Joe Pekich, Esq.

My Story: In law school, I found that a surprising number of my classmates enrolled without knowing the type of law they wanted to practice.  Many of them ended up choosing a focus area based upon job opportunities or salary prospects–not conviction. That wasn’t the case with me.

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I decided to become an employment attorney at the same time I decided I wanted to go to law school. This happened right after my Uncle Frank's funeral during my freshman year at Pennsylvania State University. My Uncle Frank lived a simple life in New Jersey proudly delivering mail to his community for decades until misfortune struck. He developed a medical condition that prevented him from operating a postal vehicle or walking long distances. Despite the family encouraging him to retire, Uncle Frank insisted that he wanted to work. He asked his senior leadership if they could place him into any of the open positions that met his medical restrictions. Certainly, his leadership would agree after his decades of proud service? Afterall, Uncle Frank was the type of employee that rarely used his vacation and frequently picked up shifts for his fellow workers when they needed help. Nope. They didn’t lift a finger and gave him the runaround. His union, while well-intentioned, could not help either. We later learned that the Postal Service should have considered him for other positions that met his medical restrictions. His union should have urged him to pursue disability retirement. He should have hired an attorney to explain his legal protection. Maybe then, he could have retired with dignity and full benefits. Unfortunately, his medical condition worsened and he passed away too soon. He spent his final years arguing with insurance companies for medical coverage and living on a reduced income.

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This experience drove me to pursue a career as an employment attorney. It was a natural fit. I always had empathy for the underdog. I wanted to work for the “Davids” of the world, not the “Goliaths.” With growing income inequality, encroachments on worker rights, and troubling societal trends impacting historically marginalized groups, I felt the urgency and need for American workers to have access to good employment attorneys. As a result, I finally declared a major–Labor Employment Relations and set myself on track for law school.  

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Why does this matter? Well, I for one, believe it is important to find an attorney with a deep rooted belief in their clients’ cause and area of practice. I think that matters. It matters because I'm not just going to shut my laptop and stop thinking about my clients. Even when I’m away from the computer, my clients remain top of mind. I’m thinking about them, their cases, their families, their futures. It’s not just a job for me. I’m invested in my clients' lives.

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There are a lot of smart attorneys out there. I personally find it nearly impossible to tell which attorney ranks the smartest among their competition or which one gets the best results. To me, many law firm websites feel the same. So consider picking an attorney who is passionate about your cause, believes in your fight, and works tirelessly to achieve your objectives–not just for a paycheck, but to make a positive difference for you.

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Education: Joe earned a degree in Labor and Employment Studies from Pennsylvania State University. He built upon this foundation at law school at the Catholic University Columbus School of Law in Washington DC where he graduated magna cum laude (top 10%), received the Plato Papps Fellowship (awarded to students with a demonstrable track record of success in labor/employment law), and pursued internships in the employment arena at two union-side law firms and the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE).

Professional Career: Joe began his legal career working for a nationally recognized federal employment firm where he represented numerous federal employees before the EEOC, MSPB and OSC. To round out his professional experience in the employment arena, Joe left his former firm to work for the federal government at the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation. After that, Joe accepted a job at Amazon's headquarters in Seattle working most notably in their Corporate Employee Relations Department. In the end, Joe is back exactly where he is meant to be representing federal or disabled employees against harassing employers and a bureaucracy not working for them.  Joe's first-hand knowledge of how employers investigate, discipline and manage their workforces benefits his clients.  Joe understands how all sides of the table look at, evaluate, and react to workplace conflicts including at the settlement table. Now, Joe uses this inside knowledge to assist his clients when possible. Be assured the Pekich Law Firm will work tirelessly to achieve the best possible outcome for you.

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A non-exhaustive list of the federal agencies where prior clients worked at:

• Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
• Department of the Defense
• Department of the Navy
• Department of the Army
• Department of Agriculture
• Department of Veterans Affairs
• Department of Justice
• Department of Homeland Security
• The USPS
• Bureau of Prisons
• Bureau of Indian Affairs
• U.S. General Services Administration
• U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission
• Department of Transport
• U.S. Department of the Interior

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