Joseph Barrett Deacon is a fierce legal advocate for hard-working people and their families. His winning track record in both state and federal courts has inspired respect and recognition from his peers while his clients value the personal and compassionate approach he takes to every case.
A practicing trial attorney for over 40 years, Barry Deacon brings a unique perspective to his personal injury and business litigation cases. He has tried lawsuits as counsel for both plaintiffs and defendants, which has given him the insights and experience needed to protect his clients’ interests and anticipate the other side’s legal strategies.
Attorney Joseph Barrett Deacon’s trial experience includes handling personal injury cases in Texas, wrongful death, product liability claims, dangerous drugs and medical devices, railroad, agricultural litigation, complex business disputes and mass torts. In the recent past, he has battled global agribusiness companies for damage to farmers and other farming entities caused by unapproved traits in genetically modified crops. As lead trial counsel, he successfully defended the largest rice mill and marketer of long grain rice in the US against hundreds of lawsuits regarding contamination of the nation’s rice supply by an unapproved genetically modified rice. He was lead counsel in an Arkansas state court trial in this litigation that resulted in the largest jury verdict in Arkansas history for his client of $136.8 million.
Attorney Deacon has also jointly represented thousands of corn farmers from multiple states against a global biotech company who allowed an unapproved genetically modified corn seed trait to be introduced into a foreign market resulting in US corn exports to that country being rejected and turned away. US farmers involved in the suits have participated in a $1.5 billion global class settlement approved by the U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas: In Re: Syngenta AG MIR162 Corn Litigation, 2:14-md-02591-JWL-JPO.
Attorney Barry Deacon has also battled the opioid manufacturers and distributors in jointly representing a number of Texas counties and hospital districts in the nationwide fight to curb the opioid crisis. See, In Re: Texas Opioid Litigation, Master File No. 2018-63587.
Joseph Barrett Deacon is regularly listed in Best Lawyers in America and Super Lawyers for his litigation skills in personal injury, product liability and business cases. His commitment to protecting the rights of his clients has earned him a reputation as an attorney who is dependable, reliable, and cares.
RECOGNITIONS:
Recognized in Super Lawyers for 15 consecutive years in practice
areas of personal injury and business litigation.
Recognized in Best Lawyers in America in categories of product
liability, commercial litigation and railroad law.
Recognized in the March 2012 publication of the National Law
Journal as having received the fourteenth largest verdict in the United States
for the year 2011. ($136.8 Million).
In 2011, received the “Exceptional Service” award from Riceland
Foods, Inc. for his leadership and successful representation of Riceland in the
nationwide litigation involving the discovery of an unapproved genetically
engineered rice in the U.S. commercial rice supply.
Awarded Outstanding Attorney of the Year in 2007, by the Arkansas
Association of Defense Counsel.
AV peer review rating by Martindale-Hubbell for more than 30
years, which is the highest rating for legal ability and high ethical
standards.
AFFILIATIONS:
American Association for Justice (AAJ)
Texas Trial lawyers Association
Million Dollar/Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum
The National Trial Lawyers Top 100
Arkansas Trial Lawyers Association
Arkansas Bar Association
Texas Bar Association
American Bar Association
Member and Chairperson, Arkansas Supreme Court Committee on
Professional Conduct, 2006-2012
Member, Federal Court Practice Committee, United States District
Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas
University of Arkansas Law School Board of Visitors
President, Arkansas Association of Defense Counsel, 1994-1995
President, Arkansas Bar Foundation, 2006
