by the Honorable Maurice Sanchez
Joseph L. Chairez is a formidable figure in the Orange County legal landscape, recognized not only for his legal acumen but also for his profound commitment to community service. Of course, to Joe, a significant part of community service is promoting a bench and bar that reflects the diversity of Orange County.
For his dedication in promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in the legal profession in Orange County, as well as to celebrate his stellar career and numerous accolades in various fields, the Orange County Bar Association (OCBA) has decided to bestow the Lei Lei Wang Ekvall Award for 2024 upon Joe Chairez. For those readers who may not know Joe, this article seeks to capture some of the highlights of his remarkable life and accomplishments.
Early Life and Education Born in Mexico, Joe moved to the United States with his family at two years old, embarking on a journey that would ultimately lead him to becoming an outstanding attorney and a champion of underrepresented communities in Orange County. Today, he is a business trial lawyer and a partner at Baker & Hostetler LLP in Costa Mesa, where he leads the office’s Litigation Group.
Joseph Chairez’s early life in the United States was marked by the challenges typical of many immigrant families. English was his second language, and he was the first in his family to go to college. Encouraged and supported by his family, he pursued higher education with vigor and determination. He obtained his Bachelor of Science degree from the University of California, Berkeley, followed by a juris doctor from the University of California, Davis, School of Law. While at Davis, Chairez was a published member of the UC Davis Law Review. Foreshadowing his fondness for exotic locales, Joe wrote his law review article while serving as a summer intern with the Legal Services Corporation in St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands.
Legal Career Some of you may not know this about Joe, but he has not always been a “big firm” lawyer. His roots came from public service and a passion for helping others.
Chairez’s legal career began with a Reginald Heber Smith Fellowship at California Rural Legal Assistance, known as one of the premier legal services organizations in the nation. Working directly with marginalized communities in Imperial County, California, especially with those facing housing challenges, he fought tirelessly for their legal rights. This role not only shaped Joe’s understanding of the law’s impact on underserved groups, but also solidified his commitment to justice and equity.
Many in Orange County’s legal community are unaware of Joe’s international law experience, which began with his representation of a South Pacific Island nation. Early in his career, Joe worked as Legislative Counsel to the Republic of Palau. In that position, Joe assisted the island nation with its internal legal issues, as well as international matters involving, among others, the governments of Hong Kong, Korea, Japan, and the Philippines. While serving as Legislative Counsel, Joe also represented the Republic of Palau before the United Nations, the U.S. Senate, and the U.S. House of Representatives. He further served at that time as counsel to the Association of Pacific Island Legislatures.
Upon returning to Orange County, Joe continued to develop his expertise in business litigation and insurance coverage and defense. After working with an established firm and later forming his own firm with several colleagues, Joe joined Baker & Hostetler in 2001, beginning a significant new phase of his career. At Baker, he specializes in complex business litigation, including products/technology, employment, insurance coverage and construction defect matters. Over the years, Chairez has represented major corporations and has handled high-stakes trials and litigation, underscoring his legal insight and strategic thinking. As the head of Baker’s Costa Mesa Office Litigation Department, he handles matters throughout the Western United States for clients headquartered in all parts of the country. In addition, he continues to serve on the firm’s Diversity and Pro Bono Committees. Outside the firm, Joe has served on a number of boards for Orange County non-profit organizations, including the Public Law Center Board, Collaborative Courts Foundation, and the Hispanic Education Endowment Fund.
Service to the Bench and Bar Over the years, Chairez has become a mainstay in the Orange County legal community. He is deeply involved in various organizations, including the Orange County Hispanic Bar Association (HBA), serving as its president. Ultimately, the HBA awarded him both its Attorney of the Year Award and its Lifetime Achievement Award, highlighting his influence and respect among Hispanic lawyers and judges. “Joe’s service as a mentor, leader, and friend to the Hispanic Bar and our local Hispanic community has been invaluable,” says former HBA President, Mayte Santacruz.
He is also responsible for co-founding a separate organization, the Celtic Bar Association (CBA). Lest this group’s bona fides be questioned, Joe notes that the Celts’ influence reached as far as Galicia in northern Spain, where they developed a form of bagpipes. As a past president of the CBA, he is proud of the organization’s tradition of inclusiveness, friendship, and fun. “Joe has always worked tirelessly on the CBA’s events, CLE programs, and charitable giving. After our golf tournament and Ireland CLE seminar, the CBA was pleased to make significant donations to the Public Law Center. None of that would have happened without Joe’s vision, energy, and enthusiasm,” says Darren Aitken, CBA co-founder and former president. Mr. Aitken continues, “Joe has recruited and mentored several individuals to get involved in Bar organizations and events (both state and local), as well as supporting law-related charities. I am one of those people. By getting others involved, Joe has been able to multiply his personal efforts several fold.”
As a respected Orange County leader, Joe has been instrumental in shaping both the local legal practice and community outreach. His deep involvement in the OCBA over the years culminated with his election to its presidency in 2007. In leading the OCBA, Joe made history—he was the first Latino and the first immigrant to hold this position. In addition, he might be the first person to have served (at different times) as president of the OCBA and of two affiliate bar associations, the HBA and the CBA. Joe said, “I have always admired how the OCBA works to be inclusive and welcoming to all members, not only with respect to race, religion, identity, but also for all types of legal practice areas and types of lawyers, from sole practitioners to those in large firms and government practice.”
