Jay M. Barber
Partner
Atlanta Office
365 Northridge Road, Suite 230
Atlanta, Georgia 30350
Jay M. Barber, a partner in the Atlanta hub of Quintairos, Prieto, Wood & Boyer, P.A., is civil litigation and trial attorney, focusing his practice of more than 35 years on the defense of insurers and corporations of toxic tort, pest control, products liability, asbestos and silica exposure, construction defect, employment litigation and restrictive covenants, personal injury and wrongful death litigation stemming from toxic tort/chemical exposures, medical malpractice defense, nursing home litigation and aviation-related claims.
A veteran of more than 117 jury trials, Mr. Barber expertly represents civil defendant clients in trials in 23 states including governmental entities, in cases ranging from accidents involving government vehicles to defending cities in actions alleging violation of civil rights to cases involving governmental officials acting beyond their authority. He has defended virtually all of the national and major regional pest control companies, pesticide manufacturers, and their insurers, and has now handled more than 550 such cases.
Mr. Barber's expertise extends to environmental law, specifically from the insurance perspective, having handled numerous insurance coverage issues and liability cases on behalf of both insurers and corporations during his career. He has been recognized by the American Bar Association for his environmental law practice and was chosen by the association to participate in its subcommittee for the revisions to the Comprehensive General Liability Policy, with special emphasis on rewriting the "sudden and accidental" pollution exclusion, which is now standard in most CGL insurance policies.
As a Federal Aviation Administration-licensed pilot, with approximately 500 flight hours logged, Mr. Barber has handled select aviation matters, including cases before the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board, running the spectrum from sophisticated matters involving the transportation of hazardous chemicals and litigation involving engine and airframe repairs to simpler matters involving individual pilots and their medical and licensing issues. In addition, he is panel counsel for the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA).
Along with the rise in internet advertising and intellectual property claims, Mr. Barber has defended numerous claims for insureds and litigated coverage for these claims under the current Insurance Services Office policy forms.
Honors & Recognitions
- Best Lawyers in America, Insurance Law and Labor and Employment Litigation (2022, 2023)
- American Jurisprudence, Award for Labor Law
Bar & Court Admissions
With pro hac vice admission in 23 states for individual cases pending in those jurisdictions, including Texas, Mr. Barber is admitted to:
- Supreme Court of Georgia
- Court of Appeals of Georgia
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia
- U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Georgia
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Georgia
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit
- U.S. Court of Federal Claims
Published Opinions
- Premier Eye Associates, P.C. v. MagMutual Insurance Co., 2020 WL 3025528 (June 5, 2020)
- Fouch v. Mine Safety Appliances, et. al., 326 Ga. App. 863, 756 S. E.2d 682 (2014)
- Arrow Exterminators, Inc. v. Gates Condominium Homeowners Association, 294 Ga. App. 620, 669 S.E.2d 421 (2008) Gale Industries, Inc. v. O'Hearn, 257 Ga. App. 220, 570 S.E.2d 661 (2002)
- Leigan v. Sears Roebuck & Co., 248 Ga. App. 145, 546 S.E.2d 293 (2001)
- Smith v. Branch, 226 Ga. App. 626, 487 S.E.2d 35 (1997)
- Raley v. Terminix Intern. Co., L.P., 215 Ga. App. 324, 450 S.E.2d 343 (1994)
- Georgia Mutual Ins. Co., Inc. v. Rollins, Inc., 209 Ga. App. 744, 434 S.E.2d 581 (1993)
- Barlow v. Orkin Exterminating Co., Inc., 196 Ga. App. 822, 397 S.E.2d 170 (1990)
- Boyd v. Orkin Exterminating Co., Inc., 191 Ga. App. 38, 381 S.E.2d 295 (1989)
- Smith v. Orkin Exterminating Co., Inc., 258 Ga. 705, 373 S.E.2d 740 (1988)
- Orkin Exterminating Co., Inc. v. Flowers, 187 Ga. App. 270, 370 S.E.2d 29 (1988)
- Orkin Exterminating Co. v. Morrison, 187 Ga. App. 780, 371 S.E.2d 407 (1988)
- Nunn v. Orkin Exterminating Co., Inc., 256 Ga. 558, 350 S.E.2d 425 (1986)
Memberships & Affiliations
- Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association
- American Bar Association
- Atlanta Claims Association, Board of Directors
- Atlanta Council of Younger Lawyers, Board of Directors
- Certified Pest Control Operators of Georgia
- Defense Research Institute
- Georgia Pest Control Association
- Lawyer Pilots Bar Association
- Lawyers Club of Atlanta
- Member, Mercer Law Review
- National Pest Management Association
- Southern Loss Association, Inc.
Publications
- Chapter Author, "Discovery Issues in Psychological Injury Claims," The Insurer's Handbook of Psychological Injury Claims, 1995
- "Labor Law," 1985 11th Circuit Survey, 37 Mercer Law Review 1445, (1986)
- "Labor Law," 1984 11th Circuit Survey, 36 Mercer Law Review 1271, (1985)
- "Polk County v. Dodson: The Supreme Court Formulates a New Test," 34 Mercer Law Review 1147, (1983)