JR
Biography
John Autry is a trial lawyer with seventeen years of experience litigating complex cases in federal and state courts across Georgia. He has tried numerous bench and jury trials to judgment, successfully defended multiple verdicts on appeal, and built a reputation as a smart, aggressive advocate who delivers sound business and legal advice. Whether in settlement negotiations, mediation, trial, or appeal, John consistently obtains favorable results for his clients.
Over the course of his career, John has represented multi-national corporations, small businesses, and individuals in a wide range of disputes. His practice areas have included employment law, banking and lending, medical and dental malpractice, long-term care litigation, real and personal property matters, and contractual disputes. He has also counseled clients in mediation and quasi-judicial proceedings before government agencies and professional licensing boards.
Before joining Norris Injury Law, John spent twelve years as a business litigator at Smith Gambrell & Russell in Atlanta, where he was promoted to partner. There, he conducted and supervised all aspects of the litigation process—from case investigation and initiation through depositions, discovery, trial, and appeal. He then served for five years as Counsel at Coles Barton LLP in Lawrenceville, practicing in insurance defense, personal injury defense, employment, and general contract disputes. His work at Coles Barton kept him constantly in the courtroom for trials and hearings, with most weeks including multiple witness and expert depositions.
John has been twice designated a ""Rising Star"" by Georgia Super Lawyers and maintains an AV Peer Review rating—the highest rating possible—from Martindale Hubbell.
A Georgia native and long-time Athens and Oconee County resident, John graduated with honors from the University of Georgia School of Law, where he served on the editorial board of the Journal of Intellectual Property Law. He was a national winner in the Louis Jackson Writing Competition in Labor and Employment Law, and his winning article was published by the Chicago-Kent Law Review.