Jessie L. Harris
About
Jessie Harris is a Member in the firm’s Seattle office. He is a trial lawyer who concentrates his practice on civil litigation related to employment law, catastrophic and personal injury, education law and mediations. Jessie has vast litigation experience consisting of numerous jury trials and Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) proceedings.
His employment practice consists of personnel investigations, risk management assistance, and defending employers against lawsuits alleging wrongful termination, sexual harassment, retaliation, discrimination and other claims arising under state or federal anti-discrimination laws.
Jessie is a trained mediator having attended The Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution at Pepperdine University School of Law. He is also a certified neutral for U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington. He is available to mediate cases involving employment law, professional negligence, personal injury and contractual disputes.
To learn more about Jessie and his mediation practice, please click on his Mediation Bio. For scheduling a mediation, please contact Sandra Brown at 206.628.2761
Jessie has an AV® Preeminent™ rating in Martindale-Hubbell® Peer Review Ratings™, the highest peer-review rating available. He has also been named to Rising Stars by Super Lawyers magazine from 2004 to 2005, and again from 2008 to 2010 and was named to Super Lawyers from 2011 to 2019. Jessie has also been recognized by The Best Lawyers in America® since 2022.
Memberships
- American Board of Trial Advocates, Member
- Certified Mediator, U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington
- Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel
- King County Bar Association
- Loren Miller Bar Association
Recognitions & Awards
- Best Lawyers®
- Listed in The Best Lawyers in America for Commercial Litigation (2024 – 2025)
- Listed in The Best Lawyers in America for Labor Law – Management (2022 —2025)
- Listed in The Best Lawyers in America for Litigation – Labor and Employment (2022 — 2025)
- Selected to Washington Super Lawyers list by Thomson Reuters (2011 — 2021, 2023 — 2024)
- Selected to the Washington Rising Stars list by Thomson Reuters (2002, 2004 — 2005, 2008 — 2010)
Education
- Gonzaga University
School of Law, J.D., 1999 - Washington State University
B.A., 1996
Media Coverage
- “A 21st Century Approach to Diversity,” The Metropolitan Corporate Counsel, February 2009.
Presentations & Seminars
- Presenter, “Effective Workplace Investigations,” Change on the Horizon Breakfast Seminar, Seattle, WA, April 18, 2017.
- Presenter, “The Public Sector: What Constitutes Free Speech,” Williams Kastner Labor & Employment Half-Day Seminar, Seattle, WA, October 22, 2015.
- Presenter, “The Implications of Recent Title VII Cases on Workplace Investigations,” Williams Kastner Labor & Employment Half-Day Seminar, Seattle, WA, November 13, 2013.
- Co-Presenter, “Retaliation Unleashed! The Ever-Expanding Retaliation Claim,” Spokane County Bar Association Employment Law CLE, Spokane, WA, April 26, 2013.
- Panelist, “Employee Privacy in the Age of Social Networking,” Williams Kastner Labor & Employment Spring Half-Day Seminar, Seattle, WA, April 22, 2010.
- Co-Presenter, “Winning Your Case Through Medical Experts,” American Bar Association Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL, August 1, 2009.
- Co-Presenter, “Top Practice Tips from TIPS,” American Bar Association Annual Meeting, New York, NY, August 8, 2008.
- Co-Presenter, “Leave Update,” Williams Kastner Labor & Employment Half-day Seminar, Seattle, WA, May 29, 2008.
- Co-Presenter, “Update on Disability Discrimination,” Williams Kastner Labor & Employment Half-day Seminar, Bellevue, WA, November 14, 2007.Co-Presenter, “Focusing on FMLA and its Impact on You,” Williams Kastner Labor & Employment Half-day Seminar, Seattle, WA, March 22, 2006.
- Program Chair, “Shaping the Federal Judiciary: How We Can Change the Face of Justice in America,” American Bar Association National Conference for the Minority Lawyer, Seattle, WA, June 2005.
Articles & Publications
- “Are there limits to an employer’s duty to make a reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act?” Puget Sound Business Journal, April 28, 2017.
- “Should employers provide training for supervisors who conduct performance evaluations?” Puget Sound Business Journal, September 27, 2013.
- Co-Author, “Retaliation Unleashed! The Ever-Expanding Retaliation Claim,” April 26, 2013.
- “Should I be concerned about pending flex-time legislation?” Puget Sound Business Journal, January 25, 2013.
- “High Court Extends Retaliation Protection To Employee’s Family Members,” Labor & Employment Law Alert, February 10, 2011.
- “Does protection from retaliation extend to the employee’s family members?” Puget Sound Business Journal, January 28, 2011.