- Criminal DefenseAnnounce that Mark T. Baker has joined the firm as a shareholder. He joins the firm from the U.S. Attorney's Office, where he prosecuted criminal civil rights cases and violent felonies. Mr. Baker practices in the areas of commercial litigation, general civil litigation, criminal law, and civil rights.
- Wrongful DeathAnnounce that Elizabeth K. Radosevich has become a shareholder of the firm. Libby has been with the firm since 2006 and practices in areas including healthcare and commercial litigation, and represents clients and families bringing wrongful death actions.
- FraudThe firm's lawyers have tried significant cases involving securities fraud, voting rights, partnership and business disputes, first amendment rights, and employment law. The firm's lawyers also maintain an active appellate practice.
- EmbezzlementThe Rio Grande Sun, a weekly newspaper covering northern New Mexico, is the beneficiary of a ruling from the New Mexico Court of Appeals instructing district courts to ensure that private litigants are fully compensated for attorney's fees incurred in an effort to force a government agency to comply with the requirements of the New Mexico's Inspection of Public Records Act ("IPRA"). The firm filed the appeal on behalf of the Sun after successfully obtaining a judgment in the trial court that the Jemez Mountains Pubic School District violated IPRA in refusing to provide the Sun with documents related to an employee's embezzlement of school district funds. The district court, despite ruling that the school district had violated IPRA, awarded the Rio Grande Sun less than 25% of the fees it incurred in obtaining the judgment. The Court of Appeals, in reversing that decision, emphasized that IPRA "embodies distinct public policy goals that must be considered when fees are awarded in accordance with that statutory scheme" and that "IPRA's fee requirement encourages individuals to enforce IPRA on behalf of the public." The Court held that, to further IPRA's policies, "attorney fees awarded should reflect the full amount of fees fairly and reasonably incurred by the plaintiff in securing an award under the statutory scheme. Without this incentive, prospective plaintiffs might have difficulty pursuing their claims and enforcing IPRA on behalf of the public." The Court of Appeals opinion is available from the New Mexico Compilation Commission here.
- Business DisputesThe firm enjoys an excellent reputation for the quality of its legal work. Its senior partner is listed among the "Best Lawyers in America," a listing based on a lawyer survey. The firm has been awarded Martindale-Hubbell's highest "AV" rating, also based on a lawyer survey, and is listed among the leading business law firms in the United States by Chambers USA, an independent guide to law firms in the United States.
- Employment LitigationRebekah Gallegos graduated Cum Laude, from the University of New Mexico School of Law in 2014. During law school, she served on the Editorial Board of the New Mexico Law Review and worked as a teaching assistant for Professor Max Minzner’s Civil Procedure course, as a research assistant for Professor George Bach, and as a law clerk for two local firms. Rebekah received the Clinical Honors Award for her work with the University of New Mexico School of Law Business and Tax Clinic and academic honors in property law. After graduating from law school, Rebekah clerked for the New Mexico Supreme Court, before entering private practice in 2015. Rebekah currently practices in the areas of criminal law, general civil litigation, personal injury, employment litigation, and appellate law. Rebekah assists clients with a wide range of matters including pre-litigation issues, internal investigations, litigation, and full briefing and oral arguments in New Mexico appellate courts and the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals. She has also served as an adjunct faculty member for the University of New Mexico’s Law School Lab course for first-year law students.
- Real Estate LitigationThough the firm has a general civil litigation practice, its attorneys have significant experience defending and prosecuting class actions and other complex litigation involving securities, antitrust, employment, copyright, insurance coverage and real estate matters.
- Premises LiabilityGreg Williams has over 25 years of experience in the areas of commercial litigation, general tort litigation, employment law, media law, products liability, premises liability, personal injury, auto dealership defense, and governmental entity defense. Mr. Williams has an AV rating from Martindale-Hubbell. He is a former President of the Board of Directors for the New Mexico Foundation for Open Government, a non-profit corporation dedicated to the principles of open government in New Mexico. In 2008 he received the William S. Dixon First Amendment Freedom Award for his legal work in the area of open government. Mr. Williams is also a former President of the Board of Directors of the Alumni Association of the University of New Mexico School of Law. Mr. Williams is an Albuquerque native with degrees from Princeton University (B.A. 1991) and the University of New Mexico (J.D. 1995). While at the University of New Mexico, he was the Editor-in-Chief for the New Mexico Law Review.
- Eminent Domain
- Personal InjuryMark Baker handles trials and appeals in complex cases. He is listed in The Best Lawyers in America in the categories of Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs and Commercial Litigation. He is listed in Chambers USA in the categories of Litigation: General Commercial and Litigation: White Collar & Government Investigations. And he has consistently been selected as a Southwest Super Lawyer.
- Medical MalpracticeChuck Peifer joined the firm after serving as New Mexico's Chief Assistant Attorney General, where he supervised the work of the 30 lawyers in the Attorney General's four civil law divisions and represented executive agencies and members of the judiciary in the State Supreme Court. He is listed in The Best Lawyers in America, a listing based on a lawyer survey, in the categories of commercial litigation and “bet-the-company” litigation and is listed in Chambers USA “America’s Leading Business Lawyers,” also a listing based on a lawyer survey, in the category of General Commercial Litigation. Before joining the Attorney General's Office, he practiced at Rodey, Dickason, Sloan, Akin & Robb, P.A., concentrating in the defense of medical malpractice, products liability, general tort, and employment cases as a member of the firm's tort litigation department. Chuck is an honors graduate of The Johns Hopkins University and a magna cum laude graduate of Cornell Law School. He served as a member of the Supreme Court of New Mexico's Committee on Uniform Jury Instructions for Civil Cases from 1995-2003 and chaired that Committee from 2004 - 2007. He has served as an adjunct faculty member for the University of New Mexico’s Law School Evidence and Trial Practice Program.