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Andrew M. Sanchez
Partner
505.259.2069
312.565.0000 Fax
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Mr. Sanchez joined Himes, Petrarca & Fester in May 2019 as a Partner. Prior to joining the Firm, he was the Managing Partner with the law firm of Cuddy & McCarthy, LLP with offices in Santa Fe and Albuquerque, New Mexico.
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Mr. Sanchez obtained a bachelor of science degree in Applied Mathematics from the University of New Mexico and obtained his law degree from the George Washington University Law School. During his years in law school, he interned for two judges.
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Prior to and while attending the University of New Mexico, Mr. Sanchez served in the United States Navy as an enlisted sailor. Following his graduation, he again served in the U.S. Navy as a Naval Officer until 1993. Mr. Sanchez is a veteran of Operation Desert Storm and other deployments with Fighter Squadron Thirty-Three (VF-33) of Carrier Air Wing One (CAW-1) assigned aboard the USS America (CV-66). After graduating from law school, Mr. Sanchez served two years as a Staff Attorney with the Office of General Counsel, Central Intelligence Agency representing the Agency in a variety of legal matters.
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He has defended public school employers against discrimination and other claims brought in federal and state court, and in administrative proceedings before the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the New Mexico Human Rights Division. Mr. Sanchez has also defended public schools in federal and state district court and in federal appeal cases on student civil rights issues. He has also previously defended and represented municipalities. In addition, Mr. Sanchez represents public school employers on labor issues, including negotiations of collective bargaining agreements, union grievances, union arbitrations and in matters before the New Mexico Public Employees Labor Relations Board and other local labor boards.
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He currently practices in the areas of school law, employment law, civil rights, insurance defense, commercial litigation, municipality defense, Indian Law, including gaming, and police training, mediation, and arbitration.
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In April 2009, Mr. Sanchez was elected to the Board of Directors for the National School Boards Association’s (NSBA) Council of School Attorneys (COSA). COSA is the national professional association of more than 3200 practicing school attorneys who represent public schools across the nation and includes the nation’s finest attorneys dedicated to the practice of school law and the representation of our indispensable public schools. Mr. Sanchez has served as the Chair of the Council of School Attorneys in 2016-2017, and also held a seat as a member of the NSBA’s Board of Directors. He is the third member of our firm to lead this esteemed organization, following in the footsteps of Anthony G. Scariano and Justino D. Petrarca. Mr. Sanchez was nationally recognized and charged by our school attorney peers to lead COSA and further the course of public education.
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Mr. Sanchez is admitted to practice in the States of New Mexico, Washington and Maryland. He is also admitted to practice before the United States District Court for the District of New Mexico; District of Colorado and the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit. Mr. Sanchez is a member of the American Bar Association, State Bar of New Mexico, Washington State Bar Association, Maryland State Bar Association, Albuquerque Bar Association, and the National Hispanic Bar Association.
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Mr. Sanchez was born and raised in Northern New Mexico and he currently resides in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
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