B.J. has worked for over 19 years in criminal and civil trial litigation and appellate work. She
founded the firm after six and a half years as an Assistant District Attorney which included
special team prosecution of sexual abuse cases. B.J. has been selected as a 2005, 2006 Super
Lawyer in Atlanta Magazine and included in Georgia Trend Magazine's Legal Elite List. Atlanta
Magazine also listed B.J. as one of the top 50 female lawyers in Georgia. In 2003, the Daily
Report (the Atlanta Legal Newspaper) named B.J. as a “Rising Star in Criminal Law.” In 2001,
Georgia Trend magazine recognized her with the“40 Under 40” Award. B.J. has handled a
number of high profile cases
and regularly provides commentary for the media on legal issues. She has appeared on CNN,
CNN International, FOX News, MSNBC, CBS Early Show, NBC Nightly News, NPR (National Public
Radio), COURT TV, ABC’s Good Morning America, NBC’s Today Show and Court TV Radio to
provide commentary on cases of national interest.
Brenda Joy (B.J.)'s Profile
B.J. has tried well over one hundred jury trials and has made hundreds of court
appearances. In 1984, she graduated from Emory University with a degree in history, and then
in 1987 she graduated from the University of Georgia School of Law where she served as Chief
Justice of the law school Honor Court, and Research Editor of the Georgia Journal of
International and Comparative Law.
She has twice been
selected by the Georgia Judicial Nominating Commission as one of the final five finalists for a
Superior Court Judgeship in Fulton County.
B.J. is active in many legal organizations. She is a Vice-President of the Georgia
Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (GACDL) and also serves as Co-Chair of the Amicus
Committee. She is active in the Atlanta Bar Association, the National Association of Criminal
Defense Lawyers (NACDL); the International Bar Association (IBA); Georgia Association of
Women Lawyers; American Bar Association and the Georgia Bar Association. She has held
many leadership positions over the years including service as Chairman of the Atlanta Judicial
Commission, Member of the Board of Visitors of the University of Georgia School of Law and
former Chair of the UGA Younger Law Alumni Committee. She also is a past Board Member of
the GAWL Foundation.
Community philanthropy is a huge part of B.J.’s life. She serves on the board of the
Atlanta Committee for CARE (the International Relief organization), serves as Georgia Chair for
the CARE Legislative Action Network and has been the Secretary/ Treasurer of this
organization. She is a board member of the Atlanta American Jewish Committee. As part of
her involvement with AJC, she participated in the Conrad Adenauer Exchange with the Christian
Democratic Party in Germany
Her newest endeavor is the founding and launching of a new non-profit organization
called “My5th” which is devoted to informing youth under age 21 what laws apply to
them. “My5th” alluding to the constitutions 5th amendment rights seeks to educate teens and
college students on criminal and civil laws that affect their life. Too many times BJ has heard
the mantra “Ignorance of the Law is No Excuse” and yet our schools, community organizations
or parents do not ever inform them what the law is to begin with.
Topic Categories
Domestic Violence, Sexual Abuse
Domestic Violence, Sexual Abuse
Conflict Resolution, Negotiation
Presentation Titles
Child and Abuse and Sexual Offenses
Pleas and Negotiation
Sexual Assault Training
Prosecutorial Misconduct
Handling the Media in High Profile Cases
Ethical Issues with Media Cases
-- focuses on the ethics and issues connected to legal
commentary on television.
Answers of Jewish Women to Modernity -- B.J. focuses on the relationship and
balance of religion, gender and her work.
Audience Testimonials
"B.J. Bernstein was the inaugural speaker at our law school's alumnae lecture series Georgia
Law Women of Distinction. She is a dynamic and extremely knowledgeable communicator, who
intersperses the right amount of facts, anecdotes and humor throughout her talk." -- Rebecca
Hanner White, Dean and J. Alton Hosch Professor of Law, University of Georgia School of Law,
Athens, Georgia
