Current Employment Position(s)

Managing Partner

Lawyer Overview

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

• Real Estate Transactions 5%
• Commercial Transactions 5%
• Real Estate Litigation 50%
• Commercial Litigation 20%
• Insurance Litigation 5%
• Arbitration, Mediation and Private Judging 15%

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

West Practice Categories

Alternative Dispute Resolution, Arbitration, Mediation, Mini-trials, Private Judging, Mortgages & Foreclosures, Business & Commercial Law, Contracts, Debtor/Creditor, Secured Transactions, Transactions, Uniform Commercial Code, Warranties, Construction Contracts, Construction Law, Construction Liens, Housing & Construction Defects, Bad Faith Insurance, Commercial Insurance, Directors' & Officers' Liability Insurance, Insurance Law, Property & Casualty, Title Insurance, Complex Litigation, Federal Trial Practice, Litigation & Appeals, State Trial Practice, Defamation & Privacy -- Defense, Personal Injury -- Defense, Premises Liability -- Defense, Property Damage -- Defense, Products Liability Law, Commercial Real Estate, Condominiums & Cooperatives, Conveyancing, Land Use & Zoning, Landlord/Tenant, Real Estate Law, Residential Real Estate, State, Local & Municipal Law

Bar Admissions

• California, 1981
• U.S. District Court Northern District of California, 1981
• U.S. Court of Appeals 9th Circuit, 1981

Professional Associations and Memberships

• Orinda Chamber of Commerce, 2000 - Present (Board Member)
• HBA, 1990 - Present (Associate)

Honors and Awards

• American Jurisprudence Scholar, Corporations

Classes and Seminars

• 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

Pro Bono Activities

• Contra Costa County Superior Court Mediator, 1993 - Present
• HOMEAID, 1998 - 2000

Past Employment Positions

• Morgan Miller & Blair, Shareholder - Principal, 1991 - 2000
• Tenconi and Harris, Partner, 1985 - 1990

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

Ancillary Businesses

• Mediation, Arbitration, Neutral Evaluations and Private Judging

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

Accepts Credit Cards

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

Address

One Camino Sobrante
Suite 208
P.O. Box 1478
Orinda, CA 94563

Phones

(925) 258-5100

Faxes

(925) 281-4977

Emails

Contact Us

Websites

http://www.iraharris.com