Lance D. Richards

Betsy focuses her practice on appeals and complex briefing. She has handled appeals and dispositive briefing in state and federal courts in a wide range of areas, including torts, contracts, employment, medical malpractice, and workers’ compensation. She enjoys analyzing complex issues on nearly any topic and translating them into simple, persuasive language. Betsy also serves as local counsel on appellate matters and frequently advises clients on appellate trends in New Mexico. She has...

Susan Miller’s primary areas of interest are in water resources and environmental law, as well as insurance, tort and personal injury litigation. Susan currently serves as Chair of the Natural Resources, Energy and Environment Department and is the past Chair of Modrall Sperling’s Water Law Practice Group. She brings over 20 years of experience providing representation, advice and counsel to businesses, industries, ranchers, farmers and individuals throughout New Mexico with respe...

Doug Baker has successfully litigated and tried a number of complicated bet-the-company and other disputes involving commercial, product liability, professional liability, insurance coverage, and tort/personal injury cases, representing local to Fortune 500 Companies. Doug has tried cases to verdict in both state and federal courts, as well as administrative proceedings and arbitrations, achieving favorable verdicts or results for his clients, both plaintiffs and defendants. Doug’s hono...

Brian K. Branch was born and raised in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He is a partner at Davis Kelin LLC , where he represents individuals and families in complex civil litigation throughout New Mexico. His practice focuses on serious injury and wrongful death claims , including cases involving medical negligence , defective products , professional negligence, and insurance bad faith . Mr. Branch has served as lead or co-lead counsel in more than 40 jury trials and over 75 non-jury trials. His cour...

Joan Drake has assisted clients for over twenty years as a lawyer on utility regulation and environmental permitting matters. In utility matters, Joan represents clients on matters involving state and federal regulation of electric and gas utility rates and service, facility siting, wholesale and retail sales, utility acquisition, renewable energy and Qualifying Facilities ("QF"), electric transmission and interconnection, gas pipelines, power purchase and service agreements, and energy effic...

Keith is a member of Butler Snow’s Labor and Employment Group.

Carey Bhalla is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Civil Rights Law and Criminal Defense: General Practice. Carey, who practices law in Albuquerque, New Mexico, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Carey is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Jennifer Noya practices primarily in insurance coverage defense, employment law, professional liability, civil rights, class action and complex litigation. She has defended a wide variety of cases, including defense of insurers in class action litigation involving both life insurance and auto coverage. She has represented defendants in professional liability cases, civil rights class litigation and represents employers in employment-related disputes arising under state and federal law, as wel...

Donald F. Kochersberger is a Member of the firm and has been with BLSW since 2005. His practice emphasizes complex litigation matters, including shareholder, member and partner disputes, contracts, business tort, unfair practices, restrictive covenant and non-compete agreements, employee theft and misconduct cases, and customer and vendor disputes. Mr. Kochersberger has served as counsel for a number of local, regional and national companies, as well as individuals engaged in business dispute...

Nicholas Hart is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Appellate Practice, Criminal Defense: General Practice and Criminal Defense: White-Collar. Nicholas, who practices law in Albuquerque, New Mexico, has been recognized since 2027. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Nicholas is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.