School of Law

Gloria Valencia-Weber is a Professor Emerita, Regents Professor, and Henry Weihofen Professor at the University of New Mexico School of Law. Since joining the faculty in 1992, she has been instrumental in establishing and leading the Indian Law Certificate Program, which has since gained recognition as one of the leading programs in the country.

Gloria’s early experiences shaped her passion for law and justice, leading to her enrollment into Harvard Law School (J.D. 1986), following her education at Oklahoma State University (B.A. 1970, M.A. 1974). With a lack of courses and teachings on Native American law, she did much of her learning on her own. After two federal judicial clerkships, Valencia-Weber founded the country’s first Indian Law Certificate Program at the University of Tulsa College of Law.

Appointed by President Barack Obama to the Board of Directors of the Legal Services Corporation, Valencia-Weber has also been an instrumental voice in legal training for tribal officials and attorneys. Her publications focus on critical issues related to tribal sovereignty, and she is currently editing a book on Santa Clara Pueblo's membership laws, advocating for gender equality within the tribe.

F. Michael Hart’s prestigious legal career began in 1988, when he received his J.D. from the UNM School of Law. He started his practice shortly after as a child abuse attorney for the New Mexico Department of Human Services (now CYFD). Since then, Mike has devoted himself and his legal career to upholding the rights of the most vulnerable people throughout New Mexico.

In 1990, Mike started his private legal practice with Roger V. Eaton, Esq., and represented civil cases for sexual, physical, and emotional abuse. Mike has become a premier lawyer for children’s civil issues in New Mexico and he remains a constant resource for all lawyers, judges, and legislators as well as NMTLA members on the protection and rights of children.

Additionally, Mike has been appointed by judges across the state in hundreds, if not thousands, of cases as Guardian Ad Litem for children over his 36 year career. Mike is a founding member of Martinez, Hart, Sanchez & Romero, P.C, is active in numerous dedicated organizations, and has received the Best Lawyers’ “Lawyer of the Year” award five times.

Former congresswoman from New Mexico’s 1stCongressional District, Debra Haaland is a graduate of the University of New Mexico (1994) and UNM School of Law (2006). Debra is a former Chairwoman of the Laguna Development Corporation Board of Directors, a former Tribal administrator, and the former Chairwoman of the Democratic Party of New Mexico.

Debra ran for Lieutenant Governor of New Mexico in 2014 and has worked for and volunteered on many local, statewide and national campaigns. For many years, she registered voters and worked to increase voting in Indian Country. While in law school, Debra was successful in advocating for legislation enacted by the State legislature that provided in-state tuition for students of New Mexico Indian Tribes, thus removing an obstacle to higher education.

A 35th generation New Mexican, Debra is enrolled at Laguna Pueblo and has close ties with her family at Jemez Pueblo. She is forever dedicated to lifting up underrepresented and marginalized communities.

Noell Sauer Huffmyer graduated from the UNM School of Law in 2018. Throughout her time at the law school, she received numerous awards, including the Roehl Award for Excellence in Trial Advocacy, and the Alumni/ae Association Academic Merit Scholarship.

While at law school, Noell completed internships with Judge Miles Hanisee at the New Mexico Court of Appeals and for the United States Attorney’s Office. She was a member of UNM’s National Mock Trial Team, and served as both a teaching assistant to the legal writing faculty, and as a research assistant on multiple amicus curiae briefs, with Professor Jim Ellis, a U.S. Supreme Court advocate, pursuing rights for the intellectually and developmentally disabled.

Upon graduation, Noell was invited to join the Order of the Coif, earned summa cum laude honors, and was awarded the Faculty Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Law School Community. After law school, Noell served as a judicial clerk to federal court Chief Judge William Johnson, and then joined Rodey Law Firm. Noell recently joined Acadia Healthcare as Associate Counsel.