Richard A. Harris
Managing Partner
Attorney Rich Harris, Managing Partner of The Harris Law Firm, has a true passion for family law and uses his experience and knowledge to help others navigate Colorado’s legal system. Rich is widely respected throughout Denver’s legal and business communities for his decades of service and commitment to justice. Rich has been recognized by numerous leading legal organizations including Best Lawyers in America® in 2022 and repeated selection to the Super Lawyers® List for family law. Membership in Super Lawyers is only afforded to the top 5% of lawyers in the United States in specific legal fields. It represents an affirmation from some of the most widely-recognized legal professionals and is a great honor among attorneys.
Rich has also been honored by The Denver Post as a Top Lawyer of Colorado. He has also consistently maintained an Avvo Rating of 10.0 out of 10.0, a score determined by peer nomination and high client satisfaction ratings. This serves as further evidence of the quality of his professional service.
In addition to being a force in the courtroom, Attorney Harris is a well-known legal writer and speaker who frequently shares his insights and experience. He is a co-author of the Colorado Family Law Deskbook, has been featured on local news broadcasts, and has authored numerous articles and presentations across a broad range of family law topics.When not in the office, Rich can be seen doing any number of fun activities with his family.
Background & Experience
Rich’s passion for family law began when he earned his Bachelor of Arts in International Relations from the University of Southern California (USC). His studies taught him how to clearly and precisely negotiate complex issues between parties. He used these skills at the Sturm College of Law at the University of Denver, where he earned his Juris Doctor.
Born and raised in New York, Rich is now a proud Coloradan who is truly dedicated to helping families throughout the state with their legal matters.
Humanitarian Work
Rich supports many international and domestic humanitarian organizations and causes. He co-founded The Road to Hope, a non-profit organization committed to developing Haiti’s infrastructure and investing in the nation’s children. He is a board member of the Colorado Lawyers Committee, which is devoted to protecting the legal rights of children and the underprivileged throughout Colorado.
Rich is the past president of the Denver Rotary Club and is heavily involved in their long tradition of civic volunteering throughout Colorado and across the world.
(Rich Harris is pictured here in Haiti in the rural, mountain village of Nordette. He is with the kids from the local school sponsored by The Road to Hope. Rich is the co-founder and board chair of this charitable foundation.)
- AV® Rated by Martindale-Hubbell®
- Avvo Rating of 10.0 Superb
- Best Lawyers: The Best Lawyers in America®, 2018-2022
- Recognized as one of the 10 Best Family Law Attorneys in Colorado for Client Satisfaction by the American Institute of Family Law Attorneys
- NAFLA Top 10 Attorney Award for Colorado, 2017
- Top Colorado Lawyer by The Denver Post, 2015
- Colorado Super Lawyers for Family Law, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2015-2017, 2021-2022
- Top Rated Lawyer in Family Law by Martindale-Hubbell®, 2015
- Pro Bono Recognition from the Colorado Supreme Court in recognition of the firm’s pro bono work on behalf of the state’s underprivileged, 2008 - 2018
- Best Family Law Attorney by Law Week Colorado's Barrister's Best issue, 2011 and 2012
- Best Family Law Firm in Denver by the “People's Choice,” in Law Week Colorado, 2010
- Rich was the only family law attorney in the finalists for the Top Ten Lawyers of the Decade by Law Week Colorado, 2011
- The Harris Law Firm was nominated as Law Firm of the Year by the Colorado Lawyers Committee (CLC), 2011
- Denver Bar Association
- Colorado Bar Association
- United States District Court, Colorado
- Colorado Bar Association
-
Denver Rotary
- Past President
- Board of Directors
-
The Road to Hope
- Board Chair
-
CCAI (Chinese Children’s Charities) – based in Centennial,
CO, this humanitarian organization focuses on promoting and facilitating
international adoption. They emphasize placing children with special needs.
- Board member
- Executive Committee
- Downtown Denver Partnership
- Denver Bar Association
-
The Colorado Lawyers Committee
- Board Member
- Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce
- University of Southern California, Bachelor of Arts in International Relations
- Sturm College of Law at the University of Denver, Juris Doctor
- Divorce 101- Everything you Need to Know for a Colorado Divorce
- Lawyers & Therapists Working Together - Support and Comfort for Clients in the Family Law Courts
- Am I Married or Not – Common Law Marriage
- High Profile Divorces: Special Considerations for High-Net-Worth Individuals and Public Figures
- Cross-Border Custody Disputes – Kids in the Middle
- Preventing Child Abduction: Differing Approaches to the Hague Abduction Convention in the EU
- Family Law Case Law Update: The Year in Review for 2022
- Preventing Child Abduction – Differing Approaches to the Hague Abduction Convention in the EU- Presented at Lawyers Public Information Institute, Cannes (2019)
- Trapped: Kids and the Lingering Aftermath of Divorce - Law Week Colorado, April 2016
- Colorado Family Law – An Overview (2016)
- Family Law Q & A (2015)
- The Bill of Rights – Primer for Colorado Schoolkids (2015)
- Marriage, Civil Union, Or...? Colorado's Place in the New National Landscape (2013)
- Top Legal Stories of the Decade (2009)
- Grandparent & Third Party Visitation Rights -A Post Troxel Survey (Annual Conference, National Association of Counsel for Children, 2005)
- Parenting Time, Marijuana, and Amendment 64
- Filing for Divorce and Obtaining the Best Possible Outcome
- Featured in KMGH Denver 7News in a piece about parenting and marijuana
- Discussion on updates to Colorado’s antiquated adultery law, KDVR Fox31 - Watch Video
- Should Family Lawyers Take A Hippocratic Oath? - Law Week Colorado
- Rich Harris: Family Lawyer, Business Leader, and Humanitarian - Memphisdivorce.com
- Preserving Children's Rights - Law Week Colorado
- Non-Nuclear Families Change Courts - Law Week Colorado
- Dividing Debt a Contentious Issue in Divorce Cases - Denver Business Journal
- Top Five Questions to Ask a Divorce Attorney
- Testimonial for Colorado Public Radio - Listen Now
- Rich co-authored the publication "Colorado Family Law Deskbook" by Bradford Publishing.
- The Colorado Supreme Court recognized Rich and The Harris Law Firm as a leader in pro bono activity, 2008 - 2018
- The Road to Hope, founder and current President: A Colorado-based 501(c)(3) non-profit devoted to promoting development in Haiti, with a particular emphasis on children
- Denver Rotary Club, Past President
- Metro Volunteer Lawyers, Volunteer
- Rocky Mountain Children's Law Center, Volunteer