Douglas E. Berger

“I take joy in being an equalizer. I grew up in Smithfield in a neighborhood full of bullies. No matter how big they were, there was always an equalizer, even if it was just picking up a stick to defend yourself. I like being that stick for people who are getting run over by bullies. And I believe many insurance companies can be bullies.”

That belief shaped Doug Berger’s life and career. From an early age, he felt compelled to stand up for people who were mistreated, overlooked, or silenced. His commitment to advocacy crossed social, geographic, and political boundaries. He spoke out against discriminatory hiring practices, protested the dumping of toxic PCBs in economically disadvantaged communities in North Carolina, and participated in financial pressure campaigns that contributed to the dismantling of apartheid in South Africa. Along the way, he was arrested twice for acts of civil disobedience rooted in conscience and public service.

“While being processed at the jail, a jailer told me I had ruined my life. I told him I planned to go to law school and become a lawyer so I could fight for justice. In 1989, I earned my law degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.”

Doug went on to build a legal career focused on public service and fairness in the workers’ compensation system. He served for 10 years as a Deputy Commissioner at the North Carolina Industrial Commission, where he presided over more than 500 hearings involving workers’ compensation claims from Manteo to Murphy. During that time, he also advised the Commission’s fraud unit and served as Head Administrator over the Department of Claims.

His public service extended into elected office. Doug was the Democratic nominee for North Carolina Commissioner of Labor, narrowly losing in one of the closest statewide races in history. In 2005, he was elected to the North Carolina Senate, where he served four terms over eight years. As a senator, he helped draft portions of North Carolina’s workers’ compensation laws and served as co-chair of the Health and Human Services appropriations subcommittee.

Today, Doug represents injured workers in Workers’ Compensation Law – Claimants at the Law Offices of James Scott Farrin. He is board certified in workers’ compensation law by the North Carolina State Bar, a credential held by fewer than 200 attorneys statewide. He practices in Durham, North Carolina, bringing decades of experience in legislation, adjudication, and advocacy to the representation of injured workers.

Doug is a Partner at the firm.