Patrick Barry is clinical assistant professor of law and director of digital academic initiatives at the University of Michigan Law School. His teaching and research focus on creating a new vocabulary to talk about advocacy.

Barry is the author of several books, including Good with Words: Writing and Editing, Notes on Nuance, and The Syntax of Sports. He also has created multiple online courses for the educational platforms Coursera, Michigan Online, and FutureLearn

As a PhD student in English at the University of Michigan, he focused on the theatrical aspects of Supreme Court confirmation hearings. During that time, he worked with other Michigan faculty to create Clinnect, a global network of legal clinics devoted to combatting human trafficking. 

Barry also teaches at the University of Chicago Law School and the UCLA School of Law, and he regularly works with law firms, government agencies, and nonprofit organizations. He is a member of the California Bar.