About Barry
I have been practicing law in Washington and Oregon for over 30 years, with the last 23+ focused entirely on employment law disputes, litigation and trial, and preventive advice for employers. I am admitted to practice in all federal and state courts, administrative agencies and arbitration forums in Washington and Oregon.
Academics and Background
I graduated from the University of Oregon School of Law in 1992. There I won the mock trial client counseling competition as a first- year student, and academic honors in civil procedure and contracts. I graduated with the highest honors–the Order of the Coif.
During law school, I enjoyed my work for a civil defense law firm in Eugene. I enjoyed the work even more than school. I still love practicing law and the privilege of advocating a position for a party in employment disputes. Before attending law school, I graduated with high honors from Concordia College, a small liberal arts school located in Moorhead, Minnesota, near where I was born and raised.
At Concordia, I met and married Gretchen, my wife of 35+ years.After graduation, we moved West, toward where she grew up. I have been in Oregon and Washington since 1989, and I have come to love the Pacific Northwest and call it home. We now have two grown children, both attending graduate school; soon one will be a pastor and the other a lawyer.
Experience
I did well in school. But, what has forged my ability to effectively represent parties in employment disputes is the dispute, court, and advice work done over the last three decades. Johnsrud Employment Law Advocates is my third law firm, and my first solo practice. I started at a well-regarded business firm in Tacoma, Washington in 1992. In 2000, I moved to a large national management-side workplace law firm (of almost 1,000 attorneys) where I was a principal for over 20 years. In total I was there over 23 years.
After my 23+ year run in Big Law, I am very well versed at how companies large and small, and their insurers, examine and evaluate cases. I know the costs–financial, emotional, and practical–associated with employee lawsuits. Companies are run by people too. This is critical to understanding employment law disputes. In my experience, very few companies want lingering disputes and litigation with current or former employees if a reasonable early settlement. But people in companies react to accusations as people first—a good advocate expects this.
I am grateful to my prior employment law mentors and my last firm for the experience and skill I gained in dispute resolution over the last three decades. I I am now uniquely and well positioned to understand both sides of an employment law case. I am very excited to expand my advocacy at Johnsrud Employment Law Advocates to include both sides of employment law disputes.
Honors and Recognition
The Best Lawyers in America©, “Employment Law – Management” and “Litigation – Labor and Employment” (2021-present)
Martindale-Hubbell®, “Distinguished® – Peer Rated for High Professional Achievement” (2006-present)