James R. Bright

James R. Bright

Partner

216.696.4200 x1012
jbright@sssb-law.com


Biography

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.

Licensed to Practice

Ohio

Education

  • Georgetown University Law Center, 1976, J.D.
  • Princeton University, 1971, A.B.

Admissions & 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
  • Member, Estate Planning Council of Cleveland

Professional Involvement

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

ACTEC FELLOW Badge

Awards & Honors

  • Martindale-Hubbell® AV Preeminent®

Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent

Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® since 2006 for Practice Areas:

    • Trusts and Estates

Rectangle box with the text: Best Lawyers for James Bright 2023

  • Ohio Super Lawyers® 2006-present

Super Lawyers badge for James R. Bright

  • Cleveland’s Top Rated Lawyers

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 Heights
  • Honorary Consul, Duchy of Luxembourg (1995–present)

Articles & Presentations

  • Considerations for Individual Professional Trustees, The Estate Planning Council of Cleveland, January 2020

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

  • Social Security, Ohio ACTEC Meeting, 2017

Areas of Practice

Licensed to Practice

Ohio

Awards & Recognition

James R. Bright
James R. Bright
Partner
216.696.4200 x1012
jbright@sssb-law.com

Biography

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.

Licensed to Practice

Ohio

Areas of Practice

  • Asset Protection Planning
  • Business Law
  • Business Tax
  • Charitable Planning
  • Estate Planning
  • Family Foundations
  • Fiduciary Representation
  • Gift, Estate, and GST Tax Planning
  • Income Tax Planning
  • Probate and Estate Administration
  • Retirement Distribution Planning
  • Taxation
  • Tax Controversies and Litigation
  • Trusts & Estates
  • Trusts and Trust Administration

Education

  • Georgetown University Law Center, 1976, J.D.
  • Princeton University, 1971, A.B.

Admissions & 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
  • Member, Estate Planning Council of Cleveland

Professional Involvement

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

ACTEC FELLOW Badge

James R. Bright
Partner
216.696.4200 x1012
jbright@sssb-law.com

Awards & Honors

  • Martindale-Hubbell® AV Preeminent®

Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent

Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® since 2006 for Practice Areas:

    • Trusts and Estates

Rectangle box with the text: Best Lawyers for James Bright 2023

  • Ohio Super Lawyers® 2006-present

Super Lawyers badge for James R. Bright

  • Cleveland’s Top Rated Lawyers

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 Heights
  • Honorary Consul, Duchy of Luxembourg (1995–present)

Articles & Presentations

  • Considerations for Individual Professional Trustees, The Estate Planning Council of Cleveland, January 2020

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

  • Social Security, Ohio ACTEC Meeting, 2017