Cassandra R. Malone

Art Melendres concentrates his practice primarily in administrative, education, commercial and municipal finance law. For more than thirty-five years, clients have sought Art’s expertise when faced with disputes involving education, administrative law, commercial law or public financing. For more than twenty-five years, Art has served as general counsel for the Albuquerque Public Schools, a school district of more than 90,000 students and 11,000 employees. He regularly advises the Schoo...

Marjorie Rogers represents businesses, tax-exempt organizations and individuals in the areas of federal taxation, estate planning and administration, including probate litigation, employee benefits and ERISA. She has more than thirty years' experience advising clients on their complex tax issues, wills, trusts, family succession plans, retirement plans, and business entity planning. Marjorie listens to her clients to determine their individual goals and helps clients achieve them with a plan ...

Suzanne Wood Bruckner is a shareholder at Sutin, Thayer & Browne APC in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where she leads the firm’s Tax Law practice. She is also a licensed New Mexico certified public accountant. Her practice focuses on Tax Law and Public Finance Law, with an emphasis on New Mexico tax matters. She advises businesses and organizations on corporate income tax, gross receipts and compensating tax, property tax, and public finance issues. Her tax practice includes tax planning...

Sonya Burke is a shareholder in the firm’s Litigation group, where she practices primarily in insurance coverage defense. She represents insurance companies and their insureds in a variety of contexts. Sonya represents professionals in professional liability matters, and has represented realtors, attorneys, and contractors. She also assists with construction and design cases, employment matters including EEOC investigations, and breach of contract litigation. Sonya has been recognized a...

Stan Harris is a shareholder with Modrall Sperling and has twenty years of litigation experience. Stan practices in the areas of public lands, natural resources, and commercial litigation. He has advised clients at the judicial, administrative, and legislative levels on federal, state, and local issues. Stan has extensive experience in the representation of parties in their disputes involving cultural property, public lands, Indian lands, oil and gas industry, environmental infrastructure mat...

Cliff Atkinson has practiced for more than 44 years in the areas of complex commercial and tort litigation in a broad spectrum of difficult cases. He, with his good friend and now retired colleague John Thal, founded the Firm in 1992 on the principle that a small, directed, hard hitting litigation firm can deliver the highest quality of personalized services to its clients. In his many years of practice, Cliff has litigated and tried cases to verdict, judgment, or other successful resolution ...

Ron Holmes is a lawyer recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area of Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law. Ron practices law in Albuquerque, New Mexico Best Lawyers has recognized Ron Holmes since 2025. The Best Lawyers recognition is based on a peer-review survey of lawyers in the same geographic region and legal practice area. The recognition reflects the professional regard in which Ron Holmes is held by other lawyers.

Brian Nichols’ practice is primarily in federal Indian law and litigation, including tribal courts, with focuses on energy, natural resources, transportation and employment. His experience includes: Lead counsel in trials in federal, state, and tribal courts. Lead negotiator in labor negotiations. Advising and negotiating for clients with tribal nations. Consulting with clients doing or considering business on or with tribal nations. Brian has advised clients including BHP Billiton, Uni...

Doug Vadnais has more than 30 years of transaction and litigation experience in diverse business matters, real estate, and the protection and exercise of creditors’ rights. He has represented the entire spectrum of clients from individuals to Fortune 500 companies, and brings to each a pragmatic, practical approach to problem solving, with the aim of effecting an efficient and advantageous resolution for the client. Clients include both buyers and sellers of commercial and residential r...

Lynn Slade serves clients’ needs addressing Federal Indian law and Native American law, energy, natural resources, environmental law, project development, complex litigation and transactions for over 30 years. In his Indian law practice, Lynn advises and counsels natural resource and energy developers, financial institutions, utilities, and other businesses in transactions and project development, including extensive involvement with renewable energy projects. He also leads litigation t...