b'CLIENT SPOTLIGHTLaura BakerLaura Baker is one ofthe coolest people I know,~ Richard HarrisWhy, you ask? Herextraordinarylifemirroredtheunsettled We took time to get to know Laura a little better.times,whichwerea-changin.Duringthe Shes a former client of the firm and top referrer. turbulent1960s,Laurawasjailedforstudent unrest and represented by famed civil rights trial Laura was born in Rochester, New York, in 1953,lawyer Herman Schwartz. As a little girl, Laura the same year as Richard Harrisand like thewentwithhermomtoherfirstconcert,Ray Harris family, her home was filled with music.Charles and the Raelettes. Over the years, she My mom was a bit of a rebel. She ran away fromsaw The Doors, Jethro Tull, Led Zeppelin and home the first time at age 13. They found her aEric Clapton with Cream and Blind Faith. She week later in a jazz club. Jazz was her passion andended up backstage with the Grateful Dead and she certainly didnt leave us kids out of it. Momcamped at the original Woodstock music festival brought musician friends home, and when I wasin 1969. I may be old, but I saw all the great veryyoung,shebroughtthelegendaryBilliebands, Laura chuckles. Holiday over to the house several times. ThereProfessionally,Lauraworkedingamingand was always someone playing on our piano andentertainmentandisproudtocallSouthern they would leave an autographed album behind,Nevada home. She started dealing blackjack at Laurareminisced.LaurasMomtookheronthe Golden Nugget in 1977, where she met and trips and they always ended up somewhere withdated the late Pat Vines, lead guitar player for jazz. She used to dress me up and do my hairB.J. Thomas. Although over 50 years have passed so I could get into these places. During the Newsince she and her mom hung out in jazz clubs, York Worlds Fair in 1965, we shared a taxi withLauras passion for music continues. Laura, the momsfriendthegreatDukeEllington,revolutionary,alsoremainscommittedtothe recalled Laura. idealistic struggle of the hippie movement. She Her older sister wanted to learn to play the violin.is devoted to community service and volunteers My grandfather was on his deathbed at the time.her time to worthy organizations.I can still hear him yell, Edna, make her stop!Lauras life turned upside-down in 2007 when That noise is going right through me. The violinshe was involved in a major car wreck that nearly had to go. Laura and her sister turned to thetook her life. I will never forget how uplifted I piano and guitar. I could always sing harmony.feltworkingwithRichardsfirm,especiallyin IknoweverypartthateachinstrumentplaysatimeIwascompletelybrokenandhelpless. in hundreds of songs along with the lyrics. MyRichard and his staff are like family to me.husband is amazed, Laura muses.Asateenager,LauratraveledtoIndiaandYou may recognize Laura from Richard Harris Afghanistanandtookupplayingthetabla,Law Firm TV ads.traditional Indian drums. They take their music very seriously in India. I practiced at least fourWetreasure your Lauras momhours a day until my fingers were blistered. Oncefriendship, Laura.on a boat from India to Ceylon, after beating all the men at gin, someone brought out a sitar and another a shanai. Of course, out came my drums. These guys looked at me like I had just landed from Mars. Here was this little white hippie girl, playing classical Indian music with the best of them, Laura laughs.Lauras hippie days Richard Harris Law Firms54TV commercial2015 REACHINGOUT-CURRENT.indd 52 12/10/15 10:45 AM'