JERRY BERRY

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EXPERIENCE

Mr. Berry has been certified as a specialist by the Florida Bar as Board Certified in Criminal Trial.

Mr. Berry is AV-Rated® by Martindale-Hubbell® peer-review ratings, the highest recognition an attorney can receive for excellence in practice and ethics.

He is a past president of the Collier County Bar Association, past president and founder of the Collier County Association of Criminal Defense Attorneys, past chairman of the Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers — Criminal Section, and past president of the Florida Association of Criminal Defense Attorneys.

Mr. Berry has been listed for three consecutive years as a "Legal Leader" by Florida Trend Magazine, which recognizes the top 2% of attorneys in their fields as named by their peers and is presently one of Florida's "Super Lawyers."

Jerry Berry has served the legal community of Southwest Florida and the greater state for over 30 years.

BACKGROUND

Jerry Berry started Berry, Day & McFee as a sole practitioner in 1989. Mr. Berry's work in the field of criminal law dates back to 1979, when he completed law school.

He first received a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of Florida in 1976 (magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa). He then attended law school at Florida State University, where he received his juris doctorate in 1979.

Following law school, Mr. Berry worked as a prosecutor in Lakeland, Florida, and in Naples, Florida. In 1984, he went into private practice and has been defending the Constitution and the wrongfully accused ever since.

AWARDS

AV-Preeminent Lawyer

One of the most prestigious ratings a lawyer can receive. AV Preeminent is a significant accomplishment and a testament to the fact that a lawyer's peers rank him or her at the highest level of professional excellence, including general ethical standards and legal ability. The distinction is based on evaluations by other members of the bar and the judiciary in the United States and Canada.

Donald VanKoughnet "Lion of the Law" Recipient

The award is given to a member of the Collier County legal community to recognize excellence in legal skills, professionalism and public service. The judges cited Berry's many efforts to mentor young lawyers, assist the less fortunate and his work to improve the legal profession.

Super Lawyer Distinction

Super Lawyers is a rating service of outstanding lawyers who have attained a high-degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. The selection process includes independent research, peer nominations and peer evaluations.Only 5 percent of Florida attorneys were named to the ranking, which was compiled after an extensive review of peer nominations, a blue-ribbon panel review, and research.

Legal Elite

This list recognizes the top attorneys in the state. Based on peer nominations, the "Legal Elite" attorneys represent fewer than 2% of the active Florida Bar members who practice in Florida.

Client Distinction Award

The award assesses the communication ability, quality of service, responsiveness and value for the money on specific matters for which the client engaged the lawyer or law firm. After lawyers have been evaluated on their service and relationships skills, those lawyers who receive a numeric score of 4.0 - 5.0 are recognized.

LEADERSHIP

The Innocence Project of Florida

Past Board Chair

The Innocence Project of Florida (IPF) is a non-profit organization founded in January 2003 to help innocent prisoners in Florida obtain their freedom and rebuild their lives. IPF is a member of the Innocence Network, an affiliation of organizations dedicated to providing pro bono legal and investigative services to individuals seeking to prove innocence of crimes for which they have been...more

Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers

Past President

Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (FACDL) is the only statewide organization in Florida dedicated solely to the criminal defense attorney. FACDL is a not-for-profit corporation formed exclusively for charitable, scientific and educational purposes, and affiliated with the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.

Collier County Bar Association

Past President

The Collier County Bar Foundation was formed to provide a charitable vehicle for the Collier County Bar Association and its members. For years the Collier County Bar Foundation has provided scholarship assistance to outstanding high school students participating in Collier County’s annual Mock Trial competition. More recently, the Foundation has begun to broaden the scope of its charitable...more

Collier County Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers

Founder, Past President