Judge with MC ties to step down

Circuit Court Judge John Garland “Jack” Berry of Madison County has joined the law firm of Allen, Allen, Allen & Allen as a partner, according to a news release from the firm.

Berry plans to step down from his position as chief judge in Virginia’s 16th Judicial District Jan. 31, said W. Coleman Allen Jr., one of the firm’s partners.

He is set to begin managing the firm’s Charlottesville office Feb. 1.

“We’re very pleased to be able to add a trial lawyer of his stature to our partner group,” Allen said. “He has an outstanding reputation in terms of ability, character and experience. We feel very fortunate to have him join us.”

The Virginia General Assembly appointed Berry to the circuit court bench in August 2008. He became chief judge in November 2010.

The 16th Circuit includes Madison, Goochland, Louisa, Fluvanna, Orange, Albemarle, Greene and Culpeper counties and the city of Charlottesville.

Berry joined the faculty of the Virginia State Bar Course on Professionalism in 2008 and served a three-year term.

He previously served on the 7th District Ethics Committee of the Virginia State Bar from 1999-2005 and as a member of the Bar Council, the governing body of the Virginia State Bar, from 2000-2006.

Berry, 57, is a 1972 graduate of Madison County High School. He graduated magna cum laude from Washington & Lee University in 1976.  Although a star college quarterback and 17th round draft pick for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, he instead decided to attend law school at the University of Virginia and joined the bar in 1979.

He began his career at the Madison-based law firm of Puryear, Chandler and Early. He was in solo practice from 1982-1984 and founded the Madison-based law firm of Berry and Early with partner Jeff Early.

Founded in 1910, Allen & Allen includes 21 trial lawyers who handle personal injury claims including wrongful death, motor vehicle and tractor trailer collisions, brain injury, spinal injury, medical malpractice and products liability. The firm has offices in Charlottesville, Richmond, Chesterfield, Mechanicsville, Petersburg, Fredericksburg, Garrisonville and Short Pump.