Frankfurt Kurnit Klein & Selz

John B. Harris is a partner in the Litigation Group with more than 25 years of experience representing clients in high stakes civil matters and white collar criminal cases. He is a recognized leader in the professional responsibility and white collar defense bars. 

In his legal ethics and professional responsibility practice, Mr. Harris defends law firms, lawyers, and other professionals against claims of legal malpractice, breach of fiduciary duty and fraud. He frequently represents law firms in disputes with current and former partners. 

A central part of Mr. Harris’ practice is the representation of individuals and entities who are the subjects of either criminal or regulatory investigations. He has represented public figures, corporate executives and securities industry professionals against allegations involving collateralized debt obligation and mortgage fraud; anti-money laundering investigations; insider trading; securities and accounting fraud; and mutual fund pricing violations. In addition, he has advised clients on research analyst independence issues, Foreign Corrupt Practices Act cases, and "spy shop" matters. Mr. Harris understands that his clients are best served when charges are not filed by prosecutors and regulators, and he has had substantial success for his clients in accomplishing this result. 

Mr. Harris was the Chair of the Professional Responsibility Committee of the New York City Bar Association, and is a former member of the New York City Bar’s Committee on Professional and Judicial Ethics, Committee on Professional Discipline, Judiciary Committee, and Task Force on Multi-Disciplinary Practice. He has served as a delegate to the New York State Bar Association House of Delegates and currently serves as a member of the State Bar Professional Discipline Committee. He acts as a mediator for the US District Court for the Southern District of New York, and has served as an expert witness.

Mr. Harris is also a member of the American Bar Association and the New York State Bar Foundation; served as Chair of the New York Regional Board and the National Civil Rights Committee of the Anti-Defamation League; serves as a member of the New York University Law Alumni Association; and serves on Law360’s 2022 Legal Ethics Editorial Board. He has been recognized in Super Lawyers magazine as a New York-area Super Lawyer for sixteen consecutive years.

Mr. Harris has litigated matters in New York State and federal courts (Southern and Eastern Districts), and appeared in numerous SEC, FINRA and Departmental Disciplinary Committee proceedings. Before joining Frankfurt Kurnit, he was a partner at Stillman & Friedman, P.C. and Ballard Spahr LLP. Previously, Mr. Harris was a reporter for The Hartford Courant. Mr. Harris is admitted to practice in New York and Connecticut. 

Representative matters include:

• Obtained dismissal at trial and appellate levels of claims that an employment law firm engaged in retaliatory litigation against the employee of a corporate client;
• Represented a law firm accused of sexual orientation discrimination;
• Successfully defended claims against a patent law firm that conflicts of interest required the firm's disqualification from on-going federal litigation;
• Represented an in-house lawyer accused of aiding and abetting the fraud of corporate executives;
• Quashed federal subpoenas seeking outtakes and other news-gathering materials on behalf of a media organization;
• Obtained judgment dismissing claims against a religious order accused of aiding and abetting its leader's sexual misconduct;
• Represented the trustee of an ESOP accused of misconduct by the Department of Labor;
• Represented an art collector who had been sold counterfeit Art Deco goods;
• Represented a corporate executive who was the lead defendant in SEC v. Thrasher;
• Represented a public servant in New Jersey accused of insider trading;
• Obtained the dismissal, on summary judgment, of claims that former New York City mayor David Dinkins and Police Commissioner Lee Brown committed civil rights violations arising from riots in Crown Heights, Brooklyn;
• Represented a defrauded investor in a federal action against a Texas law firm that counseled the swindler;
• Obtained summary judgment dismissing First Amendment retaliation claims filed against high-ranking members of the New York State Police by three troopers.