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About Barry S. Ranshi
Barry S. Ranshi is from New Orleans, Louisiana. He earned his bachelor's degree from the University of New Orleans and his law degree from Loyola University New Orleans College of Law. Today he is the managing partner of The Barry S. Ranshi Law Firm, LLC in Kenner, where he focuses exclusively on criminal defense, representing people charged with felonies and misdemeanors.
What sets Barry's background apart is the range of seats he has held in the criminal justice system. He has worked for a judge, for the district attorney, for the public defender and for a private criminal defense firm. That gives him a practical understanding of how cases are charged, argued and decided, and he puts that understanding to work for his clients every day.
Barry's career in the criminal justice system
| Role | What he did |
|---|---|
| Student practitioner, Loyola University New Orleans College of Law | Helped represent several indigent defendants in Orleans Parish, wrote preliminary motions, and helped secure the release of a defendant wrongfully charged with first degree murder. |
| Law clerk intern to Judge Robert Pitre, Jefferson Parish | Prepared memoranda of law on post-conviction relief applications during his final summer of law school. |
| Staff attorney to Judge Darryl A. Derbigny, Orleans Parish Criminal Court | Reviewed criminal pleadings and advised the court on criminal law, evidence and procedure. Helped the court reverse a wrongful second degree murder conviction, a ruling the Louisiana Supreme Court affirmed. Drafted jury instructions and rulings. Helped rewrite Orleans Criminal Court's expungement procedure. |
| Assistant District Attorney, Orleans Parish District Attorney's Office | Investigated and tried cases, serving as first and second chair trial prosecutor in numerous felony cases in juvenile court. |
| Public defender, 17th Judicial District Court Public Defender's Office | Defended people charged with crimes as a public defender. |
| Trial and appeals attorney, one of the largest criminal defense firms in New Orleans | Won several writs in the courts of appeal and the Louisiana Supreme Court, negotiated plea agreements for many clients and filed expungements that were granted. |
| Managing Partner, The Barry S. Ranshi Law Firm, LLC | Focuses exclusively on criminal defense for clients across Greater New Orleans. |
Learning the law from the bench
Barry began his legal career as a staff attorney to Orleans Parish Criminal Court Judge Darryl A. Derbigny. In that role he reviewed every criminal pleading that came before the court and advised the judge on substantive criminal law, evidence and procedure. He drafted the court's jury instructions and rulings and worked to make sure they complied with the decisions of the courts of appeal and the Louisiana Supreme Court.
One of the most memorable moments of that work was helping the court reverse a defendant's wrongful second degree murder conviction. The Louisiana Supreme Court affirmed the court's ruling. Barry also worked with colleagues to rewrite Orleans Criminal Court's expungement procedure, experience that still shapes how he helps clients clear their records.
He observed countless criminal jury trials and hearings during this time. Seeing cases from the bench, and seeing what persuades a judge and what does not, prepared him to be an effective trial lawyer.
Seeing how the state builds a case
Barry then joined the Orleans Parish District Attorney's Office as an Assistant District Attorney. There he gained hands-on experience investigating and trying cases, serving as first and second chair trial prosecutor in numerous felony cases in juvenile court.
That work taught him how prosecutors evaluate police reports, decide what to charge and prepare for trial. As a defense lawyer, he uses that inside knowledge to review the government's filings with a meticulous eye, find the weak points in the prosecution's case and push back when the state has not met the high standard the law requires.
Defending people from day one
Barry has also served as a defense attorney with the 17th Judicial District Court Public Defender's Office, representing people who could not afford private counsel. And one of the largest criminal defense firms in New Orleans recruited him to join its team as a trial and appeals attorney. While there, he won several writs in the courts of appeal and in the Louisiana Supreme Court, negotiated plea agreements for many clients and filed expungements that were successfully granted.
Today Barry brings all of that experience to his own firm. He understands the perspective of a prosecutor, a judicial attorney and a defense attorney. He has trial experience with a specific understanding of jury selection, examining witnesses and introducing evidence. And he believes that people facing DWI, drug or other substance-related charges are usually good people who made a mistake, and that they deserve to be treated with dignity.
Practice areas
Barry focuses exclusively on criminal defense, including:
Education and bar admissions
Education
- Loyola University New Orleans College of Law, J.D.
- University of New Orleans, B.A.
Bar admissions
- Louisiana
- U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Louisiana
- U.S. District Court, Western District of Louisiana
- U.S. District Court, Southern District of Texas
Where Barry practices
From the firm's office in Kenner, Barry handles cases in Orleans, Jefferson, St. Tammany, St. Bernard, St. Charles, Tangipahoa, Lafourche and Terrebonne parishes, along with federal cases in the districts where he is admitted.
Recognition
- Super Lawyers (selected 2024)
- The National Trial Lawyers Top 100
- The National Trial Lawyers Top 40 Under 40
- America's Top 100 Criminal Defense Attorneys
- NACDA Nation's Premier Top Ten 2023
- Raising the Bar Top 10 Criminal Defense Attorney 2025 (Attorney and Practice Magazine)
- Member, DUI Defense Lawyers Association
- Expertise.com Best DUI Lawyers in Kenner 2022 and 2023
- BusinessRate Best of 2026 Award Winner, Criminal Justice Attorney, Kenner
Awards and memberships are not a guarantee of results in any case.
Community involvement
Barry is a native Louisianan who grew up and went to school in the New Orleans area, and he sees his clients as his neighbors. He has served with the City of New Orleans Civic Leadership Academy, which helps residents build leadership skills to advocate for their neighborhoods in local government. He also volunteers as a presiding judge in the Louisiana State Bar Association's High School Mock Trial Competition.
He also hosts the podcast A Conversation with a Louisiana Criminal Lawyer. You can find episodes on our videos page.
Talk with Barry
If you have been charged with a crime, Barry offers a free, confidential consultation with no obligation. Call (504) 905-8399, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, including nights, weekends and holidays. Consultations are available in person at the Kenner office or remotely. You can also reach us through our contact page, or call (504) 905-8399 right now if someone you love is in custody.