Lisa K. Curtis

Lisa K. Curtis is the founding partner of Curtis & Co. Law Firm, a social benefit corporation dedicated to exceptional advocacy and community service. During her more than 30-year legal career, Lisa has represented hundreds of New Mexico families in complex, high-stakes litigation and has earned numerous honors for her work, including induction into the New Mexico State Bar Hall of Fame in 2021.

A lifelong New Mexican, Lisa grew up in Albuquerque, graduated from the University of New Mexico School of Law, and raised her four children here. She is known for taking on challenging cases against powerful corporations, healthcare systems, insurers, and other institutions, providing clients with experienced, strategic representation when the stakes are highest.

Lisa’s practice has focused on catastrophic injury and medical malpractice litigation. She has represented patients and families, as well as physicians, nurses, and other healthcare professionals, giving her a unique understanding of the healthcare system from multiple perspectives. Every case accepted by the firm is thoroughly investigated and evaluated before litigation begins. Lisa believes successful advocacy starts with the facts and that the civil justice system exists both to compensate those who have been harmed and to promote safer practices that protect the public.

Lisa graduated from the University of New Mexico School of Law in 1993, where she received the Tort Scholar Award. Throughout her career, she has worked to advance the law, hold wrongdoers accountable, and improve the safety of New Mexico’s communities. She is also committed to mentoring the next generation of attorneys and is proud to support graduates of the University of New Mexico School of Law.

Service has always been central to Lisa’s career. She founded the LK Curtis Children’s Fund more than 20 years ago, and under her leadership Curtis & Co. became a social benefit corporation committed to paying living wages and investing in the communities it serves.

Lisa served as Chair of the New Mexico Commission on the Status of Women from 2020 to 2025 and is a Committee Member of the New Mexico Supreme Court Rules of Evidence Committee from 2020 to 2025. She is the three-time editor of the New Mexico Handbook on Evidence and serves on the Board of Governors of the American Association for Justice.

Outside the courtroom, Lisa is an advocate for the revitalization of Downtown Albuquerque through a separate real estate development company she owns. She purchases historically significant commercial and residential properties that others have overlooked and restores them through thoughtful, long-term redevelopment. She enjoys the creative challenge of design, preservation, and problem-solving, and many of these projects take years to complete. Through Curtis & Co., Lisa also supports numerous charitable organizations and community initiatives focused on children, safety, education, and neighborhood revitalization. The firm’s commitment to community service is reflected in its status as a social benefit corporation and in the work of the LK Curtis Children’s Fund.

Education

• University of New Mexico School of Law, Albuquerque, New Mexico
  • J.D. - 1993
  • Honors: Tort Scholar Award

Bar Admissions

• New Mexico, 1993
• U.S. District Court District of New Mexico, 1994
• U.S. Court of Appeals 10th Circuit, 1994
• Supreme Court of the United States of America

Appellate Cases

New Mexico Supreme Court

Seminal Cases:

• Siebert v. Okun, 2021-NMSC-016, 485 P.3d 1265
• Estate of Brice v. Toyota Motor Corp., 2016-NMSC-018, 373 P.3d 977
• Spencer v. Health Force, Inc., 2005-NMSC-002, 137 N.M. 64, 107 P.3d 504
• Sloan v. State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co. (In re Sloan), 2004-NMSC-004, 135 N.M. 106, 85 P.3d 230 (also 10th Circuit Opinion)

Other Cases:

• Burge v. Kegel, S-1-SC-27836 (2002); Britton v. Rogers, S-1-SC-30360 (2007); Chavez v. Pfeffer, S-1-SC-31219 (2008); Board of Regents v. Vigil, S-1-SC-32934 (2011); Lajeuenesse v. Board of Regents, S-1-SC-33878 (2012); Ortiz y Pino v. Shepherd, S-1-SC-35240 (2015); Herald v. Board of Regents, S-1-SC-35489 (2015); Wirth v. Sun Healthcare Group Inc., S-1-SC-36129 (2016); X-Ray Assoc. v. Mathew, S-1-SC-38483 (2020); Eslin v. Levy, S-1-SC-38562 (2020); Beltran v. Agave Health, Inc., S-1-SC-40087 (2023); Eslin v. Levy, M.D., S-1-SC-40445 (2024); Thompson v. Presbyterian Healthcare Services, S-1-SC-41005 (2025).

