Chairez '80 Leads Orange County Bar Group
Joseph Chairez '80 was installed as the 2007 President of the Orange County Bar Association. He is the first Hispanic to lead the bar in its over 100 year history. He is also the first immigrant, having arrived from Torreon, Coahuila, Mexico, when he was two years old.
“Diversity is our national heritage,” Chairez said in a profile on his appointment. “It’s what makes us great.”
After graduating from UC Davis School of Law, Chairez was a Reginald Heber Smith Fellow with California Rural Legal Assistance in El Centro. He then went to work for a business litigation firm handling real estate, contracts, and partnership matters. Chairez joined Baker Hostetler in 2001, and is now a partner and a member of the Litigation Group of the Costa Mesa office.
In addition, he has been a panel arbitrator for the Orange County Superior Court since 1992. He is a past president of both the Orange County Hispanic Bar Association and Celtic Bar Association. He is a member of the California Commission on Access to Justice and a member of the California State Bar, Pipeline Diversity Task Force. Chairez has continuously been named a Southern California “Super Lawyer” by Law & Politics and the publishers of Los Angeles Magazine from 2004 through 2007.
His community involvement includes his "favorite," the El Viento Foundation, a small group which provides mentoring, guidance, tutoring and extracurricular activities for fourth graders at an elementary school in Huntington Beach. The program stays with the students through high school and then gives them a scholarship to the local community college district.
Commenting on Chairez's election as President of the Orange County Bar Association, many in the legal community had high praise. "He’s a prince of a guy," said Fourth District Court of Appeals Justice William Bedsworth. Orange County Superior Court Judge Frank Miller added, "I think Joe is just going to be absolutely fantastic as president. Joe is always ready to give back to the community."
Los Angeles Daily Journal/January 19, 2007
Joseph Chairez/Baker Hostetler
“Diversity is our national heritage,” Chairez said in a profile on his appointment. “It’s what makes us great.”
After graduating from UC Davis School of Law, Chairez was a Reginald Heber Smith Fellow with California Rural Legal Assistance in El Centro. He then went to work for a business litigation firm handling real estate, contracts, and partnership matters. Chairez joined Baker Hostetler in 2001, and is now a partner and a member of the Litigation Group of the Costa Mesa office.
In addition, he has been a panel arbitrator for the Orange County Superior Court since 1992. He is a past president of both the Orange County Hispanic Bar Association and Celtic Bar Association. He is a member of the California Commission on Access to Justice and a member of the California State Bar, Pipeline Diversity Task Force. Chairez has continuously been named a Southern California “Super Lawyer” by Law & Politics and the publishers of Los Angeles Magazine from 2004 through 2007.
His community involvement includes his "favorite," the El Viento Foundation, a small group which provides mentoring, guidance, tutoring and extracurricular activities for fourth graders at an elementary school in Huntington Beach. The program stays with the students through high school and then gives them a scholarship to the local community college district.
Commenting on Chairez's election as President of the Orange County Bar Association, many in the legal community had high praise. "He’s a prince of a guy," said Fourth District Court of Appeals Justice William Bedsworth. Orange County Superior Court Judge Frank Miller added, "I think Joe is just going to be absolutely fantastic as president. Joe is always ready to give back to the community."
Los Angeles Daily Journal/January 19, 2007
Joseph Chairez/Baker Hostetler