Leslie Harris ‘84, former judge at the Suffolk Juvenile Court and one of the founding members of the BC Law Black Alumni Network (BAN), passed away unexpectedly on October 15.
Judge Harris was a champion of diversity at BC Law and within the broader legal profession. He served as a mentor to countless students and young alumni, and was particularly active in the greater Boston community, serving on many boards and teaching in various capacities at local schools, from the New School for Children to Salem State College. He had served as a program consultant at the Museum of Afro-American History in Boston, and was also the director of the Melrose METCO Program, among many other volunteer activities.
“The impact of Leslie Harris on this community—and the larger Boston community—is difficult to capture in words,” said BC Law Dean Odette Lienau. “As a founding member of BAN and an extremely active alumnus, he influenced hundreds of students over the years. His warmth lit up every room he entered, and his love for BC Law and all it stands for was clear. We will miss him terribly.”
Judge Harris received his undergraduate degree from Northwestern University in 1974, his master’s degree from Boston University in 1974, and his JD from BC Law in 1984. He began his career as a probation officer and worked as a public defender for the Committee for Public Counsel Services in the late 1980s and early 90s, before becoming chief of the juvenile division at the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office. He was appointed to the Suffolk Juvenile Court in 1994 by Governor William F. Weld. While on the bench, Judge Harris handled many different cases, but felt that his work with adoptions was particularly meaningful. He facilitated the first adoption for a gay couple in Massachusetts—and then, after the Supreme Judicial Court’s decision brought marriage equality to the Commonwealth, performed the couple’s wedding himself.
In a 2023 interview done for the Black History at BC Law project, Judge Harris said that after his graduation from Northwestern and BU, he had been influenced by friends who had attended BC Law. Drawn to its Jesuit focus on service, he enrolled and quickly became an active member of the Black Law Students Association, attributing his success to supportive classmates, faculty, and staff. “I’ve gone to three colleges,” he said. “The one I felt the most allegiance to has been Boston College Law School because of the way they supported me and the way they opened doors for me.”
“For over four decades, Judge Harris stood as a pillar of wisdom, courage, and unwavering integrity,” said Arianne Waldron ’14, president of BAN. “He was more than a legal mind; he was a mentor, a teacher, and a fierce force for justice in systems that have too often overlooked those who look like us. Through his example, he showed us that excellence and advocacy could—and must—coexist.”
The following are remembrances by those who knew him.
I write today, as we remember and honor the life and legacy of The Honorable Judge Leslie Harris—a man who led with strength and love from the bench, in boardrooms, classrooms, and backyards.
As a founding member of the Boston College Law School’s Black Alumni Network, he helped to galvanize and institutionalize his passion for community, the preservation of legacy, and the power of our connectedness. For over four decades, Judge Harris stood as a pillar of wisdom, courage, and unwavering integrity. He was more than a legal mind; he was a mentor, a teacher, and a fierce force for justice in systems that have too often overlooked those who look like us. Through his example, he showed us that excellence and advocacy could—and must—coexist.
To many of us, he was the first Black judge we ever saw up close—not as a distant figure, but as someone who took time to invest in our futures. He was the first person to show up to the student BBQ I host at my home every year, and the last person to leave Dean Mc Shay’s Admitted Students Day. He didn’t just open doors; he held them open. And in doing so, he inspired a generation—then another, and another—to walk through with confidence and purpose.
His passing is a profound loss to our legal community and to the generations of Black lawyers who saw him as both the road map and the light. We must honor his legacy by continuing his work.
Thank you, Judge Harris, for leading the way. May you rest in power and peace.—Arianne Waldron ’14
Boston mourns the loss of the Honorable Judge Leslie E. Harris—a trailblazer, mentor, and champion for justice. His wisdom and compassion shaped generations. We hold his family in our hearts as we honor a life devoted to fairness, dignity, and community. May he rest in peace.—Senator Ed Markey ’72
From your very first encounter with Leslie Harris, you knew you were in the presence of a very special person—totally authentic, sincere, empathetic, deeply compassionate. The person you would want on the bench in juvenile court, as your defense lawyer, as your mentor, as your friend. I would seek him out at BAN and BLSA events, reunions, anywhere I could find him. Our conversation was always uplifting, regardless of what was going on in his life, in his courtroom, in his community.
