University of New Mexico School of Law
Encyclopedia
The University of New Mexico School of Law is the law school
of the University of New Mexico
, located in Albuquerque
. It is the only law school in the state
of New Mexico
. Approximately 350 students attend the school, with approximately 115 enrolled in the first-year class. By design, the school has remained this size in order to provide students more hands-on learning and individual attention from professors. Its student-to-faculty ratio of 10.0 is one of the best in the nation. It also has one of the highest student diversity indexes of any law school in the country, with Hispanic
s as the largest minority group.
The school is currently ranked 67th by US News & World Report and boasts the 6th ranked Clinical Law program in the country. UNM Law School is one of only 80 law schools nationwide to have a chapter of the prestigious Order of the Coif
.
The in-house Clinical Law Program has been consistently recognized as among the country’s best. Participation in the clinic is required of all students. The Indian Law Program includes a specialized program of study leading to a certificate in Indian Law, the Southwest Indian Law Clinic, and the faculty-edited Tribal Law Journal.
The Natural Resources and Environmental Law Program includes a specialized program of study leading to a certificate in the field and the faculty-edited Natural Resources Journal.
The School of Law has an unusual relationship with the state government. Under the terms of the Constitution, the Dean of the School of Law has the responsibility of chairing the state's judicial selection process. The Dean also has the statutory responsibility of chairing the state's Judicial Compensation Commission and serving on numerous other boards, committees and commisions. Moreover, the School of Law has the primary responsibility for all judicial education within the state.
, which allows UNM students to study patent and intellectual property law at that New Hampshire
school.
Students may seek other dual programs with permission of the relevant graduate or professional school at the University of New Mexico and the law school.
A five-member Admissions Committee reviews all applications and makes final decisions on acceptance for admission into the next fall’s entering class. The Committee is three full-time faculty members, the Assistant Dean for Admissions, and one third-year law student elected by the student body.
The Committee begins reviewing files near the end of the Fall semester; however, in many instances, a final decision is not made until late April. The Admissions Committee considers quantifiable factors (LSAT and grade point average) and non-quantifiable factors (letters of recommendation, personal statement, and extracurricular activities) in making decisions. A substantial preference is given to New Mexico residents. The Committee also recognizes that special pre-law programs for minority and disadvantaged applicants provide valuable information about an applicant’s ability to succeed in law school, and participation in such programs is taken into account.
Applicants will receive email notification when their applications have been received and again when they are complete and ready for review. Applicants will receive decision letters by mail.
while he was working for George Wright & Associates.
In 2002, the law school opened the Fred Hart wing, designed by architect Edward Mazria
.
The New Mexico Court of Appeals is located on campus, next door to the School of Law. The Court of Appeals and the School of Law have a symbiotic relationship with the judges using the law school's library and the students using the Court of Appeal's formal courtroom. Indeed, the Court of Appeals was designed for this use, with classrooms for law students adjacent to the formal courtroom.
Law school
A law school is an institution specializing in legal education.- Law degrees :- Canada :...
of the University of New Mexico
University of New Mexico
The University of New Mexico at Albuquerque is a public research university located in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in the United States. It is the state's flagship research institution...
, located in Albuquerque
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Albuquerque is the largest city in the state of New Mexico, United States. It is the county seat of Bernalillo County and is situated in the central part of the state, straddling the Rio Grande. The city population was 545,852 as of the 2010 Census and ranks as the 32nd-largest city in the U.S. As...
. It is the only law school in the state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
. Approximately 350 students attend the school, with approximately 115 enrolled in the first-year class. By design, the school has remained this size in order to provide students more hands-on learning and individual attention from professors. Its student-to-faculty ratio of 10.0 is one of the best in the nation. It also has one of the highest student diversity indexes of any law school in the country, with Hispanic
Hispanic
Hispanic is a term that originally denoted a relationship to Hispania, which is to say the Iberian Peninsula: Andorra, Gibraltar, Portugal and Spain. During the Modern Era, Hispanic sometimes takes on a more limited meaning, particularly in the United States, where the term means a person of ...
s as the largest minority group.
The school is currently ranked 67th by US News & World Report and boasts the 6th ranked Clinical Law program in the country. UNM Law School is one of only 80 law schools nationwide to have a chapter of the prestigious Order of the Coif
Order of the Coif
The Order of the Coif is an honor society for United States law school graduates. A student at an American law school who earns a Juris Doctor degree and graduates in the top 10 percent of his or her class is eligible for membership if the student's law school has a chapter of the...
.
Notable Programs
Highly regarded educational programs at the law school include clinical education, Indian law, and natural resources and environmental law.The in-house Clinical Law Program has been consistently recognized as among the country’s best. Participation in the clinic is required of all students. The Indian Law Program includes a specialized program of study leading to a certificate in Indian Law, the Southwest Indian Law Clinic, and the faculty-edited Tribal Law Journal.
The Natural Resources and Environmental Law Program includes a specialized program of study leading to a certificate in the field and the faculty-edited Natural Resources Journal.
