Albuquerque, New Mexico
UNM Law Today
Students Get Real with Supreme Court Case
Students enrolled in the Indian Law Appellate Advocacy seminar during the spring semester learned more than textbook law; they gained real-life experience as they followed a significant Indian Law case, Plains Commerce Bank v. Long Family Land & Cattle Company.
After reviewing in detail and discussing all of the briefs filed in the case and preparing reply briefs on the same schedule as ordered by the U.S. Supreme Court, they traveled to the University of Colorado for a moot argument that helped prepare David Frederick, the Long family attorney, for his oral argument before the high court in April. More on Supreme Court
Advocacy Tournament Tests 1L Skills
Maggie Murray, left in photo, edged out Desiree Gurule to take top honors in the 13th Annual New Mexico Court of Appeals Oral Advocacy Tournament. A total of 32 first-year law students competed in the end-of-year tournament.
Each student composed a brief for a case that involved the application of the Americans with Disabilities Act to tribal businesses and the appropriate remedies for retaliation under the act. Next they argued the case once before a panel of three judges; students could then choose to move on to the tournament, which required the winners to argue four additional times before reaching the final round. More on Tournament
Clinic Student Helps Bring Water to Pajarito Mesa
After eight years of hauling water any way they could, residents of Pajarito Mesa, an unincorporated colonia south of Albuquerque, will be receiving their own centralized fill station. The UNM School of Law clinical program was instrumental in making it happen.
After the state Legislature approved $750,000 for the Pajarito Mesa Mutual Domestic Water Consumers Association, the group approached New Mexico Legal Aid, which referred them to the clinic, which is where Kristina Fisher, a 3L, took over.
Under the supervision of professors Fred Hart and Nathalie Martin, who was teaching the Business and Tax Clinic, Fisher reviewed a contract the association had received from the Albuquerque-Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority, which will be providing the water. She offered a few suggestions, thrilled to be working on a water issue. More on Pajarito
