Laurence E. Harris (Larry), of Potomac, died on May 16. Harris was born in Baltimore in 1936 to Helen and Milton Harris. He graduated Columbia University from the ROTC program and served in the Navy as a lieutenant from 1958 to 1962. In 1965, he received his juris doctor degree from Georgetown University.
Harris began his career as a contract negotiator at Texas Instruments Inc. In 1972, he was one of the first executives of the fledgling MCI Communications Corp. As vice president, Harris was a key member of the legal team when MCI filed and won an antitrust lawsuit against AT&T in 1974.
Harris spent most of his career in the telecommunications sector. As president of Metromedia, he ran its cellular phone business and was also general counsel of Teligent, Inc. In 1981, President Ronald Reagan appointed Harris to be the chief of the mass media bureau for the FCC.
Harris later became senior counsel at the law firm Patton Boggs. In 2003, he joined the board of directors of MCI. He was also a board member of Jewish Social Service Agency (JSSA) and a member of Washington Hebrew Congregation.
Harris is survived by his wife of 58 years, Susan B. Harris; his two daughters, Mimi Harris Kirstein (Steven Kirstein) and Amy B. Harris (Jason Reilly); and his grandchildren, Zachary, Kylie, Richard and Ellis.
Donations may be sent to the Yellow Ribbon Fund at Georgetown Law.
