- University of New Mexico School of Law
Infobox_Law School
name =University of New Mexico School of Law
established =1947
type =Public
head = Leo Romero (Interim)
city =Albuquerque
state =New Mexico
country =USA
students = 347 [ http://officialguide.lsac.org/SearchResults/SchoolPage_PDFs/ABA_LawSchoolData/ABA4845.pdf] ]
faculty=34 [ [http://lawschool.unm.edu/about/index.php UNM Law website] ] (full time)
ranking = 68 [ [http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/grad/law Law - Best Graduate Schools - Education - US News and World Report] ]
bar pass rate = 92% [ [http://officialguide.lsac.org/SearchResults/SchoolPage_PDFs/ABA_LawSchoolData/ABA4845.pdf ABA Data for first time takers in New Mexico, Winter 06 and Summer 07] ]
annual tuition = $24,467 Note: Non-resident. Non-resident Students may be eligible for resident status after 12 months of residency. [ [http://lawschool.unm.edu/admissions/residency-costs.php UNM Law web site] ]
homepage = [http://lawschool.unm.edu/ http://lawschool.unm.edu]
endowment =
parent endowment =
aba profile = [http://officialguide.lsac.org/SearchResults/SchoolPage_PDFs/ABA_LawSchoolData/ABA4845.pdf UNM School of Law Profile]The
University of New Mexico School of Law, located inAlbuquerque, New Mexico , 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. [ [http://lawschool.unm.edu/about/index.php UNM Law School ] ] Its student-to-faculty ratio of 10.0 is one of the best in the nation. [ [http://gradschools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/grad/law/items/03100 USNews: America's Best Graduate Schools 2008: Law: New Mexico ] ] It also has one of the highest student diversity indexes of any law school in the country according to a US News & World report, with Hispanic-American students making up the largest minority group. [ [http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/grad/law USNews: America's Best Graduate Schools 2008: Law ] ]The school is currently ranked 68th (considered second tier) by US News & World Report and boasts the 5th ranked Clinical Law program in the country. [ [http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/grad/law/clinical USNews ] ] UNM Law School is one of only 80 law schools nationwide to have a chapter of the prestigious
Order of the Coif .Academics
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. [http://lawschool.unm.edu/clinic/index.php] 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 [http://tlj.unm.edu/ 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 [http://lawschool.unm.edu/nrj/sitemap.php Natural Resources Journal] .
Exchange and Study Abroad Programs
Study abroad opportunities are available with special UNM exchange programs in [http://mexicanlawclasses.unm.edu/index.php Mexico] , Canada, and [http://lawschool.unm.edu/about/index.php Tasmania] . The law school also has an exchange program with the
Franklin Pierce Law Center , which allows UNM students to study patent and intellectual property law at that New Hampshire school. [http://lawschool.unm.edu/academics/exchange/pierce.php]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. [http://lawschool.unm.edu/about/index.php]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. [http://lawschool.unm.edu/admissions/index.php]
Centers and Institutes
* [http://lawschool.unm.edu/ailc/index.php 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
* [http://mexicanlawclasses.unm.edu/index.php Guanajuato Summer Law Institute:]
* [http://lawschool.unm.edu/mediation/index.php UNM Mediation Training:]
* [http://ipl.unm.edu/ UNM Institute of Public Law:] a think tank devoted to the development of informed public policy and law for the state of New Mexico.
* [http://uttoncenter.unm.edu/ The Utton Transboundary Resources Center:] a center specializing in transboundary resource disputes
* [http://lawschool.unm.edu/ailc/plsi/index.php 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
* [http://lawschool.unm.edu/nrj/sitemap.php Natural Resources Journal]
* [http://lawschool.unm.edu/nmlr/index.php New Mexico Law Review]
* [http://tlj.unm.edu/ Tribal Law Journal]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 [ http://lawschool.unm.edu/curriculum/competitions/descriptions/index.php ]Campus
In 1971, the law school moved into its current building, designed by the architect
Antoine Predock while he was working for George Wright & Associates. [ http://lawschool.unm.edu/about/history/index.php ] In 2002, the law school opened the Fred Hart wing, designed by architectEdward Mazria . [http://lawschool.unm.edu/about/history/milestones.php] [http://www.unm.edu/news/Releases/03-12-16lawmeritaward.htm]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, Chief Justice, New Mexico Supreme Court
** Charles W. Daniels, 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* Politicians and Government Officials
**Brian Colon , (Class of 2001)
** Kevin Gover, (Class of 1981), Director of theNational Museum of the American Indian [http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/21/arts/design/21smit.html?ex=1358658000&en=7aa524193328a7bc&ei=5124&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink]
**David Iglesias (attorney) , (Class of 1984)
**Kathleen Kennedy Townsend (Class of 1978)
**Gary King (politician) (Class of 1984)
**Thomas J. Mabry , Governor of New Mexico, also Chief Judge NM State Supreme Court
**Steven Schiff (Class of 1972)
**Tom Udall (Class of 1977)
**John Wertheim (Class of 1995)Notable Faculty
* Deans
** Vern Countryman
** Fred Hart
** Leo Romero
**Suellyn Scarnecchia * Current Faculty
**Norman Bay
**Louis Caldera
** Jim Ellis
**Christian G. Fritz
** Eileen Gauna
** Laura Gomez
** Nathalie Martin
** Margaret Montoya
** Rob Schwartz
**Christine Zuni Cruz * Former Faculty
** [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F0CEFD8153AF936A15754C0A965958260 Anne Bingaman]
** Suedeen G. Kelly
** Pamela Minzner
**Cruz Reynoso References
External Links
[http://lawschool.unm.edu/ University of New Mexico School of Law]
[http://lawschool.unm.edu/clinic/index.php UNM Clinical Law Programs]
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