About Michael
Michael Harris began his legal training at Florida State University, earning a B.S. in finance and economics in 1997 and a J.D. in 1999 from the same institution. Those years shaped an early interest in courtroom work and public service. He entered practice at a moment when military and civilian systems often overlapped for lawyers who had served in the armed forces.
He joined the U.S. Navy Judge Advocate General’s Corps in 2000. As a judge advocate he served as both trial counsel and defense counsel, a role for which he holds certification from the Navy JAG. That period of service put him before military trial courts and appellate bodies, including the Navy-Marine Corps Court of Criminal Appeals and the Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces. He is also admitted to practice before the Air Force Court of Criminal Appeals.
After active duty he transitioned into state-level prosecutorial work. Records show roles as an assistant state lawyer in 2000 and again in 2004, and he served as a deputy district lawyer in 2007. Those positions involved courtroom litigation and case management in the civilian criminal justice system, and they preceded his move into private practice.
In 2008 he established Michael J. Harris, Lawyer at Law. He has also been associated with the Colorado Freedom Law Center. Over the years he has appeared in federal and state courts, including the Federal District of Colorado, the Colorado Supreme Court and the Florida Supreme Court. He also maintains admission in the 10th Circuit. His background spans prosecutorial work, military defense and civilian criminal defense, and he brings courtroom experience from both military and federal venues.
Harris’s bar memberships reflect that trajectory. He has been a member of the Florida State Bar since 2000. After relocating to Colorado he joined the Colorado State Bar in 2008 and has been active in local professional groups, including the El Paso County Bar Association, the Colorado Criminal Defense Bar and the Ben S. Wendelken American Inn of Court. Those memberships underscore ongoing ties to both state and military legal communities.
Colleagues describe him as an experienced trial lawyer who handles contested hearings and appellate matters. He draws on decades of litigation in military and civilian courts when preparing cases. His practice today centers on criminal defense and military justice matters, and he continues to appear in federal and state courts on behalf of clients.