Leslie was defense counsel to the first African American male that the BPD tried to pin the blame on for the murder of Carol Stuart—actually by her own husband, who knew Boston well enough to put the blame on a Black male in a hooded sweatshirt. Leslie’s description of his harrowing solo journey from Northwestern to BCLS encapsulates his interior vitality, fighting his way out of poverty, then as an undergrad, a grad student, a rock musician, and ultimately landing in the place he was always meant to be. His passing has left an unfillable hole in our community. May his memory be a blessing.—Professor Mark Brodin
Judge Harris lives on. His wisdom, character, and strength endures in every individual he helped in his career, every law enforcement officer he held accountable, and every law student he encouraged. I met Judge Leslie Harris in 2019. The more I came to know him, the more he reminded me of my own two grandfathers. He, like them, was a man who bent his world to his will, undeterred by a country that often demanded that people of color work twice as hard to go half as far as their white counterparts.
The most significant reflection to me, though, does not come from anything Judge Harris said, or any particular moment from his life. It is that it is incumbent upon us—those of us in the beginning or middle of our own careers—to emulate his dedication to justice and public service. My upbringing, like that of many in my generation, was imbued with deep reverence for the men and women who fought for, worked towards, and defended the opportunities of which we now may take advantage. What I take from Judge Harris’s story, and what I wish Id had a chance to tell him personally, is that he and his peers provided us with the blueprint for picking up the various causes we advance in our own lives and careers. I hope that those who knew him best, and who may come to know us in our careers, will see him in all of us.—Matthew Bowser ’22
It is with great sadness that I write about my former student and friend, Judge Leslie Harris. As a law professor, I get great satisfaction when one of my former students becomes—in the words of our former dean Father Robert Drinan—an “architect of society.” Leslie Harris was a poor kid from the housing projects of Chicago who managed to graduate from Northwestern University. As a second-year student at Boston College Law School, he thought of dropping out because he had a growing family to support. We worked together to help him graduate, and in the process became close friends. I attended his law school graduation, his swearing in as a judge, and his retirement party.
Judge Leslie Harris contributed so much to this law school. Leslie and Professor Emerita Ruth-Arlene Howe were the champions of diversity. When I was the faculty chair of the Admissions Committee, Leslie would call, write, and cajole us to accept certain students whose promise he had recognized. He worked to convince accepted students to come to Boston College, and his advocacy paid off. Leslie Harris remained available to all these students throughout their law school careers, and all the students for whom he had advocated became successful lawyers.
As a judge, Leslie Harris dispensed justice. After adjudicating the cases before him fairly, he even followed the juvenile defendants after their court appearances and helped many of them turn their lives around. Leslie was a leader in his community, and he was always available to listen, guide, and help out. His wisdom, mentoring, and compassion shaped generations. From my tradition, I would call Leslie a Tsadak. He upheld justice not only with his mind but also with his heart. He brought humanity into the courtroom and wisdom into every conversation. May his memory be a blessing.—Professor Robert Bloom ’71
Judge Harris was a friend and colleague, and I am so saddened to hear of his death. He was generous and warm and fully dedicated to bettering the lives of youth in Massachusetts. He was a consistent and dedicated mentor to so many law students and young lawyers, always enthusiastic and generous with his time and expertise. He was also a very proud and devoted family man—quick to share the accomplishments of his wife and his large extended family. Truly a gem of a man. He will be missed!—Clinical Professor Emerita Francine Sherman ’80
Since 2007, my 1L year, Judge Harris has been my mentor. In the Odyssey, Athena disguises herself as “Mentor” in order to guide Telemachus. She imparted wisdom, instilled courage, gave sage advice, and helped develop his character as he journeyed into adulthood.
You see, a real mentor is a conduit through which the Divine speaks. A mentor sees the parts of yourself that you’re unable to properly perceive,
or even conceive.
Mentors are doulas,
midwives,
and bonus parents,
standing by and supporting you
as you labor to birth a new self.
Mentors help navigate you through the brackish waters of
Self doubt
the rough seas of Rejection
and stagnant stretches of the Doldrums
A good mentor can radically change your life.
Mine did.
