School of Law Clinic Expands Services with Onboarding of Social Worker
July 23, 2025
The School of Law Clinical Program has recently contracted with a licensed clinical social worker, expanding the support available to students and strengthening its multidisciplinary approach to legal education. This initiative, funded through a multi-year partnership with Bernalillo County, reflects the Clinical Program’s ongoing commitment to providing students with a comprehensive education grounded in real-world experience and to fostering innovation to meet the needs of New Mexicans.
In May, the Clinical Program welcomed Lucía Fraire to the new role. Fraire, born and raised in Albuquerque, earned a master’s degree in social work in 2017 from the University of Washington. She has spent her career working in various medical and mental health settings, as well as conducting research and facilitation.
Social workers in legal environments offer essential support by helping clients navigate challenges such as housing instability, food insecurity, and access to mental health resources. Fraire’s position complements the legal services provided by students by addressing the broader social and emotional needs of clients. Her work with the Clinic will also include training students, faculty, and staff on trauma-informed approaches, empathy-based interactions, and identifying when social work support is appropriate. This initiative not only enhances client care but also prepares students to collaborate effectively with allied professionals throughout their legal careers.
Associate Dean of Experiential Learning Serge Martinez is enthusiastic about this partnership, sharing: “This inter-professional collaboration between the Clinical Program and a social worker is one of the most exciting things we’ve done in a while. For as long as I’ve been a public interest lawyer, I’ve been frustrated by the limitations of what lawyers can do to help people who have problems that aren’t just legal in nature. The legal problems our clients come to us with are often only a small piece of a much larger set of needs and challenges they are facing, all of which are usually connected: the reason they’re facing eviction is because they don’t have money to pay the rent, because they had to pay for medical care for their kids and a car repair so they can get to the two jobs they need to have to be able to afford the rent.”
“We are trained to put out fires, and we’re not always good at preventing the next fires from starting. We can often help with legal needs—fighting off an eviction, helping enforce a child support agreement, defending a criminal charge—but then we’re sort of stuck in terms of next steps. Adding a social worker to our team means that we can help our clients discover and access resources that go beyond the immediate problem they’re facing and address the issues that put them into the position that made them contact us in the first place. This is a huge step forward for the Clinic and our clients. I’m so grateful to Bernalillo County for its support for the Clinic and the individuals and families we serve,” he continued.
This partnership also highlights the broader ecosystem of resources and gaps in New Mexico. It encourages a deeper conversation about how the legal community can build stronger and more responsive systems of support, particularly when working in multidisciplinary environments.