New Mexico Court of Appeals

Seminal Cases:

• Wirth v. Sun Healthcare Grp., Inc., 2017-NMCA-007, 389 P.3d 295
• Herald v. Bd. of Regents of the Univ. of N.M., 2015-NMCA-104, 357 P.3d 438
• Estate of Lajeuenesse v. Bd. of Regents, 2013-NMCA-004, 292 P.3d 485
• Merino v. N.M. Med. Review Comm'n, 2012 N.M. App. Unpub. LEXIS 70 (Ct. App. Feb. 21, 2012)
• Otero v. City of Albuquerque, 1998-NMCA-137, 125 N.M. 770, 965 P.2d 354

Other Cases:

• Spencer v. UNM Hospital (2001); Britton v. Rogers (2005); Estate of C. Moreno v. Robill (2008); Estate of M. Cardon v. Ham (2008); Cueto v. Regents of UNM (2010); Merino v. NM Medical Review (2011); Brice v. Toyota Motor Corp. (2013); Herald v. Board of Regents (2013); Wirth v. Sun Healthcare (2014); Ortiz y Pino v. Lovelace (2015); Siebert v. Okun (2016); Woodard v. Board of Regents of UNM (2017); Estate of V. Cummings v. Leatherwood, M.D. (2018); Siebert v. Okun (2018); Aragon v. PHS (2108); Eslin v. Levy, M.D. (2020); Mascarenas v. Board of Regents of UNM (2020); X-Ray Associates v. M. Rueckhaus (2020); Beltran V. Agave Health, Inc. (2021); Estate of Dodson v. PHS (2021); Siebert v. Okun (2021); Stout Sanchez v. Rio at Rust Centre, LLC (2022); Thompson v. PHS (2022); K.A.M. v. Molina (2022); Stout v. Peralta (2023); Pegasus Legal Services v. Board of Regents of UNM (2023); Graham v. PHS (2023 & 2024); Estate of Reed v. PHS (2024); Andrade v. X-Ray Associates of NM (2025).

10th Circuit Court of Appeals

• Estate of Charley, et al. v. USA, et al.; #25-2052
• Quorum Health Resources, et al. v. Jackson, et al.; #18-705
• Estate of Cummings v. United States, 651 Fed. Appx. 822 (10th Cir. 2016)
• Smith v. Aztec Well Servicing Co., 462 F.3d 1274 (10th Cir. 2006) cert. denied USSC
• Sloan v. State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co., 360 F.3d 1220 (10th Cir. 2004)
• Gonzales v. United States, No. 96-2167, 1998 U.S. App. LEXIS 1343 (10th Cir. Jan. 30, 1998)

https://www.curtislawfirm.org/

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Honors and Awards

• The Roehl Circle of Honor, Plaintiff Trial Lawyer, 2021
• Best Lawyers, 2024 Lawyer of the Year – Medical Malpractice Law - Plaintiffs
• Best Lawyers in America® Personal Injury
• Super Lawyers - New Mexico - Medical Malpractice
• The National Trial Lawyers - Top 100
• The National Trial Lawyers - Medical Malpractice Top 25

Professional Associations and Memberships

• American Association of Justice, Leaders Forum
• American Association of Justice, Committee on the Judiciary 2022 to present
• New Mexico Trial Lawyers Association, President, 2011-2012
• New Mexico Trial Lawyers Association, Board of Directors, 2010 to present
• New Mexico Commission on the Status of Women, Chair, 2020-2025
• New Mexico Supreme Court Rules of Evidence Committee, 2020-2025
• New Mexico Supreme Court Rules of Civil Procedure Committee, two terms
• New Mexico State Senator, 2011-2012
• New Mexico Citizen Redistricting Committee, 2021
• Outcomes, Inc., Board of Directors, twice as Chair of the Board, 2000-2010
• Organization for Quality for Children, Inc., Chair and Member of the Board of Directors, 1997-2000

Pro Bono Activities

• Trustee L.K. Curtis Children's Fund