Barnes & Thornburg has announced the addition of Trey Baker as a partner in the Government Services and Finance Department in the firm’s Washington, D.C., office. Baker joins from the White House, where he served as senior advisor for public engagement.

In his role in the Biden administration, Baker specialized in outreach to the Black community and civil rights organizations and focused on law enforcement and criminal justice reform. Prior to his tenure at the White House, Baker was the national director of African American engagement for the Biden for President campaign. His approach to community engagement was forged during his four years as city manager for Grenada, Mississippi, where he gained an appreciation for the social impact of government work. 

“Trey’s deep well of government experience and strong foundation in the D.C. market will prove invaluable to our clients – both locally and nationally,” said Roscoe Howard, managing partner of the firm’s Washington, D.C., office. “His passion for community engagement, evidenced by the breadth of his work at the local and federal level, brings a unique skill set to our talented group of legal professionals. We’re happy to have him.”

Earlier in his career in D.C., Baker served as legislative counsel for U.S. Rep. Bennie G. Thompson, who represents Baker’s home district in the 2nd Congressional District of Mississippi. Prior to this, Baker was an attorney at a Denver-based civil litigation firm, where he focused on complex commercial litigation and defense work. 

“Trey has a broad understanding of government developed through firsthand experience, from his work in local government, his involvement in Congress, and ultimately his service at the White House,” said Richard Hall, chair of the firm’s Government Services and Finance Department. “He brings a fresh perspective on community and government relations and has solid relationships in communities across the country that will no doubt provide significant value in addressing challenges and creating opportunities for our clients.”

Baker earned his J.D. from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law and his B.A. from Tougaloo College.