Attorney at Law Regional Edition Inaugural : Page 18“It’s a different way of bringing public interest issues onscreen and I’ve got a good rapport with the anchor team.” Baker’s name can be found on the list of advisory board members at Pulaski Bank and he also serves as chairman of the advisory board of Kids In the Middle Inc., This non-profit organization provides services for children experiencing the separation or divorce of their parents. Baker and his wife provide counseling for children caught in the midst of family turmoil. “This is actually something that is very dear to my wife Melanie,” Baker said. “She started volunteering there about twenty years ago. The stories she would come home with were amazing. The things those kids went through and how smart they were about seeing things through to a resolution made a big impression on me. I thought I’d see what I could do to help. I’ve doing that for about ten years.” Baker spends a great deal of his time devoted to work for which he receives no reimbursement. When asked about his motivation, the answer was simple: “I love doing what I can to help people in my community,” he said. “So that’s my payment.” After some consideration Baker went on to explain more fully. He has a grown, self-sufficient daughter who no longer requires his time. Sarah, 28, enjoys a successful career as a talent agent at Los Angeles based, Wendell Moorhead Enterprise Talent Agency. She represents up and coming screen writers, directors and producers. Although he considers Sarah his daughter, Baker went on to explain that she is actually his niece. “Sarah came to us when she was just a baby,” he said. “Her parents were killed in an auto accident and Melanie and I took her in.” Sarah was a special needs child who suffered from life threatening asthma attacks and seizures. She’s spent countless days and nights confined within the local hospital walls. “She’s really a trooper,” Baker said of his now accomplished niece. “She’s really come through a lot and has made Melanie and I very proud. Perhaps inspired by her uncle’s devotion to his work, it seems Sarah followed suit. She puts in long hours at WME. As a result—much like her uncle—she has made impressive career advancements with ease. Baker mentions with fondness the frequency with which he and Sarah took in flicks at the local movie theatre. As he watched Sarah’s career unfold, he couldn’t help but wonder if these outings were a contributing factor. “I love crime movies and dramas,” Baker said. The busy litigator is also passionate about murder mystery novels. He’s been known to read as many as three in a week. “I think if I had a different career it would’ve been as an FBI profiler,” he mused. A Firm Foundation While Baker is celebrated for having earned his way into the highly exclusive Million Dollar Advocates Forum, (fewer than one percent of U.S. lawyers are members,) he takes that all in stride. He Publication List Using a screen reader? Click Here |
