Practice Areas

• Real estate and mortgage financing law, including representation of in-state and out-of-state owners, sellers, buyers, lenders, borrowers, landlords and tenants in single-asset or multi-state transactions, including local counsel enforceability and recordability opinions; Banking; Wills; Trusts; Estates; Gifts; Probate; Administration, including ancillary probate proceedings; Construction and Architects contracts, primarily representing the interests of owners; Contract Law

With Sommer Udall Sutin Law Firm Since

• 2008

Education

• J.D., University of New Mexico, 1959
• B.A., University of Arizona and University of New Mexico

Bar Admissions

• State of New Mexico

Practicing Law Since

• 1959

Professional associations and memberships:

• American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC)
• Real Property, Probate & Trust Section, State Bar of New Mexico
• Section of Real Property, Probate and Trust Law - American Bar Association

Recognitions

• Life member of the National Registry of Who's Who as published in the 1998 Edition
• Selected as a 2009 New Mexico Super Lawyer (Law & Politics)

Published Works

• "A Note on the Remains of the Corporate Seal," 2 N.M. Real Est. L. Rep. 25 (1988), Butterworth Legal Publishers, Austin, Texas.
• "Selected New Mexico Joint Tenancy Issues," 2 N.M. Real Est. L. Rep. 13 (1988), Butterworth Legal Publishers, Austin, Texas.
• "A Survey Requirements Checklist," The Practical Real Estate Lawyer, Vol. 4, November, 1988, Number 6, The American Law Institute - American Bar Association Committee on Continuing Professional Education.
• "May a Leasehold Estate Be Mortgaged in New Mexico?" 2 N.M. Real Est. L. Rep. 41 (1989), Butterworth Legal Publishers, Austin, Texas, cited in Resolution Trust Corporation v. Binford, 144 N.M. 560, 844 P.2d 810 (1992).
• "Drafting Conventions For Unconventional Drafting," The Practical Real Estate Lawyer, Vol. 5, March, 1989, Number 2, The American Law Institute - American Bar Association Committee on Continuing Professional Education.
• "Some New Mexico Judgment Lien Considerations," 3 N.M. Real Est. L. Rep. 13 (1989), Butterworth Legal Publishers, Austin, Texas.
• "A Primer on Easements in New Mexico," 3 N.M. Real Est. L. Rep. 29 (1990), Butterworth Legal Publishers, Austin, Texas.
• "Assignments of Leases and Rents in Mortgage Financing," The Practical Real Estate Lawyer, Vol. 6, November, 1990, Number 6, The American Bar Association Committee on Continuing Professional Education.
• "A Primer on Easements in New Mexico: Part Two," 4 N.M. Real Est. L. Rep. 17 (1990), Butterworth Legal Publishers, Austin, Texas.
• "After Acquired Property Doctrine in New Mexico," 4 N.M. Real Est. L. Rep. 25 (1991), Butterworth Legal Publishers, Austin, Texas.
• "Do Warranty Covenants Really Run With the Land?" 4 N.M. Real Est. L. Rep. 31 (1991), Butterworth Legal Publishers, Austin, Texas.
• "A Look at Pre-Marital Agreements in New Mexico," Business Outlook, Albuquerque Journal, Monday, August 24, 1992.
• "Unlucid Luce (Mortgages on Real Estate Contracts)", State Bar of New Mexico Real Property, Probate and Trust Section Newsletter, June 1996.
• "Oral Modification of Written Contracts (Is Nothing Holy?)", State Bar of New Mexico Real Property, Probate and Trust Section Newsletter, Vol. IV, No. 1, April 1997.
• "The Answer is No." State Bar of New Mexico Real Property, Probate and Trust Section Newsletter, Vol. 2000, Issue 1, May 2000.

Previous Classes and Seminars Taught

• "Legislative Update: New Mexico Deed of Trust" - Presentation at State Bar of New Mexico, 101st Annual Convention, September 24-26, 1987, Santa Fe, New Mexico, sponsored by the Real Estate, Probate and Trust Section, State Bar of New Mexico.
• "Elements of Commercial Mortgage Loan Packages for Institutional Lenders" - Presentation at Legal Assistants of New Mexico Summer Session, July 26, 1986, Santa Fe, New Mexico.
• "What's It All About Alfie? - The Buzz Words of Wills and Probate" - Presentation at Probate Judges Training Conference, May 14, 1987, Taos, New Mexico, sponsored by the Administrative Office of the Court, Supreme Court of New Mexico.
• "Proof of Authority and Informal Ancillary Probate Proceedings under New Mexico Probate Code" - Presentation at Probate Judges Training Conference on January 25, 1988, Santa Fe, New Mexico, sponsored by the Administrative Office of the Courts, Supreme Court of New Mexico.
• "The Role of the Support Staff in the Closing of a Real Estate Purchase and Sale Agreement" - Presentation at New Mexico Trial Lawyers Association training conference on October 20, 1988, Albuquerque, New Mexico.
• Powers of the Personal Representative - The Transfer of Real and Personal Property" - Presentation at Probate Judges Training Conference on January 24, 1989, Santa Fe, New Mexico, sponsored by the Administrative Office of the Courts, Supreme Court of New Mexico.
• "Wills and Probate Avoidance Techniques" - Presentation at The Stateman’s Club, ABQ Bank, Federal Savings Bank, May 9, 1989.
• "Real Estate Financing Environmental Drafting Considerations" - Presentation at Farm Credit Bank of Wichita Loan Officers Legal Workshop Conference on November 1, 1989, Albuquerque, New Mexico.
• "Proof of Authority and Informal Ancillary Probate Proceedings Under New Mexico Probate Code" - Presentation at Probate Judges Training Conference on January 23, 1990, Santa Fe, New Mexico, sponsored by the Administrative Office of the Courts, Supreme Court of New Mexico.
• "Avoiding Guardianship and Dealing With Disability" - Presentation at The Statesman's Club, ABQ Bank, Federal Savings Bank, July 20, 1990.
• "Basic Estate Planning" - Presentation at Los Alamos National Laboratory, Charles Schwab retirement seminar, August 30, 1993.
• "Sanctity of Contracts" - Presentation at 4th Annual Real Property Institute on November 5, 1993, Albuquerque, New Mexico, co-sponsored by Continuing Legal Education of the State Bar of New Mexico, the Real Property, Probate and Trust Section of the State Bar of New Mexico, and others.
• "Law of Easements in New Mexico: Legal Issues and Practical Considerations" - Presentations at Lorman Education Services seminars, Albuquerque, New Mexico, March 26, 2003; March 26, 2004; and May 10, 2005.
• "Proof of Authority and Informal Ancillary Probate Proceedings Under New Mexico Probate Code" - Presentation at Annual Mandatory Probate Judges Training Conference on January 16, 2006, Santa Fe, New Mexico, sponsored by New Mexico Judicial Education Center, Institute of Public Law, UNM School of Law.

Philanthropic and Community Involvement

• Member, The Estate Planning Council of Santa Fe
• Member, Board of Directors, Santa Feans for Responsible Growth, 1994-1997
• Member, Board of Directors, Santa Fe Economic Development, Inc., 1996-2001
• Member, Advisory Board, Santa Fe Economic Development, Inc., 2004-2007
• Member, Board of Directors, Santa Fe County Chamber of Commerce, 1992-1995

Interests and Hobbies

• Movies, writing poetry