Columbus attorney remembered as a man of integrity

Morton Harris, a well-known Columbus attorney who advocated on behalf of the disadvantaged, died Monday at age 81.

Teresa Singleton, Harris’s paralegal, said he went to St. Joseph’s Hospital in Atlanta for a routine heart valve repair and died from unexpected complications.

Harris, a Columbus native, was a partner at the law firm Hatcher, Stubbs, Land, Hollis & Rothschild. He was a world-renowned lawyer who practiced law in Columbus for more than 40 years, specializing in tax, business, employee benefits, estate and trust law. He was a Columbus High School graduate who advocated passionately on behalf of the school as a founding member and recent past president of its alumni association.

Harris’ passing came as a shock to many in the community who knew him as a physically fit man who worked out regularly at the Downtown YMCA.

“It’s just devastating,” Singleton said. “The partners here (at the firm) are overwhelmed with sadness. He meant a lot to the firm as well as the staff.”

George Mize, the firm’s managing partner, said Harris was one of the most senior partners at the firm. He started working with the company in the mid-1990s and was a role model to his colleagues.

“We looked up to him as a father figure and he was just a great partner, a great friend, a mentor to us all,” he said. “He’s a true gentleman. I think that’s the best way I can describe Morton.”

Harris’ funeral service will be held graveside at Riverdale Cemetery 10 a.m. Wednesday. Rabbi Beth Schwartz will officiate.

The family will receive friends and family at the Harris family home, 2854 Cromwell Drive, from 3 to 7 p.m.

The firm will be closed Wednesday morning for the funeral. “We’re all grieving in our own way,” Mize said.

As president of the Columbus High School Alumni Association, Harris started an Endowment for Excellence to help disadvantaged students pay for Advanced Placement tests, educational trips, academic competitions, SAT fees and college visits. The program has raised about $1 million, said Singleton. Harris and his wife recently started the Morton A. and Judye S. Harris Scholarship Endowment Fund at Columbus State University.

Columbus High School Principal Marvin Crumbs said he and Harris had lunch just a few weeks ago to discuss plans for Columbus High this year.

“He was really excited about it like he always is,” he said. “He just had this strong sense of service and wanted to help and be a part of something that’s good, bringing as many people as possible to be a part of it as well. He was just a great guy.

“He gave a lifetime of service to Columbus High, and not just the classes from when he went here, but he loved the magnet. He loved contributing to the magnet and all the achievements of all the kids there now.”

Former Mayor Bob Poydasheff said he was still mourning the loss of Dot McClure, a local philanthropist, and James McMullen, owner of McMullen Funeral Home, when he learned of Harris’ death Monday. He said it’s another great light that has gone out in the community.

Poydasheff said he was an infantry officer getting ready for the JAG Corps when he first met Harris more than 50 years ago. They became friends and Harris was the person Poydasheff chose to be his campaign manager for city council and mayoral races. They also worked together as members of the Jaycees and other organizations. Poydasheff said Harris was also a great runner and beat him constantly.

“What a wonderful human being,” he said of his dear friend. “The word I think that would describe Mort more than anything is he’s a man of integrity. He was a brilliant lawyer. I absolutely trusted his word. Whenever he said there was something he’d do, you didn’t have to worry about putting it in writing. Mort was true to his word. It’s a breath of fresh air to find a man who is ethical and honest, cares about people, loves the law, cares about the family, cares about our city and our country and he will be sorely missed.”

Over the years, Harris became very concerned about economic inequalities in American society. He did extensive research and shared the statistics with friends and colleagues. He also presented the information at Columbus State University and other venues.

“He believed strongly that we should strive to see that the disparity was eliminated, or at least moderated,” Poydasheff said. “Because he felt that without that you’ll always have crime, you’ll always have disillusionment, you’ll always have racism.

“He didn’t care about race, he didn’t care about religion, he didn’t care about ethnicity, national origin, whatever. He cared about human beings.”

Harris ran track at Columbus High School and Emory University, where he received a B.B.A.degree. He was a graduate of Harvard Law School and received numerous awards for professional and community service, both locally and nationally.

Lavoy Powell, owner of the Huddle House on Victory Drive, said he met Harris about three years ago while working out at the Downtown YMCA. As their friendship grew, Harris gave him a lot of free legal advice that was very helpful in his business.

“He was just an honest guy you could trust,” Powell said. “It’s just hard to believe he’s gone.”

Alva James-Johnson, 706-571-8521. Reach her on Facebook at AlvaJamesJohnsonLedger.

This story was originally published August 4, 2015 at 3:53 PM with the headline "Columbus attorney remembered as a man of integrity."