Joseph J. Perkoski, Managing Partner

Joseph J. Perkoski, Managing Partner

Joseph J. Perkoski has devoted his 30-year legal career to representing educational institutions and public sector employers primarily in the areas of labor and employment law, as well as public board and executive leadership matters. Known for his experience in labor and employment issues, including collective bargaining, grievance arbitration, and contract interpretation, Joseph is a trusted counselor to his clients.

While an effective advocate in any adversarial proceeding, Joseph finds immense satisfaction in counseling clients to help them achieve their goals and objectives. His strengths as an attorney lie in understanding his clients’ objectives and helping them achieve their goals. As a first-generation college graduate and lawyer, Joseph’s choice to specialize in education law is rooted in his strong belief in the fundamental importance of education in the overall success of our society.

Joseph’s excellence in his field is underscored by prestigious accolades, including being recognized as a Fellow of The College of Labor & Employment Lawyers and consistently listed in Illinois Super Lawyers annually from 2008 through the present. He has also been named an Illinois Leading Lawyer in Employment, Labor, and School Law. Joseph’s contributions to his field extend beyond his legal counsel role to include his leadership role as Managing Partner of Robbins Schwartz. Through his leadership, Robbins Schwartz has become the largest and most talented education law firm in Illinois.

Awards

• Fellow, The College of the Labor & Employment Lawyers
• Illinois Super Lawyers, 2008-2024
• Illinois Leading Lawyer, Employment, Labor and School Law

Education

• J.D., The Ohio State University, The Mortiz College of Law
• M.A., The Ohio State University
• B.A. with honors, The Ohio State University

Admitted to Practice

• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
• U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
• U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin
• U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin
• Supreme Court of Illinois
• Supreme Court of Wisconsin
• Superior Court for the District of Columbia

Organizations

• American Bar Association
• Fellow, College of Labor and Employment Lawyers
• Council of School Attorneys
• Federal Bar Association
• Illinois Association of School Business Officials
• Illinois Bar Association
• National School Boards Association
• Wisconsin Bar Association

Recent Publications

• Contributing author, “Bargaining Implications of Statutory Leave Rights for Public Sector Employees,” State and Local Government Bargaining & Employment Law Committee Midwinter Meeting, American Bar Association (2024)
• Contributing author, “Labor Issues in the Transactional Side of the Project,” Construction Law: Transactional Considerations, IICLE (2017)
• Contributing author, “Labor Relations: Contract Administration Including ULPs,” Illinois School Law: Personnel and Student Issues, IICLE (2010, 2012, and 2015)
• “Finding a New Way: Subcontracting Revisited,” UPDATE Magazine, Illinois ASBO (2011)
• Contributing author, “Labor Issues in the Transactional Side of the Project,” Construction Law – Transaction Practice, IICLE (2010)

Recent Presentations

• Please Proceed in an Orderly Fashion: Responding (or not) to Executive Orders, ED-RED Member Meeting (February 2025)
• Which Hat Am I Wearing? Board Member Conundrums, IASB / IASA / IASBO Joint Annual Conference (November 2024)
• What Anti-Woke Laws Have Meant for Public Employees and Their Representatives, ABA 18th Annual Section of Labor and Employment Law Conference (November 2024)
• The Nuts and Bolts of Employee Sexual Misconduct and Grooming Investigations, Large Unit District Association January 2024 Conference (January 2024)
• Legal Update, Illinois Community College Chief Financial Officers Spring Conference (April 2022)
• Legal Update, Illinois Community College Chief Financial Officers Spring Conference (April 2021)
• Hot Legal Topics, Bargaining in a Post-Covid World, Illinois Community College Chief Financial Officers Spring Conference (April 2021)
• Will it Count? Teacher Evaluations in a Hybrid and Virtual World, Large Unit District Association Virtual Fall Conference (October 2020)