Perrie Weiner might have been a rock musician, but instead he became a co-managing partner of global law firm DLA Piper. Nonetheless, he found an outlet for his passion by joining a rock ’n’ roll band.
Now, every few months, he plays drums with his colleagues, competing against other L.A. law firms in the Law Rocks event at the Whisky a Go Go on the Sunset Strip. It’s all for charity.
“Music has always been a passion of mine,” he said. “Frankly, if I had a better voice, I would probably have done this instead of law.”
He started playing with Run DLA a few years ago after a colleague offered him a chance to join the band. He couldn’t say no to an opportunity to go to a studio on the weekend and jam with musicians.
Plus, all the money raised by the band at the competition goes to Manhattan Beach’s Jim Mora Count on Me Family Foundation, which helps children from low socioeconomic backgrounds. The competition is judged by musicians and members of the Los Angeles County Bar Association based on merit, text voting and money raised.
Now, Weiner, whose band has won a number of times, raising as much as $40,000, is preparing for the upcoming Law Rocks 2016 Los Angeles event March 18 and 19.
Weiner said he enjoys playing music because it sends the right message to future lawyers.
“I want to be inspiring for my kids,” he said. “I want to show them that you can do law and still have some other interests that you can pursue.”
First-Row Splash
This time last year, Lisa Munyon didn’t even know indoor rowing was a real sport.
But today, Munyon is an indoor rowing expert – and champion. She competed in her first race late last month in Long Beach, where she took the crown for the fastest woman in her weight class.
“It was my 2015 New Year’s resolution to take rowing lessons,” Munyon, 34, said. “Dating back to my childhood, I’ve always wanted to row – not indoor, of course – after I would always see it on TV.”
To make good on that resolution, Munyon signed up for rowing lessons, where she learned how to use an indoor rowing machine.
“One day I just happened to be rowing on it and this guy stops by and says he’s been rowing for 25 years,” she said.
It was that guy, Thomas Goebel, who introduced Munyon to the sport and later coached her during her first race last month.
Munyon completed the simulated 2K race – or roughly 1.24 miles – in 7 minutes and 32.8 seconds, the fastest time of all lightweight women.
“It’s all very technical, believe it or not,” said Munyon, chief executive at Century City legal service directory firm Lazinga. “It goes down to a tenth of a second. And when you’re pulling on that machine, you really feel the seconds.”
Staff reporters Olga Grigoryants and Cale Ottens contributed to this column. Page 3 is compiled by Editor Charles Crumpley. He can be reached at [email protected].
