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Eric J. Sanchez *
Chief Operating Officer
Chief Operating Officer
Eric Sanchez is the Chief Operating Officer, and he is the longest serving staff member at the Law Offices of James Scott Farrin, having served the firm and its clients for more than 10 years. In that time, Eric has seen the firm grow from six employees to more than 125 and from a few hundred clients to thousands. As the head of operations, Eric is always mindful of the reasons the firm was created — to provide excellent legal representation coupled with superior client service. He has served as the architect for many of the firm's internal systems which enable the firm to effectively administer cases ranging from personal injury cases to intellectual property and mass/class actions cases involving tens of thousands of clients.
Client Service
His most meaningful client interaction occurred shortly after the firm took a leading role in one of the largest civil rights cases in United States History: In re Black Farmers Discrimination Litigation, Case No. 08-mc-0511 (PLF) (D.D.C.). The case deals with the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) discrimination against African-American farmers from across the United States. Eric has had the privilege of traveling across the deep South and met many of the firm's clients. At one meeting in Birmingham, Alabama, Eric met four men, all of whom had similar stories about being denied benefits from the USDA simply because of their color. One of the men was 103 years old.
"That's when it hit me — I was face to face with a man who had seen a century's worth of racism," Eric said. "He'd been through it and he witnessed his son, grandson and great-grandson go through the same thing. I have never forgotten that moment. Even if those clients don't recover anything on their individual claims, I know our firm is a part of righting a great and historic injustice."
Community Service
One of the best parts of the firm's culture is the desire to give back to the community. Perhaps the most special is that of Duke Children's Hospital. At six-weeks old, Eric's daughter was diagnosed with a heart defect which required open heart surgery. The successful surgery was performed at Duke Children's Hospital. James Scott Farrin's continued support is one small way the firm gives back to this important part of the community. Eric also serves on the USO of NC Raleigh-Durham Airport Center Council. The USO of North Carolina is a private, nonprofit organization with the mission to serve and support America's military and their families.
Military Service
One of the accomplishments of which Eric is most proud is his service as a non-commissioned officer in the United States Marine Corps. In addition to training in infantry tactics, and hand-to-hand combat training, Eric also earned an Expert Marksmanship Badge which is the highest level of marksmanship awarded by the U.S. Marine Corps. After graduating from multiple military electronics schools, Eric served as an aviation electrician, which necessitated his holding a classified clearance. Eric received his Honorable Discharge after serving a total of eight years of both active and reserve service.
Education and Professional Memberships
Eric received his Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice Administration from the California State University — East Bay and has done graduate work in psychology and theology both in the United States and Canada. Eric is a member of American Association for Justice, North Carolina Advocates for Justice, Association of Legal Administrators, Raleigh Durham Chapter of the Association of Legal Administrators, Marine Corps Association, and is a formerly licensed adjuster.
Personal
In addition to spending time with his family, Eric is an avid fitness enthusiast and enjoys running and weightlifting.
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