I, we, lost him so suddenly.
But, like the Divine, he will always be here.
His legacy is breathtaking.
His humility and disarming accessibility, coupled with a deep abiding love for the community, allowed him to sow seeds of hope, courage, love and radical change into countless people.
His work is well rooted in Roxbury and beyond, where he worked so tirelessly to protect and better lives.
His trees will bear good fruit for generations.
Thank you, Judge Leslie E. Harris.
I love you, always.
—Kareema Scott ’10
Every institution has a small group of people who are literally the glue that holds it together, in good times and in tough times. Judge Leslie Harris was one of these people. Here was someone I could always turn to as a dean, a colleague, and a friend. In the challenging times we live in today, such people are particularly needed. We will miss Judge Harris so much!—Professor Emeritus and former Dean Daniel Coquillette
My admiration for Judge Harris started high and grew tremendously over the decades I knew him. He demonstrated in words and deeds his affection for the school, our students, and our alumni. Always kind, always humble, always energized, and always there, he opened doors and embraced his role as a community and professional leader who stood as an example of all that is possible to achieve as a lawyer and public servant. He was and will continue to be a big part of Boston College Law School’s identity.—Associate Clinical Professor Emeritus Alan Minuskin
Judge Harris was a pillar of the greater BC Law community like no other; rarely have I ever seen an alumnus give back so selflessly to our students and other alums. I had the pleasure of meeting Judge Harris a handful of times at BLSA conferences, and he was always so kind, encouraging to me as a new faculty member and above all, inspiring. He will be missed so dearly by everyone whose lives he touched at BC and beyond.—Assistant Clinical Professor Reena Parikh
Judge Harris was a giant of the BC Law community and blazed a trail for many lawyers, including myself—for which I am forever grateful. Beyond his legal brilliance, he was a mentor and role model to many, especially to those who arrived in the city without roots or connections. For newcomers navigating a new place and profession, he offered guidance, belonging, and a powerful example of leadership grounded in service. A constant and reassuring presence, he showed up for his community every single day. If there was a BC Law community event, particularly for Black students, you can bet that Judge Harris would be there, usually telling stories and encouraging law students and young attorneys. While we are deeply saddened by Judge Harris’s passing, his legacy lives on in the countless lives he touched and the legal community he helped build and sustain with extraordinary care.—Travis Salters ’23
My heart is just broken, because even though I knew Judge Harris was retired, I still counted him as a mentor, a professional guide and confidante, and friend. He was all these things to so many of us at Boston College Law School starting with the Welcome Back BBQ, where he made it his business to welcome us into the BC BAN/BLSA family. He provided every type of guidance I needed as a first-generation graduate student—from an open invitation to church, so I could be spiritually fed, to teaching me how to separate a shrimp from its tail during formal dining, so I wouldn’t lose out on professional opportunities. Whenever I had a question about my career, Judge Harris was the first person I would call. He was so accessible and still actively seeking the welfare of others.
Judge Harris was the epitome of lawyer-as-public-citizen, as he was personally and professionally embedded in his community as a force for good. He carried himself quietly, but there was a fierceness in his eyes and a strong sense of justice in his heart. He spoke with love and compassion about the young people that appeared before him. And his family was the manifestation of his commitment to love. Those of us who had the privilege to know him, will, I am sure, feel his charge to live it forward as he did.—Stacey Best ’95
Judge Harris was not only my inspiration, but also set the standard from which I measure my success as an advocate and public servant. Judge Harris’s unwavering commitment and dedication to advancing and supporting the Black community at BC Law should serve as a blueprint for future generations of BC Law grads. I’m incredibly grateful to have witnessed his leadership and cannot underscore enough the importance of his legacy. He will be deeply missed.—Vannessa Carr ’22
Judge Leslie Harris changed the trajectory of my life from the moment I met him as a first-year law student at Boston College Law School. As a young Black man from modest beginnings, I saw in him someone who had walked a path I could follow—a fellow BC Law alum who had risen from the Chicago projects to become a respected member of the legal community. He made me feel welcomed and that I belonged in spaces where I might have otherwise felt uncertain. In Judge Harris, I found not just a role model, but someone who understood where I came from and showed me what was possible. No one ever had a bad word to say about him, and his genuine concern for the welfare of others was evident in everything he did.
