James Oran Porter

James Oran "Jimmy" Porter was born on August 29, 1941, in Washington, D.C. He earned his Juris Doctor from Howard University School of Law and, in 1969, founded The Porter Law Firm in Washington, D.C., with a stated mission to act as a voice for the voiceless and to fight for those unable to fight for themselves. He was licensed to practice law in both the District of Columbia and Nevada.

Porter relocated to Las Vegas in 1972, where he became one of the earliest African-American attorneys admitted to practice in Nevada and established The Porter Law Firm in the city. An experienced trial lawyer in both the criminal and civil arenas, he practiced for four decades and achieved multiple multi-million dollar verdicts and settlements over the course of his career.

A dedicated civic leader, Porter was a co-founder and past president of the Urban Chamber of Commerce and a co-founder and longtime member of the Las Vegas chapter of the National Bar Association. He was appointed to the Nevada Taxicab Authority by Governors Richard Bryan and Bob Miller, and in 2012 the National Bar Association inducted him into its Hall of Fame in recognition of his years of service to the practice of law. He died on January 27, 2016.