375 E. Ninth Street, Suite 900 | Cleveland, OH 44114216.696.4200 | www.SSSB-Law.com

Community Activities

Investment Committee, Chair, Cleveland Museum of Natural History (2010 – present)Board of Trustees, Cleveland Museum of Natural History (2004 – present)Cleveland Social Venture Partners (2004 – present)Planned Giving Advisory Committee, Princeton University (2002 – present)Foundation Committee, Plymouth Church of Shaker HeightsHonorary Consul, Duchy of Luxembourg (1995 – present)

Recent Articles and Presentations

Social Security, The CMBA’s Estate Planning, Probate & Trust Law Section’s 44th Annual Estate Planning Institute 2017Social Security, Ohio ACTEC 2017 Meeting