Thomas Harper

**Thomas Harper** is a YAPi Lawyer, Stock Analyst, and Activist, who has served as a justice of the High Court of YAPi since July 13, 2020, when they were appointed by President Alligator. Upon their appointment, they were the first Canadian to serve in any non-elected position, as well as being the first openly non-binary official in any government position. They have been an outspoken activist, supporting progressive causes such as worker's rights, equal pay, and the passage of an equal rights amendment to the constitution. They have also served as a stock analyst for the YAPi Stock Market since July 30, 2020, when the position was assumed from Spiro Hippity.

## **Early Life**

Harper was born in Chatham-Kent, Ontario, Canada. They studied at Chatham-Kent Secondary School, taking an early interest in both law and activism, as well as being a prolific member of the school's debate team. They moved to London, Ontario, Canada to study at Fanshawe College. At the age of 29, they moved to Ottawa, and began practicing law for a private firm.

## **Legal Career**

A well-spoken and highly sought after lawyer, Harper resided over several major cases, including the case of Zakir Dratchev, a Chechen national who was falsely accused of a car ramming attack which killed 4 and injured 38, in the city of Ajax. Dratchev was found not guilty, and the actual perpetrator was tried and found guilty 6 months later.

### **Canadian National Bank Fraud Investigation**

Harper's first major case came in the form of a fraud investigation into the Canadian National Bank, one of Canada's major private banks. Harper represented over 40 clients, each of whom had brought cases against the bank for fraud, as well as various other offenses including money laundering, illegal withholding of funds, and tax evasion. Among those who brought cases forward were two former employees of the company. The company's representatives eventually pleaded guilty to all 78 charges brought against the company, resulting in several high-ranking officials in the company facing up to 8 years in prison, as well as the company being ordered to pay out over $85 million to clients who had been affected by the fraud ring. The case led to a major re-structuring of the company, with a new CEO and CFO being appointed shortly after the case.

### **Zakir Dratchev Case**

On December 14, 2014, Zakir Dratchev, a 35-year-old Chechen man, was arrested on charges of manslaughter and terrorism, after face-matching software connected him to surveillance video of a car ramming attack which killed 4 people. The court hearings began on January 8, 2015, and continued for 9 months. Harper led Dratchev's defense team, and after months of hearings and evidence, successfully proved that Dratchev was not the perpetrator, and the face matching software had malfunctioned, misidentifying Dratchev. The case brought serious changes to the Canadian legal system, as face-matching was systemically rejected due to the now realized possibility for mis-identification. On March 27, 2016, Tamazi Magalashvili, a Georgian immigrant, was found guilty and sentenced to 31 years in prison. While Harper initially faced criticism for defending what initially seemed to be an obvious case, they were later lauded by newspapers across the country for their successful work.

## **High Court Justice**

Upon President Alligator's election, one of her first actions was nominating 3 justices to the High Court, which included Harper. Harper was confirmed unanimously by parliament, and took office on July 13, 2020.

## **Personal Life**

Harper resides in Ottawa, with a lodge in Annandale, Virginia, for attending business in Washington, D.C. In 2018, Harper married Olivia Nielsen, a Danish-Canadian Activist and MP.