At one point, it was to have been Dr. Justin D. Harris, not Justin D. Harris, Esq.
Firelands Health’s new vice president and general counsel had aspirations of becoming a physician when he was a student at
Bowling Green State University’s Firelands Campus in Huron when he encountered the head of the school’s respiratory therapy program.
“I thought having an undergraduate degree in a medical field would better equip me for medical school,” Harris says in a recent email interview. “He suggested I give the respiratory care program a try.”
Harris, who grew up in Sandusky and graduated from Sandusky High School in 1997, went on to work as a respiratory therapist in Lorain when he became involved in a malpractice case as a fact witness/medical provider, he says.
“The process intrigued me,” he says, “and couple that with law school being three years versus eight-plus years of medical school/residency, I decided on pursuing law school over medical school.”
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Kevin LeeHarris' degrees hang above family photos in his office at Firelands Health.Today, Harris – who has two adult children, son Ryan Harris and daughter McKenzie Harris, and lives in Sandusky with girlfriend Melissa Sortino – joins Firelands with an extensive background in the law.
The graduate of
Moritz College of Law at The Ohio State University in Columbus worked at a law firm in the Dayton area for a couple of years before moving back to Sandusky in early 2006 and joining regional firm
Reminger Attorneys at Law.
“Reminger is one of the preeminent medical malpractice law firms in the region – if not the nation – that specializes in defending physicians and hospitals,” he says. “I had the opportunity to work under some excellent attorneys who mentored me and gave (me) the opportunity to utilize my medical training in the legal arena.”
His career took a turn in 2016 when he became the law director for his hometown. At the time, he says, then-City Manager Eric Wobser was “morphing” Sandusky “into one of America’s best coastal towns,” and the previous law director had retired.
“The city needed someone capable of filling that role that was also capable of providing legal counsel to the city during its transformation and (navigating) its complex real estate development projects, including the relocation of city hall,” Harris says. “I have known Eric since we were kids and believed in his vision for Sandusky. He asked me if I was willing to serve my community, and I gladly accepted the opportunity to serve.”
Another selling point, Harris says, was that one of his role models and mentors, Duff Milkie, told him serving in the same capacity helped prepare him for a future role with then-Cedar Point parent company Cedar Fair.
Harris was the Sandusky law director until June 2018, when he returned to Reminger.
What appealed to him about the opportunity with Firelands?
For starters, he says, it’s an independent healthcare provider and one of the region’s largest employers.
“Its roots are Sandusky, and its commitment to the community is to remain an independent hospital system and provide excellent health care.”
There was another component similar to the job with the city.
“Firelands provided me the same opportunity to work alongside senior leaders that I have admired from afar and a board (composed) of the best and brightest community and business leaders,” he says. “Serving as vice president and general counsel has provided me the opportunity to have front-row seats to team members that have a passion for health care and for this community.”
This position is the latest example of the onetime aspiring doctor keeping at least a foot in the medical arena.
“While I’m not providing direct patient care as an attorney for the hospital, I approach each day with the attitude that my legal work allows Firelands to continue its commitment to the community to remain an independent hospital system that delivers excellent care to its patients,” he says. “I think that if ‘we’ stay committed to the service of others before ourselves, Firelands will maintain this commitment.”
He began at Firelands on May 1 and thanks his predecessor, Rob Moore, who, Harris says, delayed his retirement to assist him during the transition.
“The first few months have been challenging, but the experience has been fulfilling,” Harris says. “I am learning something new every day, which continues to excite me.”