John M. Barr is a principal/owner of the firm. He devotes a substantial portion of his practice to municipal law, estate planning/probate, real estate, and corporate law.

John was born and grew up in Mt. Clemens, Michigan. John attended Michigan State University and earned a Bachelor’s of Arts degree in Social Science. He obtained his Juris Doctorate from the University of Michigan Law School. John is admitted to the State Bar of Michigan, all Michigan Courts, the US Federal District Court, the US Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, and the US Supreme Court. John is a U.S. Army veteran.

John has a deep devotion to his surrounding community and has developed Barr, Anhut and Associates, P.C. to follow in that passion. John has expectations of all staff that they are out in the community volunteering and that attorneys provide bar recommended pro-bono service. Some of his personal experiences have been serving the Boy Scouts of America, Emmanuel Lutheran Church, Ann Arbor Power Squadron, Ypsilanti Public Housing Commission, Attorneys Division – Washtenaw United Way, Ypsilanti “Y” Committee, Washtenaw Family Service, and the Washtenaw 100, Board member HighScope Educational Research Foundation, Board member Ypsilanti District Library, Board Member MML Foundation.

Classes/Seminars Taught:

• Lecturer, business law at Eastern Michigan University
• Presenter, Washtenaw Community College Continuing Education, “Estate Planning”
• Presenter, Ann Arbor-Ypsilanti School Continuing Education, “Starting A Small
• Business Presenter, Michigan Association Municipal Attorneys – Workshops, including code violations, media relations, dealing with City Council
• Presenter, Institute of Continuing Legal Education – Workshop, “Defending Police Cases”
• Presenter, Michigan Clerks Association, “The Open Meetings Act and Freedom of Information Act”

Honors and Awards:

• Listed in Who’s Who in American Law, Who’s Who In The Midwest, and Who’s Who in America
• Super Lawyer
• Top Lawyer in Michigan
• Martindale Hubble A-V rating, the highest rating given
• Awarded Special Award of Merit, Michigan Municipal League
• Fellow, Michigan State Bar Foundation
• Fellow, ABA Foundation
• Recipient, Scouter’s Key
• Recipient of Boy Scouts of America Silver Beaver Award
• Recipient, Distinguished Municipal Attorney Award, Michigan Association of Municipal Attorneys
• Recipient, Professionalism, and Civility in the Practice of Law Award, Washtenaw County Bar Association 

Professional Associations and Memberships:

• State Bar of Michigan – Commissioner
• Member, Section Public Corporation Law, Local Government Section
• American Bar Association
• Member, Sections law practice management urban, state, and local government law
• Washtenaw County Bar Association (Former President)
• Washtenaw County Bar Association, Public Corporation Section
• Washtenaw County Bar Association Judiciary Committee
• Ypsilanti Bar Association
• Michigan Association of Municipal Attorneys (Former President)
• Michigan Municipal League Legal Defense Fund (Former Chairman)
• Former Representative Assembly, 22nd Judicial District, State Bar of Michigan
• State Bar of Michigan Discipline Board Hearing Panel, Washtenaw County (Chairman, Ypsilanti Panel)
• Law officer Ann Arbor Power Squadron, US Power Squadron
• Friends of the Ypsilanti Police
• Ypsilanti Area Chamber of Commerce
• Great Sauk Trail Council BSA
• Board member MML Foundation
• Ypsilanti Rotary Club (Former President)

John is married to Marlene, and they have three grown children. In his spare time, he enjoys travel, theater, movies, programs on current events, reading, outdoor sports, and community service.