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John Peara Baba ’90

A picture of John Baba

John Peara Baba ’90, March 10, 2012, in San Francisco, California. John earned a BA in philosophy from Reed and a JD from Golden Gate University, where he was awarded a Witkin Award in trial advocacy. John was a legal extern in the San Francisco Superior Court law and motion department during his third year of law school. His 12-year law practice with Wiegel & Fried included writ practice, civil appeals, commercial and residential lease disputes, and pretrial motion pleading. Attorney Andrew Wiegel remarked that John was a great attorney and a greathearted man. “He leaves us all better for having known him.” John advanced the laws protecting the right of people to have access to the court and public process without fear of countersuit, Wiegel stated. “He also preserved the right to negotiate with tenants and advanced other legal rights of property owners in meaningful ways.” John distinguished himself admirably. “I will miss him dearly as a member of the firm and even more as a friend.” John, who suffered from apnea, died in his sleep. Numerous Reedies, including William Abernathy ’88, Ian Atlas ’91, Bruce Bennett ’90, Andromeda Dunker ’94, Kip Guy ’90, Sharma Hendel ’92, Alice Meek Landess ’92, and Bennett Steinmuller ’93, gathered to honor John in May. Though he was an Assyrian, John was given an Irish nod at Durty Nelly’s in San Francisco, and at Ocean Beach his alumni friends set a tiny Viking longboat on fire and launched it into the surf.

Appeared in Reed magazine: September 2012

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