Attorney
Costa Mesa, California, 92626
James Harmon was exposed to the practice of law early in life through his father, the late Hon. James Hedrick Harmon, where James watched the senior Harmon work as Imperial County’s County Counsel. James experienced his father’s long hours of service which culminated in the preparation for and successful arguments before the United States Supreme Court (County of Imperial vs. Munoz, 449 U.S. 54, 1980). Later, Mr. Harmon’s father was elected to the Superior Court bench, and Mr. Harmon found himself debating cases in his father’s chambers at the courthouse where he was coached during his high school Mock Trial program.
Mr. Harmon then worked in his uncle Thomas M. Harmon’s civil practice in Long Beach, California, as a clerk during college and through law school. In 1998, Mr. Harmon started working for Ainbinder & Blatt, participating in discovery and trials immediately after graduating from law school. He was certified to practice by the California State Bar Association in 1999 and was handling a high volume of personal injury and workers’ compensation claims, from the initial intake through medical treatment and then negotiating settlements or resolving cases through mediation or trial. In 2003, Mr. Harmon founded the Harmon Firm where he represented plaintiffs in personal injury and workers’ compensation cases and debtors in consumer bankruptcy.
Mr. Harmon managed the firm and was the primary litigator for over 17 years, personally handling cases involving catastrophic injuries and death. Mr. Harmon has experience with a wide range of cases including routine traffic accidents to serious tire failure/roll-over accidents, industrial toxic environments, and manufacturing accidents. From 2013 to 2015, Mr. Harmon was affiliated with Ainbinder & Pratt as “of counsel” where he provided senior leadership and conducted litigation and business development services. In 2021, Mr. Harmon joined the Shah Law Group, P.C. as a senior associate, bringing his more than 20 years of experience to the team. Mr. Harmon focuses on Plaintiffs’ Personal Injury and Applicants’ Workers’ Compensation cases.
