The downtown law firm headed by veteran civil rights advocate George Barrett has divided into two firms, lost a longtime partner, named a new partner and hired away an associate from Bass, Berry & Sims.

Barrett Johnston LLC and D. Scott Parsley & Associates are the successors to the former Barrett, Johnston & Parsley. Both firms still operate from the same offices at 217 Second Ave. N.

Scott Parsley and nephew Mike Parsley have long specialized in family law. Although their new firm's focus is "mostly domestic," Mike Parsley said, it will take on other litigation as well.

Doug Johnston told NashvillePost.com that Barrett Johnston will continue to be active as plaintiff's counsel in class-action and lawsuits as well as cases involving civil rights claims. He and Parsley both characterized the parting as amicable and said it was unrelated to the departure of partner Jerry Martin from Barrett, Johnston & Parsley earlier this year, upon his confirmation as U.S. Attorney for Middle Tennessee.

Ted Carey has left the Barrett firm. Carey, who earned his M.D. at Harvard University 16 years before he graduated from Vanderbilt University Law School, said yesterday he is exploring the possibility of practicing medicine once more.

Dave Garrison has been named a partner at Barrett Johnston. In addition to his litigation practice, Garrison is presently treasurer of the Tennessee Democratic Party. He was a delegate to the 2008 Democratic National Convention, pledged to then-Senator Barack Obama. Garrison also served as assistant policy coordinator for the 2000 presidential campaign of Vice President Al Gore.

Dave Garrison is the brother of City Paper and NashvillePost.com reporter Joey Garrison.

Scott Tift joins Barrett Johnston from Bass Berry as an associate. Before earning a V.U. law degree in 2008, Tift too was active in national Democratic politics. He was a scheduling and advance staffer for President Bill Clinton, and in 2003 he served as a regional field director for Howard Dean's presidential campaign.

NashvillePost.com has been a client of Barrett, Johnston & Parsley in the past. The firm represented this news service in its 2006 lawsuit against the Tennessee Lottery over access to records concerning the termination of former State Treasurer Steve Adams from a senior position at the Lottery. Davidson County Chancellor Carol McCoy ruled in favor of NashvillePost.com and the Lottery handed over its dossier on Adams in May 2006.