For the month of September, we are joined by our four speakers from two different firms in New Mexico to discuss what is unique for attorneys and staff in bigger law firms. In this episode, Briggs Cheney, Seth Sparks, Mia Lardy, and Angelica Lopez speak to being intentional about their well-being and how bigger law firms handle the needs of their attorneys and staff. They will be addressing their experiences in the big firms and how they go about balancing the work along with their personal lives. This episode will cover: • The changing expectations of attorneys and staff in New Mexico. • Big Law—What does that mean in New Mexico versus other states? • How big firms go about attracting the newer generations of attorneys. • How the pandemic changed big law. • Being Intentional about work-life balance. • Understanding what motivates each attorney in a firm.
Speakers:
Briggs Cheney, Esq., Dixon•Scholl•Carrillo•P.A., and the Co-Chair to the NMJLAP Committee.
Seth Sparks is a director in the Litigation Department. He practices in the areas of trucking defense, professional liability, insurance coverage and bad faith and insurance defense. He represents his professional clients before their regulatory boards including the Disciplinary Board, an agency of the New Mexico Supreme Court. Having litigated jury and non-jury cases at all levels of state and federal courts in New Mexico, he has significant trial experience. Mr. Sparks also coordinates and conducts accident investigations for his trucking clients and set up a rapid action team for that purpose.
Mr. Sparks was a law clerk for the Honorable John Edwards Conway, Chief United States District Judge for the District of New Mexico from 1994-1996.
Mr. Sparks has achieved the highest Martindale-Hubbell rating.
Mr. Sparks is listed in The Best Lawyers in America for his expertise and experience in insurance law and transportation law.
Best Lawyers in America named Mr. Sparks Albuquerque Transportation Law Lawyer of the Year for the years 2013, 2018 and 2020.
Mr. Sparks is listed in Southwest Super Lawyers for his experience and expertise in Civil Litigation: Defense.
Mia Kern Lardy is a shareholder in the Litigation group. She practices primarily in employment, education, and insurance litigation at both the trial and appellate level. She has lead attorney experience in administrative due process hearings as well as in a jury trial. Mia has been recognized as a Southwest Rising Star by Southwest Super Lawyers® since 2016.
After receiving her undergraduate degree in Political Science and Spanish magna cum laude from Marquette University, Mia received her law degree cum laude with a certificate in child law from Loyola University Chicago School of Law in 2010. While at Loyola, Mia was a Child Law Fellow and the Editor-in-Chief of the Children’s Legal Rights Journal. She was awarded the President’s Medallion in 2009. Prior to joining Modrall Sperling, Mia clerked for the Honorable Petra Jimenez Maes of the New Mexico Supreme Court.
Mia served as an adjunct professor for a legal drafting class at the University of New Mexico School of Law. She also served on the University of New Mexico School of Law Kellogg Grant Advisory Committee that was charged with designing a new program in children’s law.
Angelica Lopez, is an Associate in the Albuquerque office. She is a member of our Litigation Department, and her practice focuses primarily on Products Liability, General Liability, and Health Law litigation.
During law school, Ms. Lopez served as Editor-in-Chief of the New Mexico Law Review. After her first year of law school, Ms. Lopez was selected to serve as an extern in the chambers of the Honorable Justice Barbara J. Vigil of the New Mexico Supreme Court. Ms. Lopez’s hard work and dedication to excellence in law school also allowed her to serve as a Tutor for Professor Ted Occhialino’s Civil Procedure class and as a Writing Tutor for the Legal Analysis and Communication Program.
Upon graduation, Ms. Lopez was among the top students recognized for academic success. She received a LexisNexis Award for Top Academic Achievement, the UNM School of Law’s Faculty Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Law School, and the West Academic Award for Outstanding Academic Achievement in the Third Year.
Ms. Lopez brings over twelve years of work experience with the State of New Mexico prior to law school, including eight years of service as a Court Clerk for the Second Judicial District Court, one and a half years of service at the Department of Finance and Administration, and three years of service at the General Services Department overseeing complex procurements for executive branch agencies.
Disclaimer:
Thank you for listening! This episode was produced by the State Bar of New Mexico’s Well-Being Committee and the New Mexico Lawyer Assistance Program. All editing and sