Bio
Jennifer A. Barry joined Decof, Barry, Mega & Quinn, P.C. in 1997, after serving as a law clerk for former Rhode Island Supreme Court Chief Justice Frank J. Williams, during his time as Associate Justice of the Rhode Island Superior Court (1996 – 1997). She began her career at the firm and later returned, along with her husband, in 2011. An accomplished attorney, Jennifer dedicated the first few years of her practice to working with the firm’s team of trial attorneys handling the professional liability actions arising out of the RISDIC credit union crisis. She later transitioned into the firm’s more traditional tort practice and now represents clients in complex and catastrophic personal injury, wrongful death, and medical negligence cases.
Contact Jennifer and our other skilled attorneys today by calling (401) 200-4059.
Education and Admissions
Jennifer graduated from Bates College with a joint degree in economics and political science (B.A.) in 1993 and from Catholic University of America Columbus School of Law (J.D.) in 1996. She represented Catholic University at the 1995 National Civil Rights Moot Court Competition in Minneapolis, Minnesota and the 1996 Freedom Forum National First Amendment Moot Court Competition in Nashville, Tennessee. She served as intern to Senior United States District Court Judge Alexander Harvey, II of the United States District Court for the District of Maryland.
Jennifer earned admission to the bar in the state of Rhode Island (1996), District of Rhode Island (1997), Commonwealth of Massachusetts (1997) and the District of Massachusetts (2001).
Honors and Awards
- Obtained an “AV” rating bestowed by Martindale-Hubbell in response to legal surveys of her peers and colleagues (the highest “peer review” rating available), 2010-present
- Appointed to the Rhode Island Board of Medical Licensure and Discipline (the licensing board for all physicians in the state) by Governor Chafee, 2013-present
- The American Jurisprudence Book Award in Torts, 1993-1994
Memberships and Affiliations
- Rhode Island Association for Justice, Member 1998-present
- Rhode Island Bar Foundation, Fellow 2010-present
- Maryland State Bar, Former Member, 1996
Notable Case Wins
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$180 MillionDEPCO/RISDIC Litigation, 1997-2002
Jennifer was part of the team of attorneys, led by the firm’s founder Leonard Decof, that represented the State of Rhode Island following the collapse of the state’s privately insured credit union industry. The team sued the directors and officers of the failed institutions and its insurer, RISDIC, along with several law firms, banks and accountants involved in the financial wrongdoing. The state recovered $180 million that had been spent to bail out the depositors of the credit unions. -
Confidential Mid-Trial SettlementMedical Malpractice
Confidential mid-trial settlement on behalf of a young woman who suffered paralysis following epidural anesthesia during childbirth. -
Multimillion-Dollar SettlementElectrocution Injury - Wrongful Death
Multimillion-dollar settlement on behalf of the family of a man who was electrocuted and killed as a result of a utility company’s negligent placement and maintenance of high-voltage electrical wires. -
Confidential SettlementMedical Malpractice
Confidential settlement on behalf of a young woman who was paralyzed following a surgical procedure to correct scoliosis.