Brigadier General (Ret.) Harris Jay Kline

Brigadier General (Ret.) Harris Jay Kline

Of Counsel

2027871900

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Practice Areas
  • Military Law
  • Security Clearance Representation
Practice Locations
  • Washington, D.C.

General (Ret.) Kline served numerous tours throughout the world in support of the Air Force and was the first JAG Reservist to serve as Head of the Legal Office at both our embassy in Canberra, Australia and Payar Lebar AB, Singapore. While on active duty, Gen. Kline helped close Clark AB under pressure from a live volcano and personally practiced before Filipino judges, securing the release of 63 U.S. servicemen on international hold – for which he won the ABA’s Distinguished Service Award. He was also instrumental in planning the first International Latin American Conference in Panama, attended by dignitaries from over 15 nations.

Among his many accomplishments as a Reservist, Gen. Kline created, established and supervised the first program geared to support of families of deployed reservists; which was adopted by the Army and Navy as well. Called overseas to support Operation Joint Endeavor, he saved the U.S. government over $1 million by resolving a contract dispute with German hotels over the bed down of contingency forces and was a key in establishing humanitarian efforts for Bosnian children. Gen. Kline spearheaded the legal effort to repatriate 1,900 evacuees from Lebanon in the wake of hostilities and provided legal support to the massive tsunami relief efforts in Thailand. In Alaska, he flawlessly led the commander thru real world NORAD crisis response to Russian bombers in US airspace. In Turkey, he secured the release of an airman stubbornly held in Turkish prison – earning high praises from the Secretary of Defense. During his last two years in the Air Force, he was selected by the United Nations to lead a team into the Congo to teach the Rule of Law to their national armed forces and did so in their native French.

Gen. Kline also works as a translator for United Airlines and is based out of Newark Airport. He is married to the former Trudy Schonfeld, Head of Finance for a major Wall Street firm.

Representative Matters: Frequently represents clients before service Boards for Correction of Military and Naval Records, as well as Discharge Review Boards to upgrade discharge characterization, to challenge unjust officer grade determinations, to secure military medical retirement benefits and to obtain missing awards and decorations.

Articles and Publications

  • Carriage of Goods By Sea Act (COGSA) – Tulane Law Review, 1981
  • Juvenile Justice – Loyola Law Review, 1978

Court & Bar Admissions

  • U.S. Supreme Court
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces
  • U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana
  • Supreme Court of the State of Hawaii
  • Supreme Court of the State of Louisiana
  • Supreme Court of the State of New Jersey

 Education

  • BA: Tufts University, 1976
  • JD: Loyola University, New Orleans, 1979
  • MML: Tulane University, 1981
  • Squadron Officer School by Correspondence, 1984
  • Squadron Officers School in Residence, 1988
  • Air Command and Staff College by Correspondence, 1993
  • Air War College by Correspondence, 2001
  • BA: City University of New York, 2015
  • Advanced Certificate in Immigration Law, 2016

Accreditations / Awards

  • Legion of Merit
  • Defense Meritorious Service Medal
  • Meritorious Service Medal with eight Oak Leaf Clusters
  • Air Force Commendation Medal with five Oak Leaf Clusters
  • Air Force Achievement Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters
  • Joint Meritorious Unit Citation
  • Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
  • Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
  • Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with three Oak Leaf Clusters
  • Air Force Organizational Excellence Award
  • 1991 Distinguished Service Award- American Bar Association
  • 2000 Harmon Award for Outstanding Reservist JAG of the Year-PACAF
  • 2004 Harmon Award for Outstanding Reservist JAG of the Year-PACAF
  • 2004 Harmon Award for Outstanding Reservist JAG of the Year – ARPC
  • 2008 Air Force JAG Corps Mentor of the Year Award
  • 2009 Outstanding Military Service Career JAG Award- American Bar Association
  • 2009 Outstanding Air Force Senior Attorney-AFMC
  • 2011 Outstanding Air Force Senior Attorney-AFMC

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