An annual tradition, Equal Access to Justice and APIL hosted a panel discussion at UNM School of Law on February 12th.  Moderated by Professor Serge Martinez, our invited speakers explored the growing legal needs of underserved communities and how to get involved.  

Heartfelt gratitude to Judge David Herrera Urias; Rudy Sanchez, DNA People's Legal Services; Sonya Bellafant, New Mexico Legal Aid, and Celia Yapita, the New Mexico Center on Law and Poverty. Thank you for sharing your experiences and encouraging UNM School of Law students to explore public interest law and engage in pro bono work!   ​

Equal Access to Justice's Leadership Committee is a committed group of attorneys, legal professionals and community leaders that represent law firms, in-house counsel and key community stakeholders. This volunteer team spearheads EAJ’s annual fundraising campaign & engages their peers, coworkers and employers to give back to the community by meaningfully supporting civil legal aid services for the most vulnerable in New Mexico.  Please join them in giving generously this year.  eaj-nm.org/donate

Our friends at Singleton Schreiber, have generously made a $25,000 Matching Challenge.  Equal Access to Justice supporters can double their impact and help unlock this game-changing match - but they need to donate before December 15th.! Every gift matters and will have 2x the impact!  Donate online today by following this link.  Or mail a check to:  PO Box 25941, Albuquerque, NM 87125.  Donations to Equal Access to Justice are a perfect way to fulfill your pro bono & professional obligations by supporting civil legal services!

Thank you for stepping up and extending the reach of justice in our community!  Your sense of fairness and generosity helped us raise over $410,000 to better support civil legal aid services in New Mexico. Join us in celebrating all the remarkable folks that made this possible. Follow this link to read Equal Access to Justice's 2023-24 Annual Report. ​

We are deeply grateful for our community's generous support and commitment to increasing access and fairness in the civil justice system.  Thanks to the generosity of our Leadership Society Members and Defenders of Justice, this year's annual campaign raised over $410,000!  This significantly increases our impact providing more unrestricted funding for our civil legal aid partners, New Mexico Legal Aid, the New Mexico Center on Law and Poverty, and DNA People's Legal Services. 

Judge Erin O'Connell, Rudy Sanchez (DNA People's Legal Services), Sonya Bellafant (New Mexico Legal Aid), and Maria Griego (the New Mexico Center on Law and Poverty) were distinguished panelists at an event at UNM Law School co-sponsored by Equal Access to Justice and APIL on March 20. This marks the third consecutive year of collaboration, emphasizing outreach to UNM Law Students.
Judge Erin O’Connell opened the event with a presentation on the importance of civil legal services, emphasizing the need for them in New Mexico’s “legal desert.” For instance, 75% of low-income households face at least one legal problem, and 92% do not get any or enough legal help. For every 14,000 low-income individuals in New Mexico, there is only one NMLA attorney.
Panelists addressed the critical significance of equal access to justice and the provision of legal services to underserved communities. With Professor Serge Martinez as the moderator, the panel explored vital topics surrounding legal equity and community empowerment.   Watch the livestream recording.