The Office of the Attorney General Rebrands as the "New Mexico Department of Justice"!

For the first time since the agency’s formation in 1912, the Office of the Attorney General has undergone a revolutionary transformation and rebranded as the New Mexico Department of Justice (NMSA 1978 Section 8-5-1). The rebrand signifies a commitment to inclusivity, clarity, and unity. “This evolution reflects our unwavering dedication to upholding and protecting the civil and criminal liberties of our citizens,” said AG Torrez during the unveiling. “As the Department of Justice, we stand as a beacon of integrity, ensuring that justice prevails for all, exemplifying our tireless efforts to build a safer, fairer, and more just society for every individual within our great state.”   

New Legal Well-Being in Action Episode: Affordable Well-Being

During this episode, the State Bar of New Mexico's Professional Development Program Director, Bill Slease, speaks with attorney and accredited financial consultant Hannah Bell about the challenges lawyers face when equating happiness with the accumulation of money and related concepts, as well as how making informed choices about how much money you earn and spend can give you greater satisfaction and improve your well-being.

Changes Coming to the Bar Bulletin in 2024!

Some exciting changes are coming to the Bar Bulletin distribution in 2024! The Bar Bulletin will continue to publish on the second and fourth Wednesday of each month. The first issue of each month will continue to be distributed as both a printed and digital version to Bar Bulletin subscribers who are currently receiving a printed copy. The second issue of each month will be exclusively digital and will be emailed to Bar Bulletin subscribers. The digital version of all issues of the Bar Bulletin will continue to be posted on the State Bar of New Mexico website

at https://www.sbnm.org/News-Publications/Bar-Bulletin/Current-Issue.

Equity in Justice -

Education & Training

The Equity in Justice Program offers long or short-term educational planning for your firm and offers CLE credit for many sessions. The Equity in Justice Program can also run book groups and learning groups that are exclusive to your organization and facilitate dialogue that leads to deeper learning and stronger relationships.

Training can and should be customized to your needs. We do not take a one-size-fits all approach.

The Equity in Justice Program's educational sessions include:

• Foundational Concepts and Best Practices in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
• Microaggressions in the Workplace
• The State of Women in the Profession
• Best Practices to Interrupt Implicit Bias
• Antiracism 101: Going Beyond Implicit Bias
• What is Intersectionality and why does it matter?
• Building Critical Consciousness: How Self-Knowledge Strengthens Relationships and Work

Click the button below to find more information regarding these educational and training opportunities.

Please Help Support Civil Legal Services in New Mexico!

State Bar Members - Donating to the New Mexico State Bar Foundation while submitting your license renewal is as easy as 1-2-3! Click on the graphic above for instructions on how to donate while renewing your license. Donations for the New Mexico State Bar Foundation are gratefully accepted year-round at www.sbnm.org/Bar-Foundation/Donations.

The Digital 2024-2025 Resource Deskbook is Coming Soon!

The Resource Deskbook has gone digital! Check your inbox on March 1 for the comprehensive guide for State Bar of New Mexico resources for our members, New Mexico

State and Federal Court contact information, License Renewal information, and much more! Advertising space is still available, please contact Marcia Ulibarri at marcia.ulibarri@sbnm.org or 505-797-6058 for more information. If you have any other inquiries or suggestions regarding the Resouce Deskbook, please email celeste.valencia@sbnm.org.

Professional Development Program

The Professional Development Program offers law practice management services and resources to State Bar members. This includes continuing education courses, “how-to” manuals and workshops, confidential practice consultations, a confidential ethics advisory helpline and information, sample forms, checklists and assessments on best practices for lawyers. For more information please visit the Professional Development Program tab on the State Bar’s website, or call the Program at 505-797-6079.

Equity in Justice Program

Get your Equity in Justice CLE Credit!

The new requirement for one hour of Equity in Justice CLE is effective Jan. 1, 2024. Throughout the year, we will be offering monthly one-hour virtual CLEs that meet this requirement for $49 a session.

The first CLE, "Transgender Cultural Fluency," with Adrien Lawyer, will take place on Jan. 31 from noon to 1 p.m. (MT).

The second CLE, "Key Frameworks and Foundations in Equity in Justice Work," with Dr. Amanda Parker, PhD, Senior Attorney Erika Pirotte and Assistant Appellate Defender Mallory Harwood is scheduled for Feb. 28 from noon to 1 p.m. (MT).

More sessions will follow on a variety of topics, including gender equity, digital accessibility, working with clients experiencing poverty and intersectionality 101. Join us to make local connections!

Please reach out to Amanda.Parker@sbnm.org with questions.

Join conversations facilitated by Dr. Amanda Parker, Equity in Justice Director of the State Bar of New Mexico, and Torri Jacobus, Statewide Equity, Inclusion, and Justice Director for the Administrative Office of the Courts for the next Equity in Justice Book Club pick, "Lies My Teacher Told Me," by James Loewen. The discussions will take place on Jan. 9, 2024, Jan. 23, 2024, Feb. 6, 2024 and Feb. 20, 2024. Each session will go from noon to 1:30 p.m. (MT).

The New Mexico Lawyer Assistance Program

New EAP Webinar: Claiming Our Joy in the Face of Collective Trauma

The Employee Assistance Program will be hosting a new webinar on Jan. 29, "Claiming Our Joy in the Face of Collective Trauma." The webinar will cover how society can be collectively traumatized by a singular event that can impact mental health for many individuals. The webinar will go from 1 to 2 p.m. (MT) and is currently open for registration, which is available by clicking the button below.

How to Make the Most of the Fresh Start of a New Year!

"Each morning, we are born again. What we do today is what matters most." - Buddha

Judicial Wellness Program (NMJWP)

Read a Book

I can hear some of the objections to this. I read dense material, case law, depos all day long and now you are suggesting that I read a book! Although you may not think of reading as a leisure activity since it is part of your everyday job, remember that being a reader may be part of the journey that brought you to this profession. Reading a novel about a family in another country, a spy novel from the cold war era, or even a murder mystery/whodunnit can take us away into another world. We can leave our problems and stressors behind and get into someone else’s story, be transported to a different place. What is the last good book you read that made you relax and lose yourself for just a moment?

Try it and let us know how it worked, or what good books you have found. Reach out with any comments to Sandra.engel@sbnm.org.