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For 35 years Jim Harrigan has been practicing law, and the field has proven to be everything he had hoped it would. Growing up in a small Wyoming town where his father was County Clerk, he spent a lot of time in the courthouse. "I liked the lawyers I met and by the time I was in middle school I knew I wanted to be a lawyer," he said recently.
That childhood dream became a reality when in 1963 he reported to Boalt Hall at the University of California, Berkeley, receiving his Juris Doctorate in 1967. Having developed an interest in management consulting, Harrigan headed south to the University of California, Los Angeles, for a Masters of Business Administration figuring his knowledge of the law would compliment the MBA.
Returning to his real passion in 1970, Harrigan, still a rookie attorney, and a law school classmate came together to form the law offices of Harrigan and Ruff. "Things were different then," said Jim, "it wasn't as competitive, there weren't as many lawyers so it was easier to start a firm. In our favor was that Ruff and I both came from firms that gave us the experience of having a mentor-an experience hard to get today."
For nearly 30 years, Harrigan maintained his law firm until 2000 when the opportunity for a merger presented itself. "We looked at what was happening with the practice of law and whether it would be better to be with a larger, national firm. We thought it was a good option for us so we made the transition to McKenna, Long and Aldridge."
However, Harrigan's time with McKenna was short lived and in 2003 he made the move to Higgs, Fletcher & Mack where he says he feels right at home. " I like it here. There are good lawyers and lower overhead. It's a local firm with rates more consistent with what the San Diego business community is accustomed to, versus a national firm that must charge higher rates. And, there's just a great bunch of people here."
If experience has taught Harrigan anything it's the process by which the field of law has evolved. "Law today is more of a business, it's managed in the sense that performance is measured by billable hours rather than personal relationships," he lamented. Yet it's exactly those personal relationships Harrigan intends to nurture now that he's with a firm which allows him to demonstrate his preference for resolutions over compensation.
Harrigan's desire for personal relationships with his clients is indicative of his life away from the courtroom where he likely has more personal relationships than most. When not at his retreat in Wyoming, Harrigan has often worn the hat of coach for baseball, basketball, and soccer teams for each of his three sons.
At six feet, five inches tall, Jim Harrigan towers over most everyone, but his infectious smile and inviting dialogue help one see eye-to-eye with him. "It's great to be tall-it gives me a great perspective of the world," says Jim. And what a world he's created for himself.
Higgs, Fletcher & Mack has been serving the needs of San Diego businesses and residents since 1939, and offers a full range of legal services in both transactional and litigation matters. The Firm is committed to integrity, thoroughness, and care in striving to achieve outstanding results for clients.
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