The UNM Law Library is happy to assist attorneys, both in person and online

The Law Library is open to attorneys 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. (MT) Monday through Thursday and 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. (MT) on Fridays. We are happy to assist attorneys during those hours via chat, email, or in person by appointment. Walk-ins are also welcome during opening hours to use print materials. 

Access Our Legal Research Collection

Attorneys can access our print collection during opening hours. Bring your laptop or tablet with you to access a wide selection of online research resources. The Law Library will also email journal articles and other documents to you from our print and digital collections upon request. Members of the New Mexico Bar and Tribal Bars who visit the Library in person can borrow circulating materials at no charge with their bar card. The Library will also borrow materials from other libraries for members of the New Mexico or Tribal Bars. No fee is charged for this service by the Law Library, but any charges assessed by the lending library will be passed along to the attorney. 

Contact Us for Research Assistance

Please feel free to contact us before you visit, as we may be able to assist you online and save you a trip. Visit our website at https://lawlibrary.unm.edu where you can access our Librarian Chat for quick questions and the Public Request Portal for questions that are more complex.

We also recommend that visitors who seek in-depth assistance schedule a research consultation to ensure your needs are addressed during your visit. You can make your appointment from home via our website.

For more information, see the Library Guest Support tab on the website or call us at 505-277-0935.

Library Address and Hours

The Law Library is located at the UNM School of Law at 1117 Stanford Dr. NE in Albuquerque and is staffed Monday-Thursday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Friday 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Reference Assistance is available Monday-Friday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. For more information, please see https://lawlibrary.unm.edu.

The School of Law welcomes Professor Warigia Bowman

The School of Law and its Natural Resources and Environmental Law (NREL) Program is thrilled to welcome Professor Warigia Bowman. Professor Bowman is a nationally known expert in water, natural resources, energy, public policy, and regulatory issues. She joins UNM from the University of Tulsa College of Law. Her recent scholarship has focused on the impacts of Covid-19 and coal on the Navajo Nation, reforming the doctrinal concept of safe yield in western water law, and consumer willingness to pay for a resilient electrical grid, among other issues.

Professor Bowman also has deep roots in the state. She is a third generation New Mexican, and her entire k-12 education was in New Mexico public schools. 

“I am thrilled to return to my home state of New Mexico,” said Professor Bowman “UNMSOL is embedded in a Research 1 University with the critical mission of educating the next generation of attorneys for this beautiful and culturally rich state. New Mexico faces a variety of environmental challenges including the need to carefully steward the state's waters in an era of climate change. I look forward to helping craft appropriate solutions for New Mexico’s delicate and varied ecosystems.” 

“We are so fortunate to have Professor Bowman join UNM School of Law,” said NREL Program Director Gabe Pacyniak. “Our students and community will benefit tremendously from having Warigia’s breadth of expertise—which includes water law, natural resources, and energy—not to mention her personal connections and knowledge of New Mexico.”  

Professor Bowman earned her doctorate from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University where she was the Hauser Fellow for Nonprofit Management. She received a Juris Doctorate with honors from the University of Texas at Austin School of Law and an undergraduate degree in history from Columbia College of Columbia University, where she was the Harry S. Truman Scholar for Public Service. After law school, she served as an Honors Trial Attorney at the U.S. Department of Justice in the Environment and Natural Resources Division. 

2024 School of Law Art Gallery Reception

On July 17, 2024 the School of Law celebrated artists who contributed creative displays to the art gallery in the School’s Forum including several pieces from alumni and students. The School of Law would like to extend a thank you to the following artists for their contribution to the Art Gallery: Tony Anderson, Robin Bates, M. Tyanne Benallie, Norman Gagne, Allison Hunt, Tatyana (Tatulli) Komogorova, Hua Li, Pi Luna, Dan Noyes, Graham Rickerman, Don Vigil, and Alicia Ulibarri.

Class of 1974 celebrates 50th reunion

The class of 1974 celebrated its 50th reunion on August 7, 2024. Sixty-one students graduated in 1974. The reunion was organized by alumni Norm Gagne, Tom Keleher, Jackie Robins, Nick Gentry, Judge Michael Bustamante, and Kent Winchester.

