Joseph R. Sanchez

Partner Joey Sanchez is the chair of Best Best & Krieger LLP's Labor & Employment practice group, and is also a member of the firm's Education Law practice group. Joey advises clients on a variety of labor and employment issues including collective bargaining, employee discipline and termination, family medical leave laws, wage and hour issues, disability leaves, equal employment opportunity laws and federal transit labor law. Joey also serves as general counsel for public school districts and fire districts.

Labor and Employment
Joey has significant experience in representing public agencies as labor counsel. Prior to joining BBK, Joey served as lead labor counsel for the City of San Diego and represented the City in negotiating with its five labor unions. He represents numerous special districts, cities, schools and other public agencies in a broad range of labor and employment issues, including policies and procedures, employee discipline, employee leave, collective bargaining, wage and hour, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission laws, administrative hearings and Peace Officer Bill of Rights/Firefighter Bill of Rights.

Joey also serves as lead labor negotiator for several public agencies. He has significant experience representing districts in administrative proceedings, including successfully defending unfair labor practice charges before the Public Employment Relations Board and in grievance arbitrations and mediations. He also has experience responding to complaints made to the EEOC and Department of Fair Employment and Housing office. Joey can provide representation in all matters of labor relations, personnel administration and collective bargaining.

School Law
Joey serves as general counsel to several school districts and special districts including the Fullerton, Lemon Grove and El Centro Elementary school districts. He has extensive experience in advising clients on a variety of public law matters including the Brown Act, Public Records Act, election issues and ethics and conflict of interest issues. He regularly attends board meetings and provides advice on board agendas and parliamentary procedure. Joey also has experience in guiding elected officials and district administration in communicating with the public and the media.

Joey also has provided specialized training to school boards and staff on various topics including; the Role of the Board, the Brown Act, Ethics, Sexual Harassment Avoidance, and Social Media in the Workplace. He advises school districts on a variety of labor and employment issues, including employee discipline and termination (certificated and classified), family medical leave laws, wage and hour issues, disability leaves, equal employment opportunity laws, certificated and classified layoffs, employee benefits and issues related to the collective bargaining process. Joey serves as lead labor negotiator and/or lead labor counsel for several school districts and public agencies including San Diego Community College District, Cajon Valley School District, El Centro Elementary School District, Fullerton School District and Lemon Grove School District.

Public Safety
Joey has significant experience in representing fire districts and city fire departments. He is general counsel and labor counsel for the largest fire district in San Diego County, San Miguel Consolidated Fire Protection District, and serves as labor and employment counsel for several fire protection districts throughout the state, including Borrego Springs and Twentynine Palms Fire Departments. He has also provided legal advice to the City of Redlands and the National City fire departments and served as labor negotiator and labor counsel for the City of Vernon Fire Department. Prior to coming to BBK, he worked for the City of San Diego as a deputy city attorney and served as lead legal advisor to the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department and San Diego Medical Services LLC. Joey also has significant experience with the Peace Officer Bill of Rights/Firefighter Bill of Rights.

Earlier in his career, Joey worked as a criminal prosecutor and conducted numerous bench and jury trials.