Our paths crossed again at the Suffolk County DA’s office, where I was a young prosecutor, and he arrived as a well-respected defense attorney. He took me under his wing, mentoring me through the complexities of the law and encouraging me to aspire higher—even suggesting I consider becoming a judge myself. I watched him successfully navigate the judicial application process, and when I eventually became a judge, he continued to guide and support me. Judge Harris showed me the importance of giving back to the BC Law community and taught me that I had much to contribute. I will never forget him, and I will always be grateful for the time he invested in me. His legacy lives on in the lives he touched and the example he set for all of us who were blessed to know him.—Kenneth V. Desmond Jr. ’90
As a proud founding member of the Black Alumni Network, Judge Harris paved the way for creating and providing support for the Black Law Students Association. We are deeply saddened by his passing and will truly miss his bright smile, his wisdom, and the kindness he brought to every BLSA gathering.—The Black Law Students Association members
How to say goodbye to the keystone pillar of our community that was Judge Leslie Harris? We are surely shaken by our loss. But Judge Harris wisely assured and fortified the community that he had a large hand in constructing. He did this by, as he has said, “paying it forward.” Leslie knew that all that he accomplished was due to each act of care, opportunity, and support he was given along the way. I know Les’s version of this with some immediacy. Judge Harris was in the class before me. At that time, Black law students, most often BLSA leaders and members, participated on what was known as the CORE Committee. It allowed students to read admissions files of their own racial background and to advocate for students they believed could survive and thrive. Leslie advocated for my file.
My entire career was because of Les’s one act of kindness and community. Throughout we were there for each other’s careers and for the systemic change that community building required. Les did hundreds and thousands of deeds of all kinds of orders of magnitude with a great emphasis on members from our most vulnerable, underrepresented, and marginalized. Each act came from a place of caring for, and building up, the communities he was a part of. By the combined force of Leslie’s acts, lives were changed and communities were strengthened. We have all been honored to have stood alongside the powerful yet unassuming community pillar that was our beloved Judge Leslie Harris. With deep and abiding gratitude, farewell, dear Les!—Susan Maze-Rothstein ’85
About 15 years ago I was running our Semester-in-Practice course. We had a student who had a passion and deep interest in juvenile law but had not yet found their groove in the legal world. Norah Wylie and I talked about options and we both thought Judge Harris would be a wonderful mentor. He agreed to take on the student, and he was amazing. Judge Harris offered guidance, advice on writing, and served as a powerful role model. He spent time, a precious commodity in our legal world, to help this student learn. The student’s confidence grew through the semester. By the end the student could see their place in the legal world. It was a transformative experience. Judge Harris was a gift to our BC Law community!—Professor Emerita Judy McMorrow
The Honorable Judge Leslie Harris was truly one of a kind—a man among men and a consummate example of humanity at its best. Judge Harris was instrumental in my life and an enormous influence on my legal career. I first met him in the “Yellow Room” at Boston College Law School after Admitted Students Day in April 2007 (though, unofficially, our paths had crossed before). After meeting Judge Harris, Professor Howe, Jermaine Kidd, and other members of the Black Alumni Network, my decision to attend BC Law became clear. From that day forward, he became not just a mentor but a steadfast presence and guiding force in my life.
From April 2007 until September 3, 2025—the last time we had dinner at one of his favorite restaurants in Dorchester, something we did often—Judge Harris was a constant rock of wisdom, integrity, and compassion. He led by example, and his reputation was immaculate. In all my years, I never heard a single person speak ill of him—not in the legal community, not in the greater Boston community, not even from defendants who appeared before him. Judge Harris embodied what it means to be a role model. Though I may fall short in trying to emulate his greatness, I will continue to strive to honor his legacy through my own work and life. The world has lost a great man—one who was deeply caring, sincere, and selfless. My heartfelt condolences go to his wife, Beverly Harris, their children, family, and friends. Until we meet again, Judge Harris—I love you, and I still owe you dinner. (He never let me pay for a meal in 18 years.)—D’Andre T. Fernandez ’10
Watch the full interview below with Judge Harris, recorded as part of the Black History at BC Law project in 2023.