The School of Law has an unusual relationship with the state government. Under the terms of the Constitution, the Dean of the School of Law has the responsibility of chairing the state's judicial selection process. The Dean also has the statutory responsibility of chairing the state's Judicial Compensation Commission and serving on numerous other boards, committees and commisions. Moreover, the School of Law has the primary responsibility for all judicial education within the state.
Exchange and Study Abroad Programs
Study abroad opportunities are available with special UNM exchange programs in Mexico, Canada, and Tasmania. The law school also has an exchange program with the Franklin Pierce Law CenterFranklin Pierce Law Center
The University of New Hampshire School of Law, formerly the Franklin Pierce Law Center, is an American Bar Association-accredited law school located in Concord, New Hampshire. It is the only law school in the state. It was founded in 1973 by Robert H...
, which allows UNM students to study patent and intellectual property law at that New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
school.
Joint Degrees
The school offers the following joint degrees:- J.D./Master of Public Administration,
- J.D./M.B.A.,
- J.D./M.A. in Latin American Studies, and
- J.D./M.A. in Water Resources.
Students may seek other dual programs with permission of the relevant graduate or professional school at the University of New Mexico and the law school.
Admissions
The School of Law describes its admissions process as follows:A five-member Admissions Committee reviews all applications and makes final decisions on acceptance for admission into the next fall’s entering class. The Committee is three full-time faculty members, the Assistant Dean for Admissions, and one third-year law student elected by the student body.
The Committee begins reviewing files near the end of the Fall semester; however, in many instances, a final decision is not made until late April. The Admissions Committee considers quantifiable factors (LSAT and grade point average) and non-quantifiable factors (letters of recommendation, personal statement, and extracurricular activities) in making decisions. A substantial preference is given to New Mexico residents. The Committee also recognizes that special pre-law programs for minority and disadvantaged applicants provide valuable information about an applicant’s ability to succeed in law school, and participation in such programs is taken into account.
Applicants will receive email notification when their applications have been received and again when they are complete and ready for review. Applicants will receive decision letters by mail.
Centers and Institutes
- American Indian Law Center, Inc.: an independent center based at the law school that is the oldest existing Indian-controlled and operated legal and public policy organization in the country
- Guanajuato Summer Law Institute:
- UNM Mediation Training:
- UNM Institute of Public Law: a think tank devoted to the development of informed public policy and law for the state of New Mexico.
- The Utton Transboundary Resources Center: a center specializing in transboundary resource disputes
- Pre-law Summer Institute: an intensive two-month program run by the AILC at the law school, which prepares American Indian and Alaska Native individuals for the rigors of law school by essentially replicating the first semester of law school.
Publications
Competitions and Moot Courts
Students may participate in the following competitions and moot courts at the law school:- ABA Negotiation Competition
- American Intellectual Property Moot Court Competition
- Animal Law Moot Court Competition
- Environmental Moot Court Competition
- Health Law Moot Court Competition
- Hispanic National Bar Association Moot Court Competition
- Jessup International Moot Court Competition
- National Mock Trial Competition
- National Moot Court Competition
- National Native American Moot Court Competition
Campus
In 1971, the law school moved into its current building, designed by the architect Antoine PredockAntoine Predock
Antoine Predock is an American architect based in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Antoine Predock is the Principal of Antoine Predock Architect PC. The studio was established in 1967...
while he was working for George Wright & Associates.
In 2002, the law school opened the Fred Hart wing, designed by architect Edward Mazria
Edward Mazria
Edward Mazria is an architect, author and educator. After receiving his Bachelors of Architecture Degree from Pratt Institute in 1963 he spent two years as an architect in the Peace Corps in Arequipa, Perú...
.
The New Mexico Court of Appeals is located on campus, next door to the School of Law. The Court of Appeals and the School of Law have a symbiotic relationship with the judges using the law school's library and the students using the Court of Appeal's formal courtroom. Indeed, the Court of Appeals was designed for this use, with classrooms for law students adjacent to the formal courtroom.
Notable alumni
- Judges
- M. Christina Armijo (Class of 1975), Judge, USDC-NM 2001–present
- Robert C. Brack (Class of 1978), Judge, USDC-NM 2003–present
- Juan Guerrero Burciaga (Class of 1963), Judge, USDC-NM 1979-1995, Chief Judge 1989-94
- Santiago E. Campos (Class of 1953), Judge, USDC-NM 1978-2001, Chief Judge 1987-89
- Edward L. Chavez, Justice, New Mexico Supreme Court
- Charles W. Daniels, Chief Justice, New Mexico Supreme Court (also former faculty member)
- Curtis LeRoy Hansen (Class of 1961), Judge, USDC-NM 1992–present
- Petra Jimenez Maes, Justice, New Mexico Supreme Court
- Celia Foy Castillo, Chief Judge, New Mexico Court of Appeals
- Politicians and Government Officials
- Paul BloomPaul Bloom (lawyer)Paul Laurence Bloom was an American lawyer working as a special counsel for the United States Department of Energy during the Carter Administration who recovered $6 billion in refunds from dozens of oil producers in the United States who had overcharged as much as $11 billion for their products...
