Biglaw

Biglaw Lawyer Becomes Impromptu Champion Of D.C.

Viral video star is senior Biglaw attorney.

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Amidst all the awful of yesterday, there was a viral moment caught by Norwegian journalist Veronica Westhrin capturing the frustration and horror of D.C. residents watching their town get defaced by a gang of ignorant white supremacists high on delusions of widespread voter fraud and whipped into a frenzy by a deranged lame duck president.

But it turns out we have a Biglaw attorney here.

A white man standing on his stoop yelling at the rioters besieging the city and a Black woman passing by in her car share their anger and sorrow as an unprecedented assault took place in their city. Neighbors connecting in a crisis.

BarredinDC did some digging and managed to score an interview with #guyonporch, who turns out to be Peter Tracey, Senior Counsel at Perkins Coie. Tracey explained how he ended up in a viral video:

I agreed with the Mayor’s guidance that we should not engage. But I saw this couple walking back with the Trump flag unfurled. I just let them have it. I have done that a couple times at these last couple rallys and have let my thoughts be known. But it just happened that a Norwegian TV crew was outside and filmed the whole thing.

Tracey told BarredInDC that he thinks the issue that yesterday should force everyone to focus “on the disparity between the way that people of color would have been treated had they done the same thing versus the kid glove treatment that these guys got yesterday.” But he also touched on the importance of strategically deploying his own white privilege:

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This is exactly what white privilege is. You know what, I had white privilege to be able to sit there and scream that crap. I get that.

In the meantime, this accidentally captured expression of community underscores the importance of DC statehood. Anyone who thinks this place isn’t its own entity and can just be ported off to Maryland or something has no idea what goes on there. To that end….

That sounds like a good idea.

An Interview with the Porch Guy [Barred In DC]

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HeadshotJoe Patrice is a senior editor at Above the Law and co-host of Thinking Like A Lawyer. Feel free to email any tips, questions, or comments. Follow him on Twitter if you’re interested in law, politics, and a healthy dose of college sports news. Joe also serves as a Managing Director at RPN Executive Search.

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