School of Law

Dean Robert Desiderio
Bratton Hall Rm. 2020
505-277-4700
desiderior@law.unm.edu

Listed below are the community and outreach programs of the School of Law.

Clinical Law Program
Consistently ranked in the top 5 programs for practical lawyering in the country, this program serves more than 400 low income New Mexicans annually. In 1970, the New Mexico Supreme Court adopted a student practice rule that permits students enrolled in clinical courses not only to counsel and advise clients, but to practice law in all state courts and administrative agencies. Students are individually supervised by faculty members in their representation of these low-income clients.

Utton International Transboundary Resources Center
This Center focuses specifically on international natural resources and environmental issues in the U.S.-Mexico border regions as well as in other parts of the world. It has engaged in the multidisciplinary and multinational examination of the law and of institutions governing resources that extend across national boundaries.

American Indian Law Center
Housed in the School of Law, this independent institute is devoted to strengthening Indian tribal governments. It is an Indian-controlled, nonprofit organization whose principal interest is the development of tribal government institutions and the various relationships of tribal governments. The AILC drafts tribal codes, produces law and procedures manuals, analyzes regulations and helps tribes administer programs and interpret legislation. The Center also trains tribal court judges, clerks, advocates, prosecutors and paralegal personnel, and it distributes information about effective program management systems. AILC has an international reputation resulting from its activities on behalf of native peoples.

The Center for Health Law and Ethics
This Center develops and administers health policy law and bio-ethics projects. It provides training, research, materials development, and other services to health and legal professionals, legislators, and their staff members, and others with an interest in current developments and research in the areas of health law and ethics.

The Center for Wildlife Law
This Center is dedicated to the research and analysis of state, national and international wildlife laws. It collects and updates information on federal and state statutes and regulations, legal opinions, international treaties and resolutions. This is made available to interest groups, government agencies, lawyers, legislators, educators, researchers and other interested members of the community.

The Center for Environmental Law and Policy
The work of this Center focuses on pollution prevention and remediation issues, assisting state, federal and local government with the development of environmental programs, and with the dissemination of environment-related information.

The Rozier E. Sanchez Judicial Education Center of New Mexico
This Center provides training and educational programs for New Mexico judges and court personnel at every level of the judicial branch. Judicial personnel from throughout the state participate in annual conferences, regional seminars, teleconferences, and special interest seminars.

Center for the Arts in Society
The mission of this Center is to explore public policy issues connected with the arts, to find innovative ways of sharing the arts with society and to develop fresh perspectives about careers for 21st century arts professionals. The work of the Center is designed to generate national and international models.

U.S.-Mexico Law Institute
Organized in cooperation with the State Bar of New Mexico, the Mexican Law Committee of the Section of International Law and Practice of the American Bar Association and the Asociación Nacional de Abogados de Empresa, this Institute promotes research on legal problems common to the United States and Mexico. It studies the administration of justice in both countries and provides a regular forum for attorneys, judges and legal scholars to meet and share opinions with their counterparts from the other country.

Judicial Nominating Commission Office
A State Constitution Amendment authorizes the Dean of the UNM School of Law to chair the nominating committee for all vacant judge positions in the state. The Office announces the vacancy, oversees the application process and makes the arrangements for commission meetings. The Commission has 30 days to recommend candidates to the Governor, who makes the final selection.

Center for Nonprofit Corporations
This Center helps nonprofit corporations with legal issues, especially issues concerning tax exemptions. These organizations are those that cannot afford to hire an attorney.

Comments to dgon@unm.edu