Sawamura, Michael A.

It's possible that Ken Harrison really has seen it all.  He brings to Sugarman & Susskind a wealth of experience from his prior careers as a City of Miami police officer and with the United States Coast Guard Reserve.
 
Ken's first career began as a patrolman enforcing the law on the street as a member of the City of Miami Police Department. Twenty-six years later he retired from the Police Department as Assistant Chief. During his time on the police force Ken was active in police labor organizations at the local, state and national levels. For 16 years he also served as a trustee for the City of Miami's Police and Fire Pension Funds. Ken now draws on his experiences as a police officer and as a former pension plan trustee in counseling the boards of employee benefit plan trusts that provide benefits to public employees, including police officers and fire fighters. 

Not satisfied with spending all his time on land, Mr. Harrison joined the United States Coast Guard Reserve, working on the ocean patrolling the Florida coast and providing assistance and rescue operations to boaters.  Ken later became an officer with the Coast Guard Reserve and retired, after a 34 year career, as a Captain. During his Coast Guard career Ken had the opportunity to work on varied projects and posts, including as the Deputy Chairperson of the Coast Guard Olympic Security Coordinating Committee, providing security support for events on the ocean during the 1996 Atlanta Games. He also gained valuable administrative experience assisting in the U.S. Army's Southern Command move from Panama to Miami in the position of Coast Guard Liaison to the Army, overseeing the logistics of the actual transfer of equipment and personnel; and as Director of Coast Guard Relief Activities for Hurricanes Andrew and Georges. He continues to serve as the chairman of the Coast Guard District Seven Regional Retiree Council.
 
Ken earned a Bachelor's degree in accounting from the University of Miami; a Master of Science degree in Management from Biscayne College (now St. Thomas University); and a law degree from the University of Miami School of Law, where he received the Roger Sorino Award as the outstanding senior of his law school graduating class. Ken is also a Certified Public Pension Trustee and a founding member of the Florida Pension Trustees Association, where he continues to serve as a Director Emeritus.

Ken is also active in the Miami legal community. He is a past President of the Coral Gables Bar Association, which brings local attorneys together for social, fund raising and continuing education events. He also serves on the Board of Directors of the Alumni Association for the University of Miami School of Law.  

Ken has worked at Sugarman & Susskind since 1997. His practice focuses on public sector employee benefits law.