Under his leadership, the OCBA made significant strides in addressing diversity and inclusion within the legal community. “Joe Chairez’s energy and style resonated with all facets of the OCBA membership, yielding a giant step forward toward an ever more inclusive organization,” says Judge Franz Miller (Ret.). He adds, “I am proud to call him my bar colleague and friend.” Judge Shana Colover notes, “His ability to connect on a personal level, yet steer the organization with such professional finesse, was nothing short of inspiring.”
Judge Yolanda Torres agrees, noting “Joe is such an asset to our community. He has the ability to make those he encounters feel welcomed and encouraged to follow their dreams. He always prioritizes helping others, whether it be through mentoring or lending a helping hand. When asked on short notice to be a speaker at career night for Save Our Youth, Joe was there without hesitation, telling the students about his pathway in becoming a successful trial lawyer and how it is possible for them to make their dreams a reality. On another occasion, Joe became aware that our court needed plush toys to comfort children attending court hearings. He not only quickly supplied the toys, but he personally delivered them to the court. Those are just a couple of examples of how Joe is invested in helping the community. His encouragement and support of future generations to pursue their dreams is aligned with and continues Lei Lei’s tireless work of promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in the legal profession.”
Upon learning of the OCBA’s decision to present the Lei Lei Wang-Ekvall Award to Joe, Presiding Justice Manuel Ramirez of the Fourth Appellate District, Division Two, remarked, “Some lawyers are very intelligent—they have a head for the law. Some lawyers are very compassionate and caring—they have a heart for the law. Joe is that rare lawyer who is blessed with both a head and a heart for the law, and for the community he serves. Congratulations to him for this special recognition.”
Commitment to the Community Joe’s involvement in the community at large is profound. At the state level, Joe served as Co-Chair of the California Commission on Access to Justice. There, he focused on language barriers and leveling the playing field to provide all Californians with equal access to justice. He also served as Vice-President of the Board of Governors of the California State Bar. “Joe was a hard-working member of our Board who strived to serve both the legal and public interest of the State Bar,” says William Gailey, former member, Board of Governors, California State Bar.
Joe’s work with the OCBA’s Teenage Legal Survival Skills Program (TLSSP), which he describes as his favorite, illustrates his dedication to educational outreach in new and innovative ways. “Joe created the program when he was President of the OCBA, training lawyers to teach high school students how the law will affect them when they turn eighteen. The program was taught throughout Orange County’s many high schools. Additionally, it was taught to several organizations involved in the juvenile justice system,” says OCBA Executive Director Trudy Levindofske. She notes, “Over 200 lawyers and law students participated as teachers in the program, and it was taught to over 10,000 high school students. This program clearly had a lasting impact well beyond Joe’s time as OCBA President.” The TLSSP ran for ten years, and a highlight was Joe carrying the TLSSP banner on his climb to the Mount Everest Base Camp (at almost 18,000 feet) for the students.
Another one of Joe’s community activities was serving as a volunteer with the Orange County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue Unit. When Joe’s unit was not involved in rescuing lost hikers or other emergency situations, they engaged in countless training activities, involving day and night urban and mountain rescue. To keep up with this training, Joe took up hiking. This activity led to his passion for mountain climbing and expeditions to Mount Kilimanjaro (19,341 feet), Aconcagua (22,838 feet), Pico De Orizaba (18,491 feet), and the previously-mentioned Mount Everest Base Camp.
Many young lawyers and judges alike look up to Chairez not only as a role model in the law, but also as a mentor. One of those attorneys is Josh Ji, OCBA board member and former president of the OC Korean American Bar Association, who shares, “Joe Chairez has been an invaluable mentor for me. Despite his busy schedule (litigating complex cases, leading bar organizations—and summitting some of the highest mountains in the world), Joe makes conscious and consistent efforts to help the next generation of lawyers build meaningful careers.”
Judge Ngo Trong Nguyen comments, “As a newly appointed judge in the Orange County Superior Court, Joe Chairez was among the first people who reached out to me with very kind, welcoming, and encouraging words of support. He extended his hand to guide me into the legal community of OC.” Judge Ngyuen continues, “His word is gold. Once he has told you he will do something, nothing can prevent his promise from being fulfilled. His heart is sincere. His service is altruistic. His work is admirable. I consider him a mentor and a teacher, but most of all, a dear friend.”
Future Direction Looking ahead, Joe remains committed to the advancement of legal practices that embrace diversity and justice. He continues to speak at various seminars and forums, promoting education and advocating for systemic changes that support inclusivity in the legal profession. For example, this fall he is involved in putting on a CLE Seminar for the California Supreme Court Historical Society (of which he is a board member), on the historic anti-segregation case, Mendez v. Westminster School Dist. of Orange County, 64 F.Supp. 544 (S.D. Cal. 1946), aff’d, 161 F.2d 774 (9th Cir. 1947) (en banc). “Joe’s initiative and energy in making possible these types of programs has been an extraordinary boon for the California Supreme Court Historical Society,” remarked its president, Daniel M. Kolkey.
Joseph L. Chairez’s career is a testament to the impact that dedication, expertise, and a commitment to service can have on the legal profession and society at large. His journey from being an immigrant child in this country to becoming a top litigator and a champion for diversity is truly inspiring for future generations in the legal community. His story underscores the importance of developing excellence in one’s craft while never forgetting one’s roots, and all the while maintaining an unwavering commitment to justice. We congratulate Joe on his recognition as a recipient of the Lei Lei Wang-Ekvall Award for 2024!
The Honorable Maurice Sanchez is an Associate Justice of the Court of Appeal, Fourth District, Division Three.