Barry-Smith, Christopher K.

Judicial Biography

Year appointed/elected:

2016, by Gov. Charlie Baker

Background

Education:

William and Mary Law School, 1993
Harvard College, cum laude, 1988

Professional

Legal Employment History:

Barry-Smith, of Arlington, served from January 2015 to his judicial appointment as first assistant attorney general, the highest-ranking lawyer under Attorney General Maura Healey. Barry-Smith first came to the attorney general’s office in 1997, where he worked in the consumer protection division, after a stint in private practice doing commercial litigation.

Prior to that he had a clerkship in U.S. District Court in Hartford, then practiced commercial litigation at Hanify & King in Boston until he joined the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division in 1997.

Barry-Smith returned to private practice in 1999 at Bromberg & Sunstein doing intellectual property litigation. He came back to the attorney general’s office in 2002 and led the consumer protection division, then the public protection and advocacy bureau.

General Character of Law Practice Prior to Judgeship:

Consumer Protection Division Chief for the AG’s office, Barry-Smith focused on predatory lending enforcement. While later leading the AG’s Public Protection and Advocacy Bureau, Barry-Smith directed public interest litigation in antitrust, civil rights, consumer protection, environmental, health care and insurance and financial services.