Barry W. Ford is the second of three children born to Oliver and Annie Ford in Pontotoc, Mississippi.  Barry attended school in Pontotoc, where he graduated from Pontotoc Attendance Center in 1965.

In the summer of 1964, he enrolled at Mississippi Valley College in Itta Bena, Mississippi, from which he graduated in 1968.  From there he returned to Pontotoc to work in the Pontotoc County School system as a teacher and coach until 1974, at which time he made a career change.

In 1969, Barry married Willie Mae Duke and they have three children.

In 1974, Barry drew all of his teacher’s retirement out and headed for Houston, Texas to attend law school at Texas Southern University, which was later changed to Thurgood Marshall School of Law, from which he graduated in May, 1977.

After graduation, Barry returned to Mississippi and worked in Jackson, Mississippi with the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights from 1977 until 1979.  In 1979, Barry was appointed City Judge of Pontotoc by then Mayor Howard Stafford.  Barry remained Pontotoc City Judge until January 1991, at which time he made history by being elected Circuit Court Judge for the First Circuit Court District, which was and is majority white.
 
During the time that Barry was serving as city judge, he was also practicing law with his brother, James O. Ford, in Tupelo, Mississippi, under the firm name of Ford & Ford.  Barry practiced with James for twelve (12) years before going on the bench.

In January, 1991, Barry was sworn in as the 1st black to ever be elected circuit judge in the State of Mississippi in a majority white district.  The 1st Circuit Court District is the largest district in the State of Mississippi and includes Alcorn, Itawamba, Lee, Monroe, Pontotoc, Prentiss, and Tishomingo Counties.  After his election in 1990, he was elected two other terms and in 2000, in the middle of his third term, Judge Ford made a decision to leave the bench and return to the active practice of law in Jackson, Mississippi with the law firm of Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz.

After leaving the bench, Barry and his wife purchased a home in Madison County, but still maintain a residence in Pontotoc, as well as his church membership with McDonald United Methodist Church.

While teaching, coaching, practicing law, and judging, Barry coached little league baseball for over twenty-five years.  Barry has been with Baker Donelson for almost five years and is a partner in the firm.  Baker Donelson has almost four hundred lawyers with offices in Memphis, Nashville, Knoxville, Chattanooga, and Johnson City, Tennessee; and Atlanta, Georgia;Birmingham, Alabama; New Orleans, Louisiana; Washington, D.C.; and a representative office in Beijing, China.

Barry has been given an AV rating by Martindale-Hubbell which is the highest rating a lawyer can get.  He has also been recognized in Chambers and Partners as one of the best lawyers.  He has also received numerous other awards.