Biography:
JAMES M. HARRIS joined the firm in 1981.
Following graduation from law school, Mr. Harris was law clerk to the Honorable David L. Bazelon, Chief Judge, United States Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, from 1976 to 1977.
Mr. Harris practice area includes civil appellate and writ law. Mr. Harris has briefed and argued numerous appeals in both State and Federal systems in such diverse areas as antitrust, torts, civil procedure, libel, labor, breach of contract, environmental, real property, bankruptcy, partnership and civil rights. His recent cases include: Parker v. McCaw, 125 Cal.App.4th 1494 (2005); Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine v. Tyson Foods, 119 Cal.App.4th 120 (2004); Hallstrom v. Barker, 2004 Cal. Lexis 12249 (2004); Consumer Cause v. Arkopharma, 106 Cal.App.4th 824 (2003); Konig v. Fair Employment and Housing Commission, 28 Cal. 4th 743 (2002); Silo v. CHW Medical Foundation, 27 Cal. 4th 1097 (2002); Simon v. Value Behavioral Health, Inc., 208 F.3d 1073 (9th Cir. 2000); East Bay Asia v. Redevelopment Agency, 24 Cal.4th 693 (2000); Knevelbaard Dairies v. Kraft Foods, et al.; 232 F.3d 979 (9th Cir. 2000); Sutter’s Place, Inc. v. Kennedy, 71 Cal.App. 4th 674 (1999); White v. Ultramar, 21 Cal. 4th 563 (1999); AT&T v. Global Security, Inc., 191 F.3d 460 (table) (9th Cir. 1999); Lunsford v. Jamao, 155 F.3d 1178 (9th Cir. 1998); Quackenbush v. Mission Ins. Co., 62 Cal.App.4th 797 (1998); Newcombe v. Foote Cone & Belding, 157 F.3d 686 (9th Cir. 1998); TCW Special Credits v. Chloe Z, 129 F.3d 1330 (9th Cir. 1997); Lane v. National Airmotive Corp., 105 F.3d 665 (Table) 9th Cir. 1997); ARCO v. American Airlines, et al., 98 F.3d 564 (10th Cir. 1996); Quackenbush v. Mission Ins. Co., 46 Ca1.App.4th 458 (1996); Pomona College v. Superior Court, 45 Cal.App.4th 1776 (1996); Smiley v. Citibank, 116 S.Ct. 1730 (1996) (amicus brief for 15 states); Harcourt Brace v. Multistate Legal Studies, 63 F.3d 1540 (10th Cir. 1995); Aetna Life Ins. Co. v. Janet Greeson’s A Place For Us, 62 F.3d 1217 (9th Cir. 1995); Amwest Surety Insurance v. Wilson, 11 Cal.4th 1243 (1995); Citizens Committee v. City of Claremont, et al., 37 Cal.App.4th 1157 (1995); Grigorio T. v. Wilson, 59 F.3d 1002 (9th Cir. 1995); Schep v. RTC, 53 F.3d 1085 (9th Cir. 1995).
Mr. Harris has taught First Amendment Law at the University of Virginia Law School, and was a visiting Professor of Law at Southwestern University School of Law in 2001-2002. He is a co-author of Federal Appellate Practice: Ninth Circuit, the leading treatise on Ninth Circuit Practice. Mr. Harris is a member of the California Academy of Appellate Lawyers.