“Nearly thirty members of the class of 1974 gathered on the back lawn of our Alma Mater on August 7th for our 50th reunion. Joined by guests, spouses, significant others, and former faculty members and subsequent deans, Ted Parnall and Leo Romero, we reminisced about our law school days, and chatted about our careers, retirements, children, and grandchildren,” said Gagne. “Dean Carey congratulated us on our landmark reunion, thanked us for our contributions, and spoke eloquently about the importance of the law school community. It was a fine time of good cheer and fellowship for a class which arrived during the Vietnam War and practiced law for a long time after.”

The class of 1974 hopes to host its next reunion within the next five years.

Don G. McCormick Prize winner

Congratulations Rudy Beetley (2L), this years winner of the Don G. McCormick Writing Prize. This annual award is given to an Elements of Legal Argumentation (ELA) II student whose paper best demonstrates excellence in legal writing. To select candidates, ELA II faculty will nominate the best brief from their respective classes for consideration. These briefs are then judged by a respected member of the legal community who determines which brief best represents excellence in everyday legal writing practices. This year’s judge was Santa Fe City Attorney Erin K. McSherry (’10).

The Don G. McCormick Writing Prize was created in honor of Don McCormick, a New Mexico attorney who spent his career working to improve the practice of law. Mr. McCormick practiced law in New Mexico from 1933—after obtaining his LLB from the University of Oklahoma—until his death in 1986. Mr. McCormick was instrumental in drafting the New Mexico Uniform Jury instructions – Civil, served on the Board of Governors of the American Bar Association, was elected a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, and was a member of the Association of Trial Lawyers of America over the course of his career.

Don McCormick’s daughter, Margo McCormick, described the purpose of the writing prize, “Mr. McCormick believed that lawyers have a duty to communicate effectively, with precision and honesty, and that an attorney’s character, as well as his or her ability and intellect, is on display in every written communication the attorney produces.” Honoring Mr. McCormick’s strong belief in clear and effective legal communication, this prize was established “to recognize that student whose writing best exemplifies the qualities of clarity, conciseness, ethical advocacy, and rigorous adherence to proper legal citation.”

Rudy Beetley was honored to be chosen as this year’s winner. Rudy explained, “As a first-year law student, I learned that it’s best to approach complex legal problems one discreet issue at a time. I also learned that it’s important to keep the reader’s perspective in mind when explaining those issues. Good legal writing can be complex without being confusing. I’m honored that my brief was selected to receive the McCormick Writing Prize, and I look forward to writing more.” 

Associate Dean Homer, Director of the Legal Analysis & Communication Program at the School of Law, was not surprised by Rudy’s selection as the award recipient, and stated, “Rudy was one of several outstanding students who were nominated for the McCormick Prize this year, and his selection for the prize was unsurprising given the excellence of his work through the year.”

The Madrid Summer Law Institute celebrates its 11th anniversary

The School of Law's Madrid Summer Law Institute has spent the last eleven years providing the unique opportunity to students to earn law school credits while being immersed in foreign legal, social, political, and cultural concepts. Lauded for its cultural impact, as well as its affordability, the program has continued to provide high-quality legal instruction while simultaneously facilitating students’ exposure to new cultures and experiences. Trey Mitchell, a student at University of New Mexico School of Law, called the Madrid Summer Law Institute the “[b]est experience post 1L year,” calling it an “incredible cultural experience balanced with education. This program brings a unique sense of camaraderie among students inside and out of the classroom setting.”  

Courses in Madrid are completed over one month instead of three, an aspect of the program that Ali Acosta, a student at Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University, appreciated because “[i]t allows those with other obligations to get a chance to study abroad without such a long commitment.” Beyond the abbreviated semester, students of the program have only morning classes on their schedules, leaving them free to experience the vibrant city during afternoons and evenings. The accessible location of the school also allows students to use their weekends to travel to myriad locations around Europe and North Africa while still being back in time for class the next Monday.

Discovering new places and experiences is not limited to students’ time outside of the classroom, however. The Madrid Summer Law Institute also works outings into its curriculum so students can learn about legal concepts while experiencing the history surrounding the development of those concepts. This year, students explored the historic headquarters of the Government Delegation, housed in the Palace of the Marquises of Borghetto, while learning a comprehensive overview of the organizational structure of the Spanish territorial administration.  

