Our Legal Team

Jerry focuses primarily on complex litigation, including class and collective actions, in a wide array of fields. A graduate of Dartmouth College, Jerry received his law degree from Stanford University in 1999, where he served as associate editor of the Stanford Law Review.

Recently, on behalf of the United Steelworkers, Jerry sought and was granted temporary injunctive relief to prevent a large group of retirees from being kicked off their health insurance rolls. After granting the injunction, the Court remarked from the bench that it wasn't clear that the retirees really "had a leg to stand on." The case, however, eventually settled for $17 million paid out to the retirees.

Jerry and other lawyers at Barrett, Johnston & Parsley are actively pursuing a number of claims on behalf of employees under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) against employers who improperly withhold or deny earned overtime. These lawsuits seek to recover for individuals who are forced to work off the clock or have been improperly categorized as exempt from the overtime laws. Barrett, Johnston & Parsley is committed to helping employees get an honest day's pay for an honest day's work.

Jerry is active in Democratic politics. In 2008 Jerry was elected as a Delegate, pledged to support Senator Barack Obama, to the Democratic National Convention. In 2002, Jerry took a leave of absence from his law practice and served as U.S. Rep. Jim Cooper's Finance Director when he was first elected to Congress from Tennessee's Fifth District.

A native of Bell Buckle, Tennessee, Jerry is married to Cynthia Ragan and they have two daughters, Georgia and Harper. When he's not litigating or spending time with his family, Jerry enjoys catching and releasing just about any fish but particularly bass.