(1939–2009), lawyer who recovered $6 billion for the United States Department of EnergyUnited States Department of EnergyThe United States Department of Energy is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government concerned with the United States' policies regarding energy and safety in handling nuclear material...
. - Brian ColonBrian ColonBrian S. Colón is the former Chairman of the Democratic Party of New Mexico and a candidate for Lieutenant Governor of New Mexico. He also chairs Board of Directors and serves with the Board of Trustees for the .- School and Early Life :...
, (Class of 2001) - Hector BalderasHector BalderasHector H. Balderas Jr. is an American attorney and politician who is currently serving as the New Mexico State Auditor . Balderas became the youngest statewide Hispanic elected official in the nation in 2006 when he won his first race for State Auditor at the age of 33...
, New Mexico State Auditor and former State Representative. (Class of 2001) - Kevin Gover, (Class of 1981), Director of the National Museum of the American IndianNational Museum of the American IndianThe National Museum of the American Indian is a museum operated under the auspices of the Smithsonian Institution that is dedicated to the life, languages, literature, history, and arts of the native Americans of the Western Hemisphere...
- David Iglesias (attorney)David Iglesias (attorney)David Claudio Iglesias is an American attorney from Albuquerque, New Mexico.He was appointed by President George W. Bush as the United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico in August 2001 and confirmed by the U.S. Senate in October 2001. He served for 6 years. He was one of eight U.S...
, (Class of 1984) - Kathleen Kennedy TownsendKathleen Kennedy TownsendKathleen Hartington Kennedy Townsend , is an American attorney who was the Lieutenant Governor of Maryland from 1995 to 2003. She ran unsuccessfully for Governor of Maryland in 2002. In 2010 she became the chair of the non-profit American Bridge, an organization that will raise funds for Democratic...
(Class of 1978) - Gary King (politician)Gary King (politician)Gary King is the Attorney General of New Mexico, first elected in 2006. His current term will end January 2011. His father, Bruce King, was a three-time Governor of New Mexico. His mother, Alice King, was a three-time First Lady of New Mexico.King attended New Mexico State University and obtained...
(Class of 1984) - Thomas J. MabryThomas J. MabryThomas Jewett Mabry was a New Mexico politician and judge, who was Chief Justice of the New Mexico Supreme Court and the 14th Governor of New Mexico ....
, Governor of New Mexico, also Chief Judge NM State Supreme Court - Steven SchiffSteven SchiffSteven Harvey Schiff was an American politician. He served as a member of the United States House of Representatives, representing the first district of New Mexico from 1989 until his death in 1998. Schiff was a Republican.Schiff was born in Chicago, Illinois. He received a B.A...
(Class of 1972) - Tom UdallTom UdallThomas Stewart "Tom" Udall is the junior United States Senator from New Mexico and a member of the Democratic Party. He had represented as a member of the United States House of Representatives since 1999. Udall was elected as the junior United States senator from New Mexico on November 4, 2008,...
(Class of 1977) - John WertheimJohn WertheimJohn V. Wertheim is an American lawyer and politician who served as Chairman of the Democratic Party of New Mexico from 2004 until 2007. During that time, he also served on the Executive Committee of the Democratic National Committee...
(Class of 1995)
- Paul Bloom
Notable faculty
- Deans
- Vern Countryman
- Fred Hart
- Leo Romero
- Suellyn ScarnecchiaSuellyn ScarnecchiaSuellyn Scarnecchia is the general counsel and a vice president at the University of Michigan. From 2003-2008 she was the dean of the University of New Mexico School of Law, the first woman to fill that position.-Education and Practice:...
- Kevin K. WashburnKevin K. WashburnKevin K. Washburn was the dean of the University of New Mexico School of Law on March 3, 2009. Previously, he served as the Rosenstiel Distinguished Professor of Law at the University of Arizona's James E. Rogers College of Law. He is a former federal prosecutor, a trial attorney at the U.S...
- Current Faculty
- Norman BayNorman BayNorman C. Bay is a former United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico. Bay was the first Chinese-American United States Attorney....
- Louis CalderaLouis CalderaLouis Caldera was Director of the White House Military Office from January 20, 2009, until May 22, 2009, and served as the 17th United States Secretary of the Army from July 2, 1998, until January 20, 2001.-Family and education:...
- Camille Carey
- Jim Ellis
- Christian G. FritzChristian G. FritzChristian G. Fritz is a legal historian and a law professor at the University of New Mexico School of Law He writes on U.S. constitutional history, and his 2007 book American Sovereigns: the People and America’s Constitutional Tradition Before the Civil War, published by Cambridge University...
- Eileen Gauna
- Laura Gomez
- Nathalie Martin
- Margaret Montoya
- Rob Schwartz
- Christine Zuni Cruz
- Norman Bay
- Former Faculty
- Anne Bingaman
- Suedeen G. Kelly
- Pamela Minzner
- Cruz ReynosoCruz ReynosoCruz Reynoso is a civil rights lawyer, professor emeritus of law, and the first Chicano Associate Justice of the California Supreme Court . He also served on the California Third District Court of Appeal...