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You can do that, but should you? While the Rules of Professional Conduct define the boundaries of permissible conduct, this interactive session delves deeper into the aspirational and pragmatic aspects of legal practice. Through engaging hypotheticals and lively discussion, attendees will explore the "wisdom factor" – ethical and professional considerations that extend beyond mere compliance.
William D. Slease (“Bill”) is the Professional Development Program Director for the State Bar of New Mexico. In addition to his duties at the State Bar, he has served as an adjunct professor at the University of New Mexico School of Law where he has taught Ethics, 1L Lab, and served as a trial practice skills evaluator for the evidence-trial practice skills course.
This presentation investigates the pros and cons of the rapidly emerging world of Generative Artificial Intelligence and apps in the mental health (MH) field, how to recognize when it’s time to connect with a human therapist, and whether you can recommend well-being or MH apps to your client consistent with the Rules of Professional Conduct.
Pamela Moore, LPCC, CCTP currently serves as a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor and Director of the State Bar of New Mexico’s Professional Programs Group where she educates the legal community on positive health and well-being and assists in providing resources and services to any legal professional struggling with mental, emotional or behavioral issues. Ms. Moore served as an advisory member to the National Commission on Lawyer Assistance Programs in 2019 and 2020 and is the current New Mexico representative for the Institute for Well Being In Law.
This CLE program seeks to reinvigorate the culture of pro bono service in New Mexico’s legal community. The session will emphasize ethical obligations under Rule 16-601 NMRA, highlight the growing need for pro bono representation across the state, and practical avenues for attorneys to get involved. A focus on recruiting attorneys and engaging emerging lawyers early in their careers. This CLE will encourage commitments to pro bono work, equipping participants with ethical guidance, programmatic knowledge, and the resources to begin or expand their involvement.
Zac Addison, Director, VAP, New Mexico Legal Aid. Zac Addison joined New Mexico Legal Aid shortly after moving to New Mexico in 2023 and became NMLA’s Volunteer Attorney Program Director in December 2023. As VAP Director, he oversees the coordination of pro bono legal fairs and clinics throughout the state, placement of direct representation cases with pro bono attorneys, and facilitation of collaborative CLE programs for pro bono attorneys assisting low-income clients. Zac graduated from California Western School of Law in San Diego. Early in his career, he served as staff attorney at Inland Counties Legal Services in Indio, CA, and as Legal Services Coordinator at the Desert AIDS Project in Palm Springs. Later, Zac managed mortgage litigation for two decades for lenders including ABN AMRO Mortgage (nka Citi), EverBank, and Chase. Within mortgage banking, Zac led the resolution of contested foreclosure, bankruptcy, and title issues for a decade. After the 2008 financial crisis, he led lender-vs-lender repurchase litigation relating to defective mortgages. He currently serves on the board of S.A.F.E. House, Albuquerque’s domestic violence shelter.
Kasey Daniel, is the Director of Legal Services for the New Mexico State Bar Foundation. In that role, she also functions as the Managing Attorney for the Modest Means Helpline (MMH) which is a civil legal helpline serving New Mexico residents with incomes at or below 500% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines. Kasey began her legal career in a large private civil defense firm in 2002, but only 2 years later transitioned to work in the legal non-profit sector. She has in-depth experience with New Mexico legal service providers, New Mexico courts, and direct experience running helplines and referrals services. Kasey has formerly worked as a staff attorney or in management at New Mexico Legal Aid, including its Volunteer Attorney Program, the New Mexico Center on Law and Poverty, the former statewide telephone helpline called Law Access New Mexico, the State Bar of New Mexico, Disability Law Colorado, and Legal Aid of Southeastern Pennsylvania. In addition, she served for nearly two years as the CEO of the 8th Judicial District in northeastern New Mexico.
Sarah S. Kosso, Staff Attorney, DNA-Peoples Legal Services in the Farmington, New Mexico branch office. She began her journey with DNA in 2022 as a post-bar law clerk and transitioned into her current role upon becoming licensed. Sarah also serves as the New Mexico VOCA Project Director. Her work primarily centers on family law matters—including custody, divorce, guardianship, and domestic violence—with a growing focus on housing law and benefits appeals.Sarah’s commitment to public interest law began during her time at the University of San Francisco School of Law, where she gained experience through internships and externships with public defender offices in Oakland and San Francisco. She is deeply dedicated to advocacy in the public sector and proud to be part of the ongoing fight for justice.Though based in New Mexico professionally, Sarah resides in her hometown of Flagstaff, Arizona with her husband, who is also an attorney, their rescue reservation dog, and their cat.
Tess Wilkes is the Pro Bono Managing Attorney with the Children’s Team at the New Mexico Immigrant Law Center, and has worked in civil legal services on behalf of immigrants for over 12 years, and on immigration law cases for the last 8 years.
New Mexico Supreme Court Chief Justice David K. Thomson took the oath of office on February 4, 2019, following his selection by the nonpartisan Judicial Nominating Commission and his appointment by the Governor to the New Mexico Supreme Court. He was sworn in as Chief Justice on April 17, 2024, where he will serve a two-year term. Prior to his appointment, Chief Justice Thomson served as a State Trial Judge in the First Judicial District, overseeing a civil docket in excess of 1000 cases. He is a leader in judicial education and efforts to increase diversity in judicial clerkships and advance technology in the courts. In 2019, he founded a diversity clerkship program with the New Mexico State Bar Association, which has resulted in increased post-graduation clerkship opportunities within New Mexico’s Appellate Courts. He has also successfully launched an annual “Rule of Law Program” where schools and students in New Mexico are given the opportunity to view oral arguments, ask questions about a case, and gain an understanding of the judiciary’s role in state government.
Chief Justice Thomson was born and raised in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and is a graduate of Santa Fe High School. He has an undergraduate degree in Economics and Government from Wesleyan University, Middletown, Connecticut. Before law school, he worked for U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman. He received his juris doctorate from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law in 1998. Following law school, Chief Justice Thomson began his career as a term law clerk for U.S. District Justice Bruce D. Black, District of New Mexico. After his clerkship, he joined the New Mexico Attorney General’s Office as a litigation attorney, eventually serving as Deputy Attorney General. In this role, he advocated on behalf of the citizens of New Mexico before State and Federal courts. Prior to taking the bench in 2015, Justice Thomson was a sole practitioner, admitted to appear in State and Federal courts, including the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals and the United States Supreme Court.
Chief Justice Thomson heads the (CEI) judicial education program in New Mexico. He teaches legal education courses on a number of topics, including trial practice, the use of special masters, judicial ethics, evidence, and appellate practice. Chief Justice Thomson serves on the Executive Committee of the American Bar Association Judicial Division Appellate Judges Conference and Appellate Judges Education Institute.
He is also an AJC Delegate to the American Bar Association House of Delegates. Justice Thomson authored the article Constitutional Long Haulers: The Undiagnosed Long-Term Impact of Judicial Review on Emergency Public Health Orders, which appeared in the American Bar Association Judge’s Journal. He has recently presented on the role of Amicus Curiae in matters before the federal and state appellate courts. This past year, his peers nominated him join the American Law Institute.
Gender bias remains a pervasive challenge in the legal profession, influencing career progression, client relationships, and courtroom dynamics. This session will provide an in-depth exploration of gender bias and discuss our professional obligations as lawyers to each other and to our clients. A panel will share their experiences, discuss systemic barriers, and offer practical tools to identify and combat bias in legal settings.
Justice C. Shannon Bacon, New Mexico Supreme Court, was appointed to the New Mexico Supreme Court on January 25, 2019, after being recommended by a nonpartisan Judicial Nominating Commission. She took the oath of office on February 4, 2019. Prior to her appointment, Justice Bacon served as a district court judge on the Second Judicial District Court and as the Presiding Civil Judge. While serving on the district court, Justice Bacon presided over thousands of cases spanning complex civil litigation, class actions, adult guardianship and conservatorship cases, real estate and contract disputes, election issues, domestic and children’s court cases and appeals. Justice Bacon was also the Bernalillo County Water and Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District Judge.
Prior to joining the Supreme Court Justice Bacon served on numerous commissions and committees. She served on the New Mexico Supreme Court Adult Guardianship and Conservatorship Steering Committee (Chair) and Rules Committee, the Access to Justice Commission, the Bernalillo County Pro Bono Committee (Co-chair), the Supreme Court Personnel Rules Committee (Chair), the Supreme Court Rules of Evidence Committee (Chair) and the District and Metropolitan Judges Association (President). Justice Bacon has also served on non-profit boards that address the needs of youth experiencing homelessness for more than a decade.
Prior to taking the bench, Justice Bacon was a partner at Sutin, Thayer and Brown, P.A. and Eaves, Bardacke, Baugh, Kierst and Larson, P.A. where her practice focused on complex litigation and appeals. She began her legal career as a law clerk for the Honorable A. Joseph Alarid at the New Mexico Court of Appeals.
Justice Bacon earned a Bachelor’s Degree in History and her law degree at Creighton University. Upon completion of her education, Justice Bacon returned to Albuquerque, New Mexico where she was raised, to begin her professional career.
Hon. Brenna Clani-Washinawatock, 11th Judicial District Court Judge Alice Liu McCoy, JD, Executive Director, New Mexico Developmental Disabilities Council Hope Pendleton, JD, Serpe Andrews PLLC Moderator: Zoe Lees, JD, Regional Vice President of Regulatory Policy, Xcel Energy