Faculty
Trace Rabern
Trace Rabern has been an appellate writer for more than 12 years. She graduated from the University of New Mexico School of Law in 1996, after which she clerked for Judge Benny Flores of the New Mexico Court of Appeals. In 1997 she began writing as a judicial clerk for the Justice Dan McKinnon on the New Mexico Supreme Court. Rabern then joined the appellate division of the New Mexico Public Defender Department and litigated more than 200 criminal appeals.
She now runs a solo specialty criminal law writing practice in Santa Fe. Rabern writes amicus briefs for the New Mexico Criminal Defense Lawyers Association and she is a member of the Tenth Circuit CJA Panel.
Rabern has been an enthusiastic supporter of expanded civil rights under the New Mexico State Constitution. Her practice presently focuses on cases posing mental health issues, legal competency issues and defending child abuse allegations. Her aspirations include making a day longer than just 24 hours, a week contain more than seven days, finally finishing her fixer-upper home and getting her grade-school daughter to all her dance, ski, music and riding lessons on time.
Rabern is co-teaching the course with Scott Davidson.
