James Edward Harris
December 8, 1947 - July 25, 2012
Of all the properties which belong to honorable men, not one is so highly prized as that of character.
James E. (Jim) Harris, a partner in the Little Rock law firm of Friday Eldredge & Clark, died unexpectedly Wednesday morning, July 25, 2012. Jim was the head of the firm's Trust & Estates Practice Group and a member of its management committee. He joined the firm in 1976 and was widely recognized as an expert in estate planning, trust, nonprofit and taxation matters. He was a trusted advisor to many families, foundations, charities and nonprofit organizations and will be sorely missed by his clients and colleagues at the firm. Jim was a true gentleman, mentor to many at the firm and a model of character and professionalism.
Professionally, Jim was recognized as a Fellow in the American College of Trust & Estate Counsel and served as the Arkansas State Chair for the organization from 2001 to 2006. He was listed annually in The Best Lawyers in America for Trusts and Estates and for Nonprofits/Charity Law, and in Mid-South Super Lawyers. He was recently named by Best Lawyers as Little Rock Non-Profit/Charities Law Lawyer of the Year for 2012. He authored numerous articles and was a frequent speaker on estate planning, planned giving and other tax matters. Jim also served as an adjunct professor at the University of Arkansas Little Rock Bowen School of Law on estate planning and taxation.
Jim was very active in the community and among his activities, he was a member and past chairman of Baptist Health's board of trustees and past chairman of the Central Arkansas Chapter of the American Red Cross. He served on the board of directors of the P.A.R.K. Foundation, Arkansas Coalition for Excellence, the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra Society and the Metropolitan YMCA. He was a devoted member of Rotary Club 99 and Second Baptist Church in Little Rock, Arkansas.
Harris, 64, was the son of the late Oren Harris, who represented Arkansas' 4th District in the U.S. House of Representatives before being appointed to a federal judgeship in El Dorado. Jim is survived by his wife, Cheryl; son Jonathan Harris and his wife, Sarah, daughter Catherine Hughes and her husband, Drew; and two grandchildren.
Funeral services will be Monday, July 30, 2012, at Second Baptist Church, Little Rock, Arkansas at 11:00 a.m. Visitation will be held Sunday, July 29, 2012 from 3:00 5:00 p.m. at Griffin Leggett Healey & Roth, 5800 12th Street, Little Rock, Arkansas.