Justine A. Harris

Justine A. Harris

New York, NY recognized lawyers icon Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2016
Harris Trzaskoma LLP

1 Best Lawyers award

Awarded Practice Areas

Criminal Defense: White-Collar

Biography

An experienced trial lawyer with twenty years of experience, Ms. Harris represents individuals and companies in a wide variety of criminal and white-collar matters, as well as complex civil and regulatory proceedings. Known for her vigorous and meticulous advocacy, as well as her unwavering dedication to her clients, Ms. Harris has obtained numerous jury acquittals, won pretrial motions to dismiss, and consistently achieved favorable sentencing outcomes for her clients. Many of Ms. Harris’s clients have had their charges reduced, or have avoided criminal or civil liability altogether. Super Lawyers has recognized Ms. Harris as one of Manhattan’s top white collar criminal defense attorneys and listed her among the Top 100 Lawyers and the Top 50 Women in New York.

Ms. Harris has expertise on a variety of complex financial and legal issues. She routinely defends individuals charged with insider trading, securities fraud, bank fraud, RICO, mortgage fraud, terrorism, obstruction of justice, bribery and tax fraud. Ms. Harris also represents individuals in sensitive federal and state grand jury proceedings, internal investigations, and investigations conducted by government agencies, including the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the Consumer Financial Protection Board (CFPB), and the New York State Attorney General.

From 2001 to 2010, Ms. Harris was an assistant federal defender at the Federal Defenders’ office for the Eastern District of New York, where she was lead counsel on hundreds of criminal cases in federal court. Previously, she was an associate at Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel LLP, where she worked on a wide variety of criminal and civil cases, including civil enforcement actions before the SEC and the NASD, commercial arbitrations, and various pro bono and commercial civil matters.

Ms. Harris is a graduate of Columbia Law School and Harvard College, and clerked for the Honorable Eugene H. Nickerson in the Eastern District of New York.

Harris Trzaskoma LLP

1 Best Lawyers award

Overview

  • Harvard University, Bachelor of Arts, graduated 1991
  • Columbia University, J.D., graduated 1997

  • New York, New York State Bar Association

  • Federal Defender Clinic, NYU Law School - Adjunct Professor (2007, 2009-2011)
  • Center for Appellate Litigation - Board of Directors
  • Women’s White Collar Defense Association - Thought Leadership Subcommittee
  • New York Council of Defense Lawyers - Treasurer/Secretary, Board of Directors
  • Federal Defenders of New York Inc. - Chair, Board of Directors

  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the First, Second, and Sixth Circuit
  • U.S. District Courts for the Eastern and Southern Districts of New York
  • U.S. Supreme Court
  • New York, New York State Bar Association
  • Federal Defender Clinic, NYU Law School - Adjunct Professor (2007, 2009-2011)
  • Center for Appellate Litigation - Board of Directors
  • Women’s White Collar Defense Association - Thought Leadership Subcommittee
  • New York Council of Defense Lawyers - Treasurer/Secretary, Board of Directors
  • Federal Defenders of New York Inc. - Chair, Board of Directors
  • Harvard University, Bachelor of Arts, graduated 1991
  • Columbia University, J.D., graduated 1997
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the First, Second, and Sixth Circuit
  • U.S. District Courts for the Eastern and Southern Districts of New York
  • U.S. Supreme Court

Client Testimonials

Awards & Focus

Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® 2026 for work in:
  • Criminal Defense: White-Collar

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