El Rito Lawyers

Board Certified Trial Lawyer, James H. Wood, represents individuals, families, and children who have been the victims of the negligence or wrongdoing of others. His firm represents clients in Albuquerque, Santa Fe, and throughout New Mexico. The firm does not represent corporations, insurance companies, or governmental entities. Attorney Wood's practice areas include medical malpractice, hospital negligence, nursing home abuse, slip-and-fall accidents, and truck, motorcycle, and car wrecks. He offers a free initial consultation, home and hospital visits, and contingent fee agreements. If you or a loved one has been injured, don't put off receiving the compensation you deserve....

HARASSMENT OR DISCRIMINATION AT WORK. WRONGFUL DISCHARGE. WORKERS COMPENSATION.
Workplace law is tricky and the consequences of not following the law are serious. I represent individuals who have been harmed, either due to wrongful employer practices or accidents. If you have suffered from discrimination, harassment, retaliation, wrongful discharge, or a workplace injury, you need a strong lawyer on your side.

CAR ACCIDENTS, WRONGFUL DEATH. PERSONAL INJURY.
The types of injuries I deal with can create a ripple effect that changes everything for a whole family in an instant. I understand and have over two decades of experience fighting these fights. ...

Jake A. Garrison is an Albuquerque, New Mexico attorney with extensive experience representing clients in both litigation and transactional contexts in matters of real estate and land use law, business law, contract drafting or contract disputes, corporate entity formation, collections, and estate administration.

Whether negotiating a favorable resolution, prevailing at trial, or carefully structuring a business or real estate deal, Jake A. Garrison is committed to pursuing successful and cost-effective legal outcomes for his clients.

Barry G. Porter is a founding partner of the Albuquerque law firm, Burgess & Porter Law, LLC. Mr. Porter has over 22 years of experience as a criminal defense litigator. Mr. Porter has served as lead counsel for over 90 full jury trials and over 400 substantive motions. His success rate at trial is over 85 percent. From 2004 to 2010 Mr. Porter was a supervising attorney at the New Mexico Public Defender Department. From 2010 to 2014, Mr. Porter was the Training Director for the Department and responsible for the criminal defense and trial...

A native of Roswell, New Mexico, McKenzie St. Denis refuses to confess to her alien roots, but we know they exist.

Mrs. St. Denis, has an eclectic legal career ranging from being a prosecutor for the New Mexico Medical Board to representing parents in abuse and neglect cases. Include securing Medicaid benefits, water law, business litigation, and asylum law and you have a glimpse of what Mrs. St. Denis’ legal career has been, thus far.

Mrs. St. Denis, began her legal career in California, but returned to the Land of Enchantment to be closer to her family (and to be...

A native New Mexican having been born and raised in Alamogordo. Currently serving as the Secretary of the Bankruptcy Section Board of Directors and the past chair of the Board in 2014. Former Bankruptcy trustee.

Active Realtor and Qualifying Broker for Stetson Realty and member of the Greater Albuquerque Area Board of Realtors. Serving as an instructor for continuing education classes for Realtors.

Husband and father of five children. Loves to work on olds cars and anything with a motor in it.

Carlos N. Martinez is the Managing Partner and co-owner of Legal Solutions of New Mexico, LLC, a law firm assisting families in New Mexico in areas of divorce, child cusotdy, kinship guardianship, grandparent visitation, domestic violence, prenuptial agreements and child support issues. Legal Solutions of New Mexico, LLC also helps clients in the arears of cannabis law, personal injury, drone law litigation and business litigation and consulting.

Carlos’s experience in complex family law litigation and business background are invaluable assets when it comes to explaining the nuances of family law, utilizing strategic financial planning, and ultimately achieving a favorable resolution...

I have been practicing law since 1987 and have participated in dozens of trials and settlements resulting in million dollar recoveries for many of our consumer law clients, including in the areas of consumer credit, mortgage loan servicing, debt collection and credit reporting. I provide training to lawyers across the country in the area of consumer law and trial skills training. My partner, Luke Wallace, and I are dedicated to fully understanding the truth of our client’s story and to sharing this truth with the jury. Our results speak for themselves. We have earned a reputation...

