The father and son legal team of Bruce and Barry Conybeare.
By Tom Gantert
Legal News
There is a treasured photo that still circulates among Barry Conybeare and his high school friends.
Taken during a 1984 basketball game, the photo appeared in the Benton Harbor newspaper and shows the 5-foot-9 guard for Lake Michigan Catholic releasing a jump shot as a 6-foot-5 defender stretches to block it. To anyone seeing the image decades later, the ball appears headed straight for the side of the backboard.
Conybeare has long maintained the photograph is deceiving, perhaps even an optical illusion.
“None of us can remember what happened with that shot,” Conybeare said from his St. Joseph law office.
More than 40 years later, however, he still remembers the defender by name.
Those are the kinds of details that matter to him. His roots remain deeply intertwined with his hometown.
Conybeare’s law office in St. Joseph sits less approximately a quarter-mile from the gym where the photograph was taken. Rather than leaving southwest Michigan to build a legal career elsewhere, Conybeare returned home after beginning his career in Chicago, eventually taking over the law practice founded by his father (Bruce) and becoming one of the community’s most familiar attorneys.
Even so, Conybeare admits he is somewhat surprised to have become the 74th president of the Michigan Association for Justice (MAJ) for 2026-27, succeeding Bloomfield Hills attorney Nick Andrews in the leadership role. St. Joseph is nearly 200 miles from Detroit, home to many of the state’s largest law firms, and almost a three-hour drive from Lansing, the center of Michigan’s legal and political community.
That distance never discouraged him. After joining the MAJ, Conybeare regularly made the 177-mile drive to Novi for the organization’s monthly meetings.
“People thought I was crazy,” he said. “I wanted to meet more trial lawyers.”
He believes the COVID-19 pandemic ultimately made his presidency possible by changing how organizations conducted business.
“As we all know, the pandemic facilitated a dramatic change in the way business meetings are run. MAJ, like so many other organizations, embraced virtual meetings that allowed a lawyer from the southwest corner of the state to actively engage at a leadership level on a week-to-week basis,” he said.
Conybeare’s path into personal injury law was shaped not only by watching his father practice law, but also by personal tragedy.
After graduating from Lake Michigan Catholic High School in St. Joseph, Barry lost a teenage family friend.
Jennifer Monte was a 17-year-old Lake Michigan High School senior when she was killed September 7, 1984 in a car crash. She was a member of the high school tennis team, the editor of the yearbook, and Berrien County’s 1984 Miss Apple Queen.
The Benton Harbor newspaper ran a photo of the demolished car lying in the Blue Creek after crashing into a tree. Conybeare believes it was caused by distracted driving and that his friend was tuning the car radio and got distracted.
Following his graduation from the University of Michigan, Conybeare said his closest college friend was killed by a drunken driver. According to his firm’s website, those tragic experiences drew him toward the work his father had devoted his career to — helping families rebuild after devastating losses.
Barry earned his law degree, magna cum laude, from DePaul University College of Law in Chicago. He began his legal career as a commercial litigation associate at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, one of the world’s largest law firms.
Two years later, he and his wife, Jody, returned to southwest Michigan, where Barry joined his father at Conybeare Injury and Accident Lawyers.
As he and his wife raised their family of four children (Rowan, Avery, Zachary, and Rhys), Conybeare said his ties to the community only deepened. Helping others is at the center of both his legal practice and his community involvement.
That commitment extends well beyond the courtroom.
In 2010, Conybeare Injury and Accident Lawyers hosted a safety program on a local radio station. During an August broadcast about the dangers of extreme summer heat, Conybeare worked with the Area Agency on Aging to give free air conditioners to 35 senior citizens in Berrien County.
Early in his legal career, Conybeare became active with the MAJ, a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing the interests of trial lawyers and promoting a fair and effective legal system. He found that attending seminars, participating in association events, and building relationships with fellow trial lawyers made him a stronger litigator and a better advocate for his clients.