The experience of studying abroad in the Madrid Program has been celebrated by UNM students and faculty as a once-in-a-lifetime experience not available through classes at their home schools. Mary Pareja, last year's Director of the Madrid Summer Law Institute, described the Program as “a real gem for UNMSOL” while praising the program’s eleven years of opening doors for students to grow and explore beyond the traditional boundaries of law schools. “Students regularly tell us things like the program was life changing for them. Alums of the program regularly share with us what a wonderful experience they had and what great memories they made.The program works because of the dedication of our wonderful faculty and the close relationship we have with the Spanish law faculty.”

The Law School is thrilled to celebrate eleven years of the Madrid Summer Law Institute successfully broadening horizons and exposing students to new and different ways of approaching their chosen field. Elizabeth Camara, a North Carolina Central University was grateful for the program “spark[ing] an interest in immigration law” after “taking the migrant class . . . [that] . . . helped me understand cross border policies.” Lateef Manigault, another North Carolina Central University student, described the program as “a great experience” because “not only did I learn new aspects of the law, but I was immersed in a new culture as well.” With participants consistently reporting a deeper appreciation of how law and policy decisions vary in different countries after participating in the study abroad program, the School of Law is beyond fortunate to have such a wonderful experience to offer students on the path to a J.D.

2024 Othmer Award and APIL Fellowship recipients

The Association for Public Interest Law (APIL) celebrates the recipient of the 2024 Othmer Award, as well as the recipients of four summer fellowships which were funded by generous contributions from Singleton Schreiber, LLP and Brian Colón (’01), Managing Partner-NM, Equal Access to Justice, Inc., Feliz Rael (’01), and other anonymous donors.

This years recipients are Matthew Mallary, Marco Alarid White, Alicia Ulibarri, Audriana Martinez, and C.K. Ellwood.

Read the full story here.

UNM Law alumna recognized at ’24 Amicus Honors

After more than four decades in the courtroom, Randi McGinn, a University of New Mexico School of Law alumna (’80), was awarded the New Mexico Trial Lawyers Distinguished Lawyer Award at the Amicus Honors Gala.

McGinn has worked on some of the region’s most significant cases with resounding success. Of the 137 cases she has tried, she has only lost seven times. She served as a special prosecutor in the criminal prosecution of two Albuquerque Police officers for their role in the shooting of James Boyd, a homeless man killed by police while camping. She and fellow attorney Mike Sievers won the largest verdict against a semi-trailer manufacturer for its decision not to add side underride guards on its trailers, which would have prevented the death of a teenager. 

Last year, McGinn received the California Trial Lawyer of the Year award after helping the family of Esther Nakajjigo, a Ugandan human rights activist, obtain the largest federal wrongful death verdict in Utah history after Nakajjigo was decapitated by a gate at Arches National Park.

“My greatest career achievement so far has been convincing some of the companies, hospitals and corporations we have sued to not only compensate our clients fully, but to make changes in their practices, procedures or products so that no one else in our community is injured or killed by their negligence or misconduct,” McGinn said.

McGinn is currently part of the legal representation for the family of Halyna Hutchins, the cinematographer shot by Alec Baldwin while making the film “Rust.”

She was honored to hear kind words from friends, colleagues and former clients at the recent Gala, but said her career of “representing David (or his spouse) against Goliath” is what has offered her true joy and fulfillment.

So, what does it take to have a 95%-win rate at trial? Success in the court room all comes down to storytelling for McGinn. Before attending law school, she studied journalism and worked as a reporter. Her ability to build a narrative through facts was central in her decision to become a trial lawyer.

“The most important element in my success is my ability to tell a good story,” McGinn said. “The person who tells the best story in the courtroom wins the case. That means a good lawyer must become a student of storytelling.”

As one of few female trial lawyers at the start of her career, McGinn paved her own way and developed her own style in the courtroom that helped her relate to jurors and clients. Her strategy and hard work have been reflected through numerous accolades including designation on the Best Lawyers in America list, Albuquerque Magazine’s Top 10 Lawyers, Albuquerque Bar Association’s 2017 Lawyer of the Year, UNM’s Distinguished Alumni Award and more. She shared some of her career insights and trial tips in her 2014 book, “Changing Lives, Saving Lives: How to Take on Corporate Giants and Win.”

In her many years in the legal field, McGinn has built upon groundwork laid during her time at UNM.

“UNM Law School provided the foundation for all the good I was ever able to do in the law. My incredible professors not only taught me to think like a lawyer but instructed me on the practical skills I would need in the courtroom – storytelling, cross-examination and how to pick a fair jury.”