After several years of representing large Fortune 500 companies, making the switch to representing everyday people was a significant leap into the unknown that Ben was unsure he could make. A higher power, however, forced Ben to make a decision in late October, 2009: In early October, 2009, Ben learned that he and his wife were pregnant with their first child. Two weeks later, Ben was driving from Albuquerque to Farmington for a hearing. As he past Cuba, New Mexico on 550, the sunny skies turned to dark clouds. The dark clouds traded their grey lining for...

The attorneys and staff at John W. Lawit are dedicated to providing the highest quality legal services to ensure the rights and benefits of the immigrant community. We are also dedicated to protecting the rights of employers, by assisting with I-9 compliance and worksite enforcement. As a team of legal professionals, we provide comprehensive, innovative and competent legal services to our clients to promote opportunities for a meaningful quality of life.

Firm History
John W. Lawit began practicing immigration law in 1980. Over the course of 40 years, John and his staff successfully assisted tens of thousands of clients within the realm...

Mr. White is a bankruptcy attorney and commercial litigator, and primarily focuses on bankruptcy litigation, including secured lender representation, trustee representation, fraudulent transfer and preference litigation, stay relief, and contested matters such as claims objections. Mr. White also has experience in commercial real estate matters, including commercial foreclosures and commercial landlord/tenant disputes. Mr. White is Co-Chair of the Young and New Members Committee of the American Bankruptcy Institute, and Chair-Elect of the board of the Bankruptcy Law Section of the State Bar of New Mexico. Occasionally, he provides pro bono legal assistance to select clients via the New Mexico...

Dominguez Law is a respected and powerful resource in the legal community. Our managing partner, attorney Paul M. Dominguez, has multifaceted legal experience and a mastery of advanced technology. He is 100 percent devoted to litigation and never wavers in the face of corporate or government power.

In addition to his exceptional results in a multitude of personal injury and mass tort cases, attorney Dominguez is active in the legal community, belonging to the State Bar of New Mexico, Albuquerque Bar Association, New Mexico Trial Lawyers Association, American Association of Justice and State Bar of Texas.

Our practice is always about people....

Erlinda Ocampo Johnson is an experienced and astute litigator. She began her career as an Assistant District Attorney with the District Attorney’s Office in Albuquerque prosecuting crimes ranging from DUI’s, assault, battery, drug offenses, to violent crimes of sexual assault and murder. After over five years as a trained and experienced Assistant District Attorney in Albuquerque, Erlinda Ocampo Johnson became a Federal Prosecutor at the United States Attorney’s Office in Albuquerque. At the United States Attorney’s Office, Erlinda Ocampo Johnson prosecuted a vast array of complex drug cases involving Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force cases, Criminal...

Education:
B.A. University of Notre Dame, 1967
J.D. University of New Mexico, 1970

Admitted:
State of New Mexico, 1970
State of Colorado, 1986
U.S. District Court, New Mexico 1970
10th Circuit Court of Appeals, 1981

AV rated by Martindale-Hubbell
Recognized specialist, Business Bankruptcy Law, by New Mexico Board of Legal Specialization
U.S. News Best Lawyers, 2014
Southwest Superlawyers, 2016
Member, Bankruptcy Section of New Mexico State Bar

Thomas Banner has extensive experience representing both public and private sector interests in litigation before judges, juries and administrative tribunals throughout New Mexico.

For roughly half of his career, Mr. Banner represented the people of New Mexico as a government attorney: he served first as an Assistant District Attorney prosecuting criminal cases; he went on to advocate for the public's interests in utility and insurance rate-making proceedings; most recently, he served as prosecutor for the New Mexico Medical Board in licensing and disciplinary cases.

Now in private practice, Mr. Banner is continuing his successful litigation practice while also offering counseling and advice...

Carolina Martin Ramos believes in una justicia digna. This means that she believes in treating her clients with the dignity & respect they deserve. Carolina is recognized as a fierce & compassionate advocate. She has a big heart & fights hard for her clients. Carolina Martin Ramos founded Justicia Digna, LLC in 2012 after working as an attorney in government and private law firms. She has managed the work of attorneys and staff in numerous immigration and criminal law cases over the years. Ms. Ramos has helped many families change their lives significantly by attaining immigration benefits through programs like:...