To further that goal, Conybeare started a local meeting of plaintiffs’ attorneys to collaborate on advancing the rights of personal injury victims in southwest Michigan. He has developed lasting friendships and strong professional relationships with many of Michigan’s leading plaintiff attorneys. Before becoming president, he served on the Executive Board of the MAJ and also completed eight years on the St. Joseph Board of Education.
Conybeare’s practice focuses on all aspects of personal injury law, including car accidents, medical malpractice, product liability, insurance claims and other injury cases. He said building a personal connection with clients—and treating them with dignity and respect—makes a difference. Whether a case is large or small, he said it is important to both the client and the attorney. His philosophy is to provide clients with as much information as possible about the law and the legal process so they feel informed and comfortable as their case moves forward.
That approach has produced significant results.
In 2018, Conybeare represented the family of a man killed in a car accident and secured a $1.9 million jury verdict, the largest in Cass County history. He said while he understands that no amount of money can replace the loss of a loved one, Conybeare said personal injury awards and settlements can provide families with the financial support they need and deserve.
Attorney Wayne J. Miller said he has known Conybeare for years through their leadership roles in the MAJ.
“Barry is a prodigal son of St. Joseph, returning there to practice law and taking over his father’s law firm,” Miller said.
“Barry is the type of attorney who inspires confidence in his clients, juries and courts wherever he practices,” Miller added. “He is thoughtful, friendly and easily approachable. Very smart as well. In short, Barry was destined for a leadership role in our trial lawyer community.”
For Conybeare, though, success has never required leaving home.
“My wife Jody and I are both from St. Joe. We are lucky to be near our parents and raise our children in this small-town community. I got to practice law and run a business with my dad. And have you seen the beaches and sunsets in St. Joe?” he said. “Oh, and I have a drive of 2-3 minutes to get to my office. My longest regular drive is 12 minutes to the golf course.”
Legal News
There is a treasured photo that still circulates among Barry Conybeare and his high school friends.
Taken during a 1984 basketball game, the photo appeared in the Benton Harbor newspaper and shows the 5-foot-9 guard for Lake Michigan Catholic releasing a jump shot as a 6-foot-5 defender stretches to block it. To anyone seeing the image decades later, the ball appears headed straight for the side of the backboard.
Conybeare has long maintained the photograph is deceiving, perhaps even an optical illusion.
“None of us can remember what happened with that shot,” Conybeare said from his St. Joseph law office.
More than 40 years later, however, he still remembers the defender by name.
Those are the kinds of details that matter to him. His roots remain deeply intertwined with his hometown.
Conybeare’s law office in St. Joseph sits less approximately a quarter-mile from the gym where the photograph was taken. Rather than leaving southwest Michigan to build a legal career elsewhere, Conybeare returned home after beginning his career in Chicago, eventually taking over the law practice founded by his father (Bruce) and becoming one of the community’s most familiar attorneys.
Even so, Conybeare admits he is somewhat surprised to have become the 74th president of the Michigan Association for Justice (MAJ) for 2026-27, succeeding Bloomfield Hills attorney Nick Andrews in the leadership role. St. Joseph is nearly 200 miles from Detroit, home to many of the state’s largest law firms, and almost a three-hour drive from Lansing, the center of Michigan’s legal and political community.
That distance never discouraged him. After joining the MAJ, Conybeare regularly made the 177-mile drive to Novi for the organization’s monthly meetings.
“People thought I was crazy,” he said. “I wanted to meet more trial lawyers.”
He believes the COVID-19 pandemic ultimately made his presidency possible by changing how organizations conducted business.
“As we all know, the pandemic facilitated a dramatic change in the way business meetings are run. MAJ, like so many other organizations, embraced virtual meetings that allowed a lawyer from the southwest corner of the state to actively engage at a leadership level on a week-to-week basis,” he said.
Conybeare’s path into personal injury law was shaped not only by watching his father practice law, but also by personal tragedy.
After graduating from Lake Michigan Catholic High School in St. Joseph, Barry lost a teenage family friend.
Jennifer Monte was a 17-year-old Lake Michigan High School senior when she was killed September 7, 1984 in a car crash. She was a member of the high school tennis team, the editor of the yearbook, and Berrien County’s 1984 Miss Apple Queen.
The Benton Harbor newspaper ran a photo of the demolished car lying in the Blue Creek after crashing into a tree. Conybeare believes it was caused by distracted driving and that his friend was tuning the car radio and got distracted.
Following his graduation from the University of Michigan, Conybeare said his closest college friend was killed by a drunken driver. According to his firm’s website, those tragic experiences drew him toward the work his father had devoted his career to — helping families rebuild after devastating losses.
Barry earned his law degree, magna cum laude, from DePaul University College of Law in Chicago. He began his legal career as a commercial litigation associate at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, one of the world’s largest law firms.
Two years later, he and his wife, Jody, returned to southwest Michigan, where Barry joined his father at Conybeare Injury and Accident Lawyers.
As he and his wife raised their family of four children (Rowan, Avery, Zachary, and Rhys), Conybeare said his ties to the community only deepened. Helping others is at the center of both his legal practice and his community involvement.
That commitment extends well beyond the courtroom.
In 2010, Conybeare Injury and Accident Lawyers hosted a safety program on a local radio station. During an August broadcast about the dangers of extreme summer heat, Conybeare worked with the Area Agency on Aging to give free air conditioners to 35 senior citizens in Berrien County.
Early in his legal career, Conybeare became active with the MAJ, a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing the interests of trial lawyers and promoting a fair and effective legal system. He found that attending seminars, participating in association events, and building relationships with fellow trial lawyers made him a stronger litigator and a better advocate for his clients.
To further that goal, Conybeare started a local meeting of plaintiffs’ attorneys to collaborate on advancing the rights of personal injury victims in southwest Michigan. He has developed lasting friendships and strong professional relationships with many of Michigan’s leading plaintiff attorneys. Before becoming president, he served on the Executive Board of the MAJ and also completed eight years on the St. Joseph Board of Education.
Conybeare’s practice focuses on all aspects of personal injury law, including car accidents, medical malpractice, product liability, insurance claims and other injury cases. He said building a personal connection with clients—and treating them with dignity and respect—makes a difference. Whether a case is large or small, he said it is important to both the client and the attorney. His philosophy is to provide clients with as much information as possible about the law and the legal process so they feel informed and comfortable as their case moves forward.
That approach has produced significant results.
In 2018, Conybeare represented the family of a man killed in a car accident and secured a $1.9 million jury verdict, the largest in Cass County history. He said while he understands that no amount of money can replace the loss of a loved one, Conybeare said personal injury awards and settlements can provide families with the financial support they need and deserve.
Attorney Wayne J. Miller said he has known Conybeare for years through their leadership roles in the MAJ.
“Barry is a prodigal son of St. Joseph, returning there to practice law and taking over his father’s law firm,” Miller said.
“Barry is the type of attorney who inspires confidence in his clients, juries and courts wherever he practices,” Miller added. “He is thoughtful, friendly and easily approachable. Very smart as well. In short, Barry was destined for a leadership role in our trial lawyer community.”
For Conybeare, though, success has never required leaving home.
“My wife Jody and I are both from St. Joe. We are lucky to be near our parents and raise our children in this small-town community. I got to practice law and run a business with my dad. And have you seen the beaches and sunsets in St. Joe?” he said. “Oh, and I have a drive of 2-3 minutes to get to my office. My longest regular drive is 12 minutes to the golf course.”
Barry Conybeare and his wife, Jody, strike a pose at a holiday party.
A University of Michigan alum, Barry Conybeare is an avid Wolverine fan.
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