Pictured are (l-r) the Hon. Pamela A. Harris of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit; her daughter, a 1L at Michigan Law; and the Hon. Elizabeth L. Harris of the Colorado Court of Appeals.
By Annie Hagstrom
Michigan Law
In early April, Michigan Law students interested in judicial clerkships had the opportunity to speak with two legal experts—a state judge and a federal judge—about how they select and work with clerks. Making the conversation even more interesting, the judges not only share a common career journey, they also are sisters. And the 1L who moderated the event is their daughter/niece.
The Hon. Pamela A. Harris of the US Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit and the Hon. Elizabeth L. Harris of the Colorado Court of Appeals are not the first in their family to pursue a legal career—nor are they the last.
Ellen Harris, Pamela and Elizabeth’s mother, was the first lawyer in what is now three generations of legal minds.
“She was monumentally influential to us,” said Pamela. “As a single mother of four, she put herself through law school because she knew some people needed a hand in this world, and she thought she could be that hand. We were very, very proud of her, even as kids. All four siblings became lawyers.”
Elizabeth added, “She had this amazing ability to connect with people, and she was genuinely and sincerely interested in them. That was one of the reasons why we all went to law school; she taught us how to be compassionate people.”
Following in the family’s footsteps, Pamela’s children are both attending law school. Her daughter, Ellen—who was named after her grandmother—is a first-year student at Michigan Law.
“Growing up, I didn’t know of a better job than being a lawyer,” said Ellen. “I thought they were superheroes, helping people seek justice. Now I’m a public interest student, and the Michigan Law community has been so enriching.”
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Making their way
Pamela graduated from Yale Law School in 1990 and served as a law clerk to the Hon. Harry T. Edwards, ’56, on the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. She then joined Shea & Gardner (now Goodwin Procter LLP) as an associate. In 1992, she served as a law clerk to Justice John Paul Stevens on the US Supreme Court.
“Judge Edwards helped me recognize just how hard a job being a judge is, and that it demands a deep sense of collegiality among judges,” she said. “Edwards also had humility, which was a really important influence on how I judge.
Justice Stevens also worked extremely hard. He reminded me so much of my mother; he had a superpower of empathy.”
After clerking, Pamela worked for the Office of Legal Counsel at the US Department of Justice before entering private practice. As a partner at O’Melveny & Myers LLP, she established a cooperative program between the firm and the Maryland Office of the Public Defender to provide representation to indigent criminal defendants appealing their convictions in state court.
She returned to government service in 2010 as the principal deputy assistant attorney general for the Office of Legal Policy at the US Department of Justice.
Since 2014, Pamela has served on the US Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, following her nomination by President Obama.
Concurrently with her sister’s path, Elizabeth graduated from New York University School of Law in 1996 and served as a law clerk to the Hon. John Porfilio on the US Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit.
“I really respected Judge Porfilio when I was his law clerk,” she said. “The way he operated made it clear that the job was not about him. That really stuck with me, and I try to emulate that as a judge myself.”
After her clerkship, she spent five years at the Federal Public Defender’s Office in Colorado and then joined the law firm of Jacobs Chase LLP, which was later acquired by Husch Blackwell LLP. As an associate and then a partner at the firm, Elizabeth litigated a wide range of commercial and real estate disputes.
In 2015, she was appointed to the Colorado Court of Appeals.
Michigan Law
In early April, Michigan Law students interested in judicial clerkships had the opportunity to speak with two legal experts—a state judge and a federal judge—about how they select and work with clerks. Making the conversation even more interesting, the judges not only share a common career journey, they also are sisters. And the 1L who moderated the event is their daughter/niece.
The Hon. Pamela A. Harris of the US Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit and the Hon. Elizabeth L. Harris of the Colorado Court of Appeals are not the first in their family to pursue a legal career—nor are they the last.
Ellen Harris, Pamela and Elizabeth’s mother, was the first lawyer in what is now three generations of legal minds.
“She was monumentally influential to us,” said Pamela. “As a single mother of four, she put herself through law school because she knew some people needed a hand in this world, and she thought she could be that hand. We were very, very proud of her, even as kids. All four siblings became lawyers.”
Elizabeth added, “She had this amazing ability to connect with people, and she was genuinely and sincerely interested in them. That was one of the reasons why we all went to law school; she taught us how to be compassionate people.”
Following in the family’s footsteps, Pamela’s children are both attending law school. Her daughter, Ellen—who was named after her grandmother—is a first-year student at Michigan Law.
“Growing up, I didn’t know of a better job than being a lawyer,” said Ellen. “I thought they were superheroes, helping people seek justice. Now I’m a public interest student, and the Michigan Law community has been so enriching.”
—————
Making their way
Pamela graduated from Yale Law School in 1990 and served as a law clerk to the Hon. Harry T. Edwards, ’56, on the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. She then joined Shea & Gardner (now Goodwin Procter LLP) as an associate. In 1992, she served as a law clerk to Justice John Paul Stevens on the US Supreme Court.
“Judge Edwards helped me recognize just how hard a job being a judge is, and that it demands a deep sense of collegiality among judges,” she said. “Edwards also had humility, which was a really important influence on how I judge.
Justice Stevens also worked extremely hard. He reminded me so much of my mother; he had a superpower of empathy.”
After clerking, Pamela worked for the Office of Legal Counsel at the US Department of Justice before entering private practice. As a partner at O’Melveny & Myers LLP, she established a cooperative program between the firm and the Maryland Office of the Public Defender to provide representation to indigent criminal defendants appealing their convictions in state court.
She returned to government service in 2010 as the principal deputy assistant attorney general for the Office of Legal Policy at the US Department of Justice.
Since 2014, Pamela has served on the US Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, following her nomination by President Obama.
Concurrently with her sister’s path, Elizabeth graduated from New York University School of Law in 1996 and served as a law clerk to the Hon. John Porfilio on the US Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit.
“I really respected Judge Porfilio when I was his law clerk,” she said. “The way he operated made it clear that the job was not about him. That really stuck with me, and I try to emulate that as a judge myself.”
After her clerkship, she spent five years at the Federal Public Defender’s Office in Colorado and then joined the law firm of Jacobs Chase LLP, which was later acquired by Husch Blackwell LLP. As an associate and then a partner at the firm, Elizabeth litigated a wide range of commercial and real estate disputes.
In 2015, she was appointed to the Colorado Court of Appeals.
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