30 Years of Courtroom Trial Experience - We Know What It Takes to Win.

When you need a lawyer, you want someone who’s smart, aggressive, and experienced, with a proven history of success; an attorney you can trust who's committed to getting you the results you need. We’d like to put our extensive legal experience to work for you.

Strict deadlines apply to your case. Don't wait until it's too late.

Call us at (505) 888-5200

Practice Areas: Divorce, Custody & Family Law; Aggressive Criminal Defense; Business Disputes & Civil Lawsuits; Serious Personal Injury & Wrongful Death; Medical Malpractice

Marshall Ray is an award-winning attorney who has experience in a variety of criminal and civil litigation matters. He represents the accused in state and federal court. His civil experience includes labor and employment, construction, business litigation, civil rights, and appeals. Marshall has extensive experience in government relations, and he advises and consults with private and governmental organizations regarding their employee policies and practices. Additionally, he has conducted large-scale internal investigations. In 2014 he was named New Mexico’s Outstanding Young Lawyer of the Year by the State Bar of New Mexico. In 2015, he...

Based in Albuquerque, New Mexico, the Law Office of Matthew Vance, P.C., is a law firm committed to fighting for real people hurt or harmed by the careless or reckless conduct of others. It takes just a few seconds for an accident or incident to happen, but it can take years for a victim to recover from the physical and emotional harm suffered due to someone else’s careless or reckless conduct. A tragic sudden death or catastrophic injuries can result from avoidable accidents caused by negligence. Our firm fights for you - to hold the negligent and reckless...

Nephi Hardman has represented clients in hundreds of bankruptcy cases, including as debtor’s counsel in chapter 7s, chapter 13s, and a number of major chapter 11 reorganizations.

He has also represented appellants in several foreclosure cases before the New Mexico Court of Appeals and the New Mexico Supreme Court.

While in law school, Nephi convinced the BYU Law Review to publish his musings on arbitration awards in an environment of compulsory unionism. He used lots of footnotes and semicolons and other arcane devices, and to this day, doctors regularly prescribe his paper as a sleep-aid.

In 2019, SuperLawyers identified Mr. Hardman as a...

Thell Thomas is a New Mexico personal injury lawyer you can count on. He and his team will aggressively pursue personal injury claims on your behalf. He will quickly investigate your accident, hire the experts necessary to analyze and prove your case at trial, or position your personal injury case for the best possible settlement.
When you are injured, choosing your lawyer may be the most important decision you make. When someone else is negligent and they injure you in a car crash, that person basically owes you a debt. The person that injured you has a responsibility to...

I am a partner with Findlay, & Dziak, LLC (BFD Lawyers). We are a general practice law firm that offers a variety of legal services. With an office in Albuquerque, we can help clients with issues ranging from bankruptcy, business law, contract drafting & review, criminal defense, divorce, DWI defense, estate planning, family law, personal injury, probate, real estate, taxes, and more.

Heather K. Hansen began working on behalf of injured New Mexicans in 2003. She has handled hundreds of personal injury claims, ranging from fender benders to wrongful deaths, and she has helped her clients recover millions of dollars. Heather prides herself on her close personal relationships with her clients. She is known for her compassion and for going the extra mile to ensure that her clients are treated fairly.

Rachel Berenson founded Berenson & Associates in Albuquerque in order to provide more personalized and high-quality representation to clients. As an experienced attorney, she has been practicing law for over 15 years, tackling complex cases involving personal injury accidents, employee harassment, and advocating for victims of sexual abuse. She is also certified in auto accident reconstruction, a unique skill that allows her to accurately investigate and assess injury claims. Ms. Berenson is dedicated to providing honest, effective, and effective counsel. She is fluent in Spanish and Bahasa Indonesian.

When Domestic Violence Resource Center lost funding for its legal department, I was determined to build a private practice that would continue to serve victims of domestic violence and cater to clients of modest means - and that's what I've done. I am a family law attorney, with areas of speciality in domestic violence and Indian law and jurisdiction.

