new mexico

bar admission administrative agency:
 
new mexico state board of bar examiners
9420 indian school road ne
santa fe, nm 87112
tel: 505/271-9706
fax: 505/271-9768
website: http://www.nmexam.org/
website: http://www.nmmcle.org/links/specialization.asp
website: http://www.nmbar.org/
click here to download the new mexico state board of bar examiners application form.
 
 
bar admission options:

without bar examination
law professors: a full-time permanent or visiting faculty member of the university of new mexico school of law may be admitted without examination but only to the extent necessary to supervise clinical law students in an approved clinical law program and only if admitted to the bar of another state or the district of columbia.
public employee limited license: a new mexico state or local government employee may apply to the supreme court for a limited non-renewable one-year license to represent public defender clients or practice law as an employee of such governmental entity.

with bar examination
examination required for all other applicants.

examination components:
1. academic: mbe, 10 state essays, and 2 mpt questions.
2. ethics: mpre scaled score of 75 is transferable from any jurisdiction.

examination dates:
february bar exam (september 10 of the preceding year)
july bar exam (january 10)

applications with late fees are accepted (contact state board of bar examiners for details.)

application/admission fees:
$20.00 application fee (can be downloaded from website for no charge; see above)
$550.00 (out of law school less than one year and not practicing in another jurisdiction)
$800.00 (out of law school more than one year or practicing in another jurisdiction)

other state bar requirements:

1. minimum age: 21

2. graduate of a law school approved by the aba; or graduate of any law school who has been engaged in the practice of law in another state for at least four of the six years immediately preceding the application for admission in new mexico, and in good standing with the bar of that state.

3. character check by the new mexico board of bar examiners.

4. required annual fees: $215.00 (admitted before 1/1/03 in any jurisdiction); $165.00 (admitted between 1/1/03 and 12/31/03 in any jurisdiction); $115.00 (admitted between 1/1/04 and 12/31/04 in any jurisdiction). a disciplinary fee of $150.00 is also required. inactive members: $75.00.

regulation of in-house counsel:

new mexico bar admission rules do not address in-house counsel. in-house counsel must be members of the new mexico bar.

bar association status:

[x] mandatory (see required annual fees above)

[ ] voluntary

specialty certification:

new mexico's certification plan is governed by the new mexico board of legal specialization. aba-approved specialty certification programs are not recognized.

areas of specialization include:

appellate practice
bankruptcy law
civil trial
criminal trial
employment & labor law
estate planning/probate & trust
environmental law
family law
natural resources law
real estate law
taxation
workers' compensation

new mexico attorneys may indicate that they are specialists in particular fields, but if they are certified by an organization that is not approved by the board, they must include a disclaimer that such certification does not constitute recognition by the board.