Newsroom & Articles

State Bar of New Mexico Wins National Luminary Award
for the Bar Bulletin Commemorative Edition

Albuquerque, N.M., Oct. 28, 2026 — The State Bar of New Mexico has received the 2026 Luminary Award for Excellence in Special Projects in the Large Bar Association category for the Bar Bulletin: Commemorative Edition. The award, presented by NABE, recognizes a collaborative undertaking celebrating New Mexico’s legal heritage at America’s 250th anniversary.

“This is an incredible honor,” said Richard B. Spinello, Executive Director of the State Bar of New Mexico. “This national recognition reflects the extraordinary work of our team and the many contributors and partners beyond our organization who helped create a lasting artifact for our legal community. This is a shared achievement, and we are grateful to everyone who helped bring it to life.”

Published in July 2026, the Commemorative Edition explores more than 250 years of New Mexico’s legal history through original articles, archival photography, artwork and dual timelines. Organized into four narrative acts, the publication connects readers with expanded online content and multimedia experiences through QR codes and a companion website.

The project brought together State Bar staff, the New Mexico State Bar Foundation, the New Mexico Supreme Court, writers, historians, the UNM School of Law, sponsors and more. The State Bar’s New Mexico Legal Heritage Reception, a Constitution Day celebration, extended the commemoration through presentations and exhibits connecting the legal community with its history.

The Bar Bulletin: Commemorative Edition is available free to the public at www.barbulletin250.org.

View the 2026 Luminary Award winners at www.nabenet.org/page/2026LuminaryWinners.

For more information, contact Brandon McIntyre, Deputy Director of Attorney Services, at brandon.mcintyre@sbnm.org.