John Tyler Grisham, Attorney

John Ray Grisham, Jr. received a JD from the University of Mississippi School of Law in 1981. In addition to practicing law, he is a best-selling author and a politician.

Following graduation from law school, Grisham performed missionary work in Brazil. He then practiced law for approximately 10 years before transitioning to politics. In 1983, Grisham was elected to the Mississippi House of Representatives as a Democrat. In his second term at the Mississippi state legislature, he was appointed vice-chairman of the Apportionment and Elections Committee. Grisham returned briefly to law in 1996 and successfully argued his client’s case, which resulted in the largest jury award of his career.

Simultaneously, Grisham launched a writing career, finding success with the publication of his second book, The Firm, which became a New York Times bestseller. Grisham specializes in legal thrillers, but has experimented with sports fiction and comedy. He writes for children and adults, and has written a screenplay as well. Many of his books have been turned into films, and several became television series.

School	Degree	Major	Graduation
Mississippi State University	BS	Accounting	1977

State / Court	Date
Virginia