ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – Bernalillo County is teaming up with the University of New Mexico School of Law in a first-of-its-kind initiative aimed at changing the way legal assistance is provided to people facing criminal charges, lawsuits, and other legal issues. The focus: addressing the underlying problems clients face outside the courtroom.
Story continues below
- New Mexico Strange: When prophetic dreams come true: New Mexico local speaks on visions of 9/11
- Food: Traditional, glamourous, casual: A look at Albuquerque’s tea rooms
- News: VIDEO: Albuquerque officers catch suspect who thought he was meeting an underage girl
- Trending: Cicada killer wasps spotted in Albuquerque. Here’s what to know
This innovative partnership brings together law students and a licensed clinical social worker to provide more comprehensive support to vulnerable clients. It’s believed to be the first collaboration of its kind in the country.
The addition of a social worker is expected to deepen students’ understanding of the complex needs their clients bring to the table. Social workers are trained in trauma-informed care and in connecting people with a wide range of support services—tools that complement legal advocacy.
Story continues below
- New Mexico Strange: When prophetic dreams come true: New Mexico local speaks on visions of 9/11
- Food: Traditional, glamourous, casual: A look at Albuquerque’s tea rooms
- News: VIDEO: Albuquerque officers catch suspect who thought he was meeting an underage girl
- Trending: Cicada killer wasps spotted in Albuquerque. Here’s what to know
Serge Martinez, Associate Dean of Experiential Learning at UNM School of Law, has long advocated for bringing a social worker into the clinic. “As lawyers, we are trained to put out fires. To go to the scene where the fire has happened and figure out what we can do and what comes next,” said Martinez. “Working with a social worker is a really great opportunity for us to help our clients avoid having those fires start to begin with and avoid those problems coming up in their lives going forward.”
UNM’s Law Clinic provides free legal support to New Mexicans who cannot otherwise afford representation. Martinez said the majority of clients need more than legal advice—they need help with housing, mental health, transportation, and more. That’s where Bernalillo County stepped in, funding a full-time social worker for the clinic.
The county views the initiative as part of a broader, cross-sector approach to public service. “We don’t think that families experience problems in silos, and so we shouldn’t be siloed in our approach to solving those problems,” said Deanna Creighton, the county’s deputy director. “And so, we’re working together not just the county and the law school, but also this idea of legal services along with social services. We love this unique, innovative approach.”
The law school hopes the addition of a social worker will benefit both clients and students by preparing future attorneys to understand that clients’ needs often extend well beyond legal issues. Martinez said many clients at the clinic are low-income individuals and families who lack access to even basic services. “They’re a very vulnerable subset of New Mexicans. And they come into the clinic, and many of them have gone through some of the worst things that you can imagine and have come to us on one of the worst days of their lives.”
The county said it’s confident it will see a big return on investment because this aims to address a person’s legal challenges holistically by addressing legal and non-legal needs together. The hope is that clients will be more likely to stay on stable ground after their cases are resolved.
Creighton said the county is already considering expansion. Future partnerships could include New Mexico Highlands University in Las Vegas and New Mexico State University. Creighton’s department—Community School Innovation and Partnerships—was designed for exactly this kind of collaboration. “It has a long title, but that is exactly what we try to do: innovate with strategic partnerships,” she said.
