Rod D. Baker

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...

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...

Richard L. Alvidrez is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Environmental Law and Litigation - Environmental. Richard L., who practices law in Albuquerque, New Mexico, has been recognized since 2008. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Richard L. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Vickie is a graduate of the University of New Mexico School of Law, and earned her Masters of Law (LL.M.) in Taxation from New York University. Vickie grew up in Deming, New Mexico, and has been a trust and estate planning attorney in Albuquerque for almost thirty years. She is an ACTEC (American College of Trust and Estate Counsel) Fellow and is also a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation. She was honored in the past to have been appointed by the Supreme Court of New Mexico to serve on the ...

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...

JAY D. ROSENBLUM is a senior lawyer with Sutin, Thayer & Browne, one of New Mexico’s leading law firms. Jay served as President and CEO of the firm for eighteen years, from 2000 through 2017. Jay’s practice includes mergers and acquisitions, business design, estate planning, corporate work, succession planning and philanthropic legal matters. In 2017 the State Bar of New Mexico’s Business Law Section honored Jay as Business Lawyer of the Year, and in 2023 & 2024 Best...

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...

STEVAN DOUGLAS LOONEY practices primarily in the area of complex litigation, arbitration and mediation, including healthcare, business, personal injury, wrongful death, environmental, taxation, contract, civil rights, employment, real estate matters and healthcare litigation. Mr. Looney also has significant experience in construction litigation, healthcare and nursing homes litigation, shareholder and partner disputes, and lender liability issues. He has arbitrated and mediated commercial and...

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...

Walter brings more than thirty-five years of experience providing representation, advice and counsel to businesses and individuals in their dealings with Indian tribes and public land management agencies, like the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, the U.S. Forest Service and New Mexico State Land Office. Walter’s practice is focused on natural resources, energy and environmental law. Clients throughout the west and across the country seek Walter’s advice in matters involving transac...