WAMS Mediator Certification: 2006

• Serious Injuries & Wrongful Death
• Construction Defects & Injuries
• Medical & Professional Negligence
• Products Liability, Mass Torts
• Insurance Coverage & Bad Faith
• Contracts & Business Claims

Accomplishments:

During Mr. Harris’ 33 years as a Washington trial lawyer, he has represented plaintiffs and defendants in many types of cases. He began his law practice at Merrick Hofstedt & Lindsey in 1973 where he served as trial counsel for major corporations, physicians and hospitals, law firms, insurers and other entities throughout the Pacific Northwest. He co-founded the Perey-Harris firm in 2004, where he represented plaintiffs in medical malpractice, products liability, other serious personal injury, and insurance matters.

Mr. Harris has tried and managed cases throughout Washington and in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern and Western Districts of Washington. He has argued before the Washington Supreme Court, the Court of Appeals and the Ninth Circuit. Mr. Harris has served pro bono as Special Disciplinary Counsel for the WSBA. He authored the 60-chapter textbook Washington Insurance Law. Mr. Harris is a fellow in the American College of Trial Lawyers, the American Board of Trial Advocates (Past Chapter President and Trial Lawyer of the Year), the International Society of Barristers (State Membership Chair), and the International Academy of Trial Lawyers. He is listed in Best Lawyers in America and was voted one of the Top Ten Lawyers in Washington State in a Washington Law & Politics 2006 peer poll.

Starting in 2001, Mr. Harris began serving as a neutral mediator, arbitrator, appraiser, private judge and special master. He started his career as a neutral by mediating the six-death Anacortes refinery fire, followed by the Olympic Pipeline explosion. Since then, he has been appointed as a neutral in many different types of disputes, including construction defect and products liability cases, class actions, business/contractual claims, intellectual property disputes, auto/UIM and premises liability claims. In 2007, Mr. Harris completed the transition from his role as a litigator and part-time neutral to full-time mediator and arbitrator at WAMS. He is certified to serve as a Rule 39.1 mediator for federal court cases.

Education:

• Harvard College, BA, cum laude, 1970
• Cornell Law School, JD, 1973

Affiliations:

• Washington Arbitration & Mediation Service
• Washington State Bar Association
• Federal Bar Association
• Washington State Trial Lawyers Association (WSTLA)
• Washington Defense Trial Lawyers (WDTL)