Stacey Rose Harris

“Every case is a game of chess. There’s planning, study, strategy, and execution. I try to anticipate my opponent, think two steps past my next move, and avoid wasted ones. Each chess piece must be deployed with its own purpose and vision.” 

Commercial litigation requires a strategic mindset and unwavering attention to detail. It also necessitates a command of legal rules and regulations, coupled with the ability to leverage them to a client’s advantage. Stacey brings these skills to her clients, who have ranged from meditation gurus to YouTube stars. Her portfolio includes representing medical professionals, doctors, dentists, accountants, attorneys, credit unions, government contractors, entrepreneurs, and various other diverse businesses and industries.

Stacey’s practice includes commercial and general civil litigation, as well as appellate work, with a primary focus on contract disputes, business torts and defamation law. Her practice involves handling matters related to negligence, business conspiracy, tortious interference, misappropriation of trade secrets, Lanham Act and unfair competition. She has a passion for protecting the First Amendment rights of defendants in defamation litigation. Furthermore, Stacey is frequently involved in “business divorce” cases involving corporations, limited liability companies, or partnerships. She regularly appears in state and federal courts and she has a wealth of experience in the Eastern District of Virginia’s “Rocket Docket.”

Whether advocating for a prominent local celebrity in a partnership break-up, or defending a high-end sports car manufacturer against fraud and consumer protection act claims, Stacey takes the time to get to know her clients. Stacey strives to understand her client’s businesses, which enables her to bring the best tools, strategy, and solutions to the dispute.

In her nearly twenty years of practice, Stacey has secured winning verdicts in jury trials, favorable awards in arbitration, prevailed in appeals, and negotiated creative settlements, often representing her clients against formidable odds. Her colleagues describe her as tenacious, energetic, creative and kind.

Although Stacey’s most frequent role is as an advocate, she has recently expanded her practice presiding over arbitration cases. In 2021, she received an invitation to join the American Arbitration Association’s Commercial Litigation panel as both an arbitrator and panel member. Her experience as an arbitrator gives her a unique perspective from the other side of the bench, a perspective that now informs her practice as a lawyer.

Beyond her professional commitments, Stacey volunteers her time both to bar associations and her local community. She recently completed two terms of service as an elected member of Bar Council, the prestigious governance arm of the Virginia State Bar. The Bar Council regularly meets to vote on rule changes, approve ethics opinions, and preside over the functioning of the bar. Additionally, Stacey uses her proficiency in Spanish to serve pro bono clients, through the Fairfax Bar Association’s Neighborhood Outreach Program, addressing various civil matters. Stacey deeply values the opportunity to provide access to legal services to underserved members of the community.

Best Lawyers in America® for Commercial Litigation, 2024

Selected to Virginia Lawyers Weekly’s 2020 Class of “Leaders in the Law”

Selected for inclusion in Best Lawyers in America, 2018-2023

Selected for inclusion as a “Rising Star,” Virginia Super Lawyers, 2009, 2011-2017

Selected for inclusion as a “Rising Star,” Washington, DC Super Lawyers, 2013-2016

E. Randolph Williams Award for Outstanding Pro Bono Service, Hunton & Williams, 2007-2008

Professional Affiliations

Virginia State Bar, Bar Council, July 1, 2017-2022

American Arbitration Association, Commercial Litigation Panel, 2021-present

Fairfax Bar Association, present

Neighborhood Outreach Program, Pro Bono Volunteer, present

The Federal Bar Association, Northern Virginia Chapter, Board of Directors, July 2017-2020

Stacey threw 250,000 pitches to her father, who caught every single one of them in practice as she prepared for her role as fastpitch softball pitcher in Division I at Furman University. With both speed and precision, Stacey excelled as a competitor and was even invited to try out for the Israeli Olympic team! Though she no longer pitches, she parlays that determination not only into the courtroom, but also in cross-training, swimming, and tennis. And even when she’s on the sidelines, she’s passionate about fandom, especially when it comes to her 11-year old daughter/dancer/singer and her 9-year-old son/soccer/baseball player. 

A Northern Virginia native and proud graduate of Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, Stacey returned to the area after law school. She’s now an avid adventurer, traveling the world with her physician husband—to Portugal, France, the Galapagos, Costa Rica, French Polynesia and other exotic locations. Maybe that’s why Stacey equally enjoys adventures not quite as far from home, especially her family’s near-annual trip to Disney World, where she can usually be found figuring out the latest hacks to skip the lines and watching her kids’ eyes light up with joy on their favorite rides.