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Chair: Kari Olson
Past Chair: Bidtah Becker
Kristen Burby
Steven Landeros Hernandez
Maslyn Locke
Spenser Lotz
Anne Minard
Zachary Ogaz
Thomas Paterson
Yarithza Peña
John Verheul
UNM NREEL Student Liaision: Caitlyn Tullar (non-voting)
YLD Liaison: Benjamin C. Rossi
Email the NREEL Section Board
Where You Work: Chief Legal Counsel to Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren and Vice-President Richelle Montoya.
Area of Practice: Serving the Navajo Nation and its natural resources.
Where You Work: Hinkle Shanor LLP
Area of Practice: Oil and Gas, Mineral Title Examination
Why you enjoy practicing NREEL in New Mexico? I enjoy practicing in oil and gas law and mineral title examination because of the variety of skills required daily. Examining records from patent to the present day showcases the rich history of law over the centuries in New Mexico, even before statehood.
Where You Work: Sandia National Laboratories
Area of Practice: Intellectual Property (Environmental Technologies), Environmental Law
Why you enjoy practicing NREEL in New Mexico? New Mexico has a diverse set of environmental and natural resources challenges and I enjoy being able to work with cutting edge technologies to solve these problems.
Where You Work: Solo Practitioner in Mesilla, NM
Why you enjoy practicing NREEL in New Mexico? The Water Law Bar is relatively small and close knit. I think that leads to more collaboration in trying to find solutions to the many water issues that face the state.
Where You Work: The New Mexico Environmental Law Center
Area of Practice: Air Quality, Water Quality and Quantity, Land Use, Civil Rights
Why you enjoy practicing NREEL in New Mexico? I enjoy working alongside communities most-impacted by the disproportionate effects of natural resource extraction and development and serving frontline communities in the fight for environmental justice.
Where You Work: New Mexico Department of Justice, Environmental Protection Division
Area of Practice: Environmental enforcement, government litigation & rulemaking
Why you enjoy practicing NREEL in New Mexico? I enjoy practicing NREEL because of the diversity of topics and the direct connection between the law and the land that I love. I love waking up to a new challenge and grappling with a novel issue, all while working to protect the natural environment that makes New Mexico the “Land of Enchantment.”
Where You Work: Minard Law, minardlaw.us, and the University of New Mexico School of Law
Area of Practice: Environmental, general
Why you enjoy practicing NREEL in New Mexico? I am passionate about helping to protect New Mexico and make life better here. Many opportunities to do this arise in natural resource contexts.
Where You Work: New Mexico Environment Department
Area of Practice: Water and Environmental Law
Why you enjoy practicing NREEL in New Mexico? New Mexico’s big skies, untouched high desert, picturesque bosque and river valleys, and our long heritage of farming are all part of the New Mexico culture and identity that I love and appreciate. I am grateful to have the opportunity to be a good steward of New Mexico’s natural resources.
Where You Work: UNM Utton Transboundary Resources Center
Area of Practice: Water Law
Why you enjoy practicing NREEL in New Mexico? To understand New Mexico water management, one has to dive deep into our history, cultures, and remarkably diverse and beautiful landscapes. At the Utton Center, I am incredibly fortunate to be able to work with and learn from communities across the State and water managers at all levels of governance.
Where You Work: Spencer Fane, Santa Fe
Where You Work: Partner, Susman Godfrey LLP (retired)
Area of Practice: Trial lawyer, oil and gas
Why you enjoy practicing NREEL in New Mexico? Fascinating issues and wonderful lawyers and judges.
Where You Work: Modrall Sperling
Area of Practice: Natural Resources
Why you enjoy practicing NREEL in New Mexico? I enjoy practicing NREEL in New Mexico because of the collaboration opportunities in a small tight-knit legal community that is able to address a wide range of issues that impact our entire state.
Where You Work: TXNM Energy
Area of Practice: Energy Law
Why you enjoy practicing NREEL in New Mexico? The diversity of issues and practitioners.
Area of Practice: Tort litigation, Environmental Law and Water Law
Why you enjoy practicing NREEL in New Mexico? I enjoy practicing NREEL in New Mexico because the issues are fascinating and the state’s practitioners are diverse and highly experienced.