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LAW SCHOOL PROFILE
New Mexico School of Law [by Tom Horne] New Mexico School of Law offers an excellent broad legal education with a touch of local flavor by providing options for people who want to study legal issues related to the area’s natural resources or indigenous people, among other things.
The University of New Mexico School of Law
tive effort results in a thorough introduction
a solid background in professional skills,
reflects the spirit of the historic Southwest.
of non-Mexican students and lawyers to
values, and practices as they progress from
From its architecture to its diverse student
Mexico’s legal and cultural systems.
student to practicing professional.
Law offers not only a fine education (it is ABA
Yet another area of study which takes ad-
For example, one clinic that ties in with the
approved), but a great overall learning expe-
vantage of the school’s location is its special
area’s Native American culture is the South-
rience that takes advantage of the cultural
program in Natural Resources. Albuquerque
west Indian Law Clinic. Students represent
appeal of Albuquerque.
sits on the Rio Grande and is also bordered
individual clients with Indian Law issues and
body to its unique courses of study, UNM
by the Sandia Mountains and an old volcanic
work with Indian communities on challenging
For example, New Mexico is widely known
mesa. It’s a beautiful area with plenty of
contemporary standards. Working with native
for its Native American population, and UNM
nature to study, so it’s only fitting that UNM
clients exposes students to legal issues that
Law offers a special program for its students
Law offers the Natural Resources Certifi-
arise as a result of oppression, poverty, and
to earn an Indian Law Certificate. UNM Law
cate Program, which allows students to gain
under-representation. Students may employ
recognized early the significance of Indian
a more comprehensive understanding of
legal solutions that are premised on tribal
sovereignty and, in 1967, pioneered two
resources problems. Its curriculum includes
sovereignty, cultural rights or traditional law
areas of law. It was the first law school to
all law school courses concerning natural
as well as common legal principles.
initiate the effort to increase the number of
resources and the environment, as well as
American Indians and Alaskan Natives in the
several resources-related graduate courses
UNM Law offers a student faculty ratio of
legal profession. Since then, the law school
offered through other academic units on
10:1, numbers which make it among the best
has led the way in educating lawyers among
campus--Biology, Economics, Civil Engineer-
in the country. With that ratio, classes are
the American Indian and Alaska Native popu-
ing, Geography, Geology, Political Science,
conducted in smaller environments, where
lations. UNM also incorporated Indian Law
Public Administration, and Architecture and
the professors and students can interact
into the curriculum and developed one of the
Planning. As a result of their more extensive
more personally, providing for a strong sense
most comprehensive Indian law programs in
contact with members of the law faculty who
of community.
the country.
specialize in resources and environmental programs, students who participate in the
The faculty features attorneys with some
Taking advantage of its proximity to an
certificate program have greater opportunity
impressive resumes, including those who’ve
international border, UNM Law also offers a
to become aware of and involved in ongoing
argued before the U.S. Supreme Court, for
strong program in Mexican Law in con-
research projects and legislative develop-
example. Another served as associate coun-
junction with the Guanajuato Summer Law
ments.
sel to former U.S. President Jimmy Carter
Institute in Guanajuato, Mexico. Students
and recently fought to spare the life of high-
receive an introduction to Mexican Law and
The school’s Clinical Law Program is
profile defendant Terry Nichols. They have
international law subjects related to Latin
nationally recognized as one of the best in
national reputations in their areas, yet are
America. In 2001, the Institute added a two-
the United States. It is one of New Mexico’s
committed to both classroom and individual
week externship program which gives law
largest law firms. The law school has of-
instruction. It is common to see students
students the opportunity to extern under the
fered clinical education as a basic part of its
and faculty members discussing law-related
supervision of Mexican judges. The Insti-
curriculum since 1970 and is a pioneer in
events, current events, or simply a movie or
tute is organized in cooperation with one of
developing programs in practical legal skills.
sporting event.
Mexico’s leading law centers. This coopera-
The program ensures that students receive
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LAW SCHOOL PROFILE
Tuition is reasonable, compared to some other law schools, and financial assistance is available. In addition, UNM Law offers grants based both on financial need and on the merit of a student’s application, academic achievements, etc. Also, Native American Economic Development Scholarships of $5,000 each are available to eligible students. In addition to the standard three-year J.D. program, UNM Law also features the FlexibleTime Legal Education Program (FTLEP), which allows qualified law students to take less than the minimum of 12 credit hours currently required each semester. FTLEP students may take as few as eight credit hours, but must complete the J.D. degree in no more than nine semesters. The program enables students who take eight or nine credit hours to work more than 20 hours per week.
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