Lisa Torraco is a skilled trial attorney, practicing primarily criminal law and child abuse and neglect. She is highly respected and a zealous fighter for her cause. Recognized by her peers as the highest in ethical standards; Ms. Torraco is one of the prominent attorneys in the Albuquerque Metropolitan area. She has been lead attorney in over one hundred trials, having practiced in state and federal courts.

Ms. Torraco defends the innocent and seeks second chances for the guilty. "There is no higher calling than to represent an innocent person."

Olsi Vrapi is the managing partner of the firm and is based in the Albuquerque office. Mr. Vrapi represents individuals, families, and businesses in family and business visa petitions, green card applications, naturalization and citizenship, removal of conditions and green card renewals, H-1B visas, PERM applications, J-1 Conrad Physician Waivers, and other immigration matters. He also takes the government to federal court over delays and improper decisions. Mr. Vrapi is an Adjunct Professor at the University of New Mexico School of Law. Mr. Vrapi is fluent in Spanish, Albanian, proficient in Italian, and has passable knowledge of French.

Mr. Vrapi graduated...

Brady C. Pofahl is a lifelong resident of New Mexico who represents New Mexicans throughout the State with their personal injury claims.
After High School, he attended the University of New Mexico where he attained his undergraduate degree with honors. Following his degree, his desire to help others led him to attend the University Of New Mexico School Of Law. Mr. Pofahl was an editor with the NM Law Review and published a law review article. In 1998, he graduated with honors.
For two years, Mr. Pofahl practiced insurance defense law and then began representing victims of negligence through Personal Injury...

For almost thirty years, John Samore has emphasized professional competence and personal service. After ten years in a general law, Mr. Samore focused his practice almost entirely on two challenging areas: families in crisis and defending persons accused of criminal conduct. Mr. Samore acquired his appreciation for the law from his father, Edward, who practiced 57 years. Both gentlemen graduated from the University of Iowa College of Law. Admitted to practice in New Mexico in 1989, John Samore has effectively represented almost 1000 accused of criminal conduct and...

Nicole Moss has been practicing law in New Mexico since 2005. Ms. Moss started her career as a prosecutor in the Second Judicial District Attorney's Office where she handled cases ranging from Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol (DUI) to Child Abuse Resulting in Death to First Degree Murder. In 2010 she was named Legal Impact Prosecutor of the Year by the State of New Mexico Bar Association Prosecutor's Division for her work in child abuse prosecution. During her time at the D.A.'s office Ms. Moss tried over 75 cases before juries in both the Metropolitan and District Courts, including...

Leslie D. Maxwell was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico and practices primarily in bankruptcy and commercial law at Walker & Associates, P.C. She received her B.A. in Anthropology from Emory University in 2003 and her Juris Doctor from the University of New Mexico School of Law in 2006. At UNM, she was a judicial extern for the Hon. James S. Starzynski, former Bankruptcy Judge for the District of New Mexico. Except for a brief stint in insurance defense litigation, Ms. Maxwell has practiced primarily in bankruptcy law since 2006. Ms. Maxwell is a member...

In need of an Albuquerque immigration attorney? Mary Ann Romero of Mary Ann Romero & Associates may be able to help. Ms. Romero has more than 14 years of legal experience. She provides services for those trying to obtain green cards, visas, asylum, or citizenship, as well as those who are in need of deportation defense. In 2006, the State Bar of New Mexico named Ms. Romero as one of their Most Distinguished Members, and Imagen Magazine selected her as one of the Top 100 Latinas in New Mexico. Attorney Romero is a graduate of the University Of New Mexico...

Tamara Couture is the Senior Attorney at Couture Law. She has a Juris Doctor from the University of New Mexico School of Law and a Master of Arts in Community Counseling from the University of New Mexico. She matriculated into Occidental College for her Bachelor’s degree and received her Bachelor of Arts with a double major in Psychology and Professional Writing from the University of New Mexico, magna cum laude.

Tamara is a highly trained and experienced mediator. She is a recipient of the Judge Oliver Seth Award for Excellence in Alternative Dispute Resolution. Before becoming an attorney, her professional career...