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Attorney

Ira James Harris 
Orinda, California
Managing Partner
phone (925) 258-5100
fax (925) 253-0962
email Email Me

Ira's practice primarily revolves around complex contract, real estate, construction and insurance coverage litigation for business and real estate clients. Immediately after passing the Bar in 1981, Ira began trying complex commercial litigation cases under the tutelage of current Supreme Court Justice Ming Chin while at Aiken, Kramer & Cummings. He formed his own law office in 1985 with an additional focus on secured transactions, broker errors and omission and construction cases. Ira handled a variety of construction disputes for homeowners, builders, as well as many public entities during this time period. He joined Morgan, Miller & Blair in January of 1991, and played a primary role in the investigation and resolution of the "Blue Water" matter that plagued the building industry in 1990 through 1993. From 1991 through 2000 Ira represented many of the nation's largest residential and commercial builders in land use, contract, mechanic lien, construction defect and insurance coverage disputes.

With the turn of the millennium, Ira decided to reopen his own law offices in Orinda, California. His practice continues to specialize on the mediation and litigation of real estate, commercial and construction disputes.

Ira is a member of the Home Builders Association of Northern California and the Associated General Contractors of California. He is the past chair of the Case Management Committee of the Construction Defect Coalition for northern California. He is also active in both the Contra Costa and Alameda County Bar Associations as a mediator for complex real estate construction and insurance matters. Ira's practice has specialized in these areas for over 23 years after having received his law degree from the University of San Francisco School of Law. Ira and his wife are long time residents of Orinda.

 
Areas of Practice:
5% Real Estate Transactions
5% Commercial Transactions
50% Real Estate Litigation
20% Commercial Litigation
5% Insurance Litigation
15% Arbitration, Mediation and Private Judging
Litigation Percentage:
80% of Practice Devoted to Litigation
Bar Admissions:
California, 1981
U.S. District Court Northern District of California, 1981
U.S. Court of Appeals 9th Circuit, 1981
Education:
University of San Francisco School of Law, San Francisco, California, 1981
J.D., Doctor of Jurisprudence
Honors: With Honors


University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, 1977
B.A., Bachelor of Arts
Honors: With Honors
Major:  Law and Society


Published Works:
Sunken Treasure: Additional Insured Endorsements, Contra Costa Lawyer, October, 1994


Additional Insured Coverage: A Practice and Forms Manual, January, 1998


Are Your Indemnification and Additional Insured Agreements Effective? The Answer is Now Clouded by Several 1999 Decisions, Contra Costa Lawyer, Contra Costa Lawyer, January, 2000


Representative Clients:
Barry Swenson Builder
Nearon Asset Trust
Bay Medical Management
Earl Anthony Bowling, Inc.
Luk & Associates
Neuroscan, Meridian & Associates
Inter Florence
USA and San Joaquin Wetlands Farms
References:
William Stepanek, Smith Barney, Menlo Park, CA
Paul Koenig, Attorney, Walnut Creek, CA
Bruce Ring, Attorney, Walnut Creek, CA
Theodore Hoffman, Jr., Earl Anthony Bowling, Inc., Dublin, CA
Steve Andrews, Barry Swenson Builder, San Jose, CA
Classes/Seminars Taught:
Speaker, Documenting Your Agreement and Your File, Building Industry Association, 1993


Evaluator, Construction Litigation and Insurance Workshops, Homebuilding Association of Northern California Members


Speaker, The Advantages of Mini Trials, Contra Costa County Bar Association, 1994


Speaker, The Purchase Experience, Department of Real Estate Continuing Education Course, Department of Real Estate, Department of Real Estate, November, 1995


Speaker, Top Ten Insurance Pitfalls of the Construction Industry, Contra Costa County Bar Association, September 30, 1998


Honors and Awards:
American Jurisprudence Scholar, Corporations


Professional Associations and Memberships:
Orinda Chamber of Commerce, 2000 - Present
Board Member


HBA, 1990 - Present
Associate


Past Employment Positions:
Morgan Miller & Blair, Shareholder - Principal, 1991 - 2000


Tenconi and Harris, Partner, 1985 - 1990


Pro Bono Activities:
Contra Costa County Superior Court Mediator, 1993 - Present
HOMEAID, 1998 - 2000
Ancillary Businesses:
Mediation, Arbitration, Neutral Evaluations and Private Judging
Articles
Practice Areas

For answers to your commercial and real estate law, personal injury and Lemon Law legal questions, or for full legal representation, call the Law Office of Ira James Harris.

We are a San Francisco and Orinda-area law firm, but accept cases from across California, including San Diego, Los Angeles and Sacramento. We are conveniently located in the Orinda Theatre complex in downtown Orinda, California. Contact us at 925-258-5100.


The Law Office of Ira James Harris provides legal services primarily to the San Francisco Bay Area and Northern and Central California, including the cities of Walnut Creek, Orinda, Lafayette, Moraga, Concord, Danville, San Ramon, Livermore, Pleasanton, Hayward, Martinez, Antioch, Oakland, San Francisco, San Jose, Santa Rosa, Monterey, Carmel, Sacramento, Vallejo, Modesto, Sausalito, Tiburon, Santa Clara, San Mateo, Cupertino, Fremont and Alameda, and the counties of Contra Costa, Alameda, Santa Clara, San Mateo, San Francisco, Monterey and Marin, as well as the Sacramento and San Joaquin Valleys.