Founding attorney John Stevens Berry (JS or JSB, Steve to old friends) is a legend. In addition to a storied law career that featured high profile court appearances in 24 states and two foreign countries, JSB is also known as a decorated Vietnam Veteran and a distinguished author.
After being commissioned in the Infantry and earning his Juris Doctorate from Northwestern University, he became a JAG and served as the chief defense counsel for Vietnam’s largest general court jurisdiction. His most famous case during that time, referred to as “The Green Beret Affair,” made national headlines and is still considered a defining moment for military criminal justice in the United States. His memoir about the case, Those Gallant Men: On Trial in Vietnam, received national recognition and continues to be popular among historians and scholars. After returning to civilian life, JSB briefly practiced in the New York City office of Henry Rothblatt, which served as the defense counsel in a variety of high-profile cases, including representing The Grateful Dead, the Watergate plumbers, and others.
Ready to build his own legacy, JSB started the firm that would eventually become known as Berry Law, and was engaged to work on a number of major international cases, including defending a US Navy Sailor during the largest drug bust in Japan’s history. JSB serves as Berry Law’s ‘Of Counsel’ and has helped thousands of Americans and Veterans take their lives back from difficult situations.
JSB founded Berry Law with the same principles he championed in Vietnam, to fearlessly represent his fellow Veterans and uphold justice and liberty for every American. For his diligent work ethic, passion for justice, and incredible legal skill, he is considered one of the best attorneys in the U.S. and holds an AV Preeminent Rating — the highest possible peer rating standard — from Martindale-Hubbell. He also shares his knowledge by conducting seminars for practicing lawyers and speaking at universities across the country after having transferred command of the firm to his son, John Berry, who leads Berry Law with the same passion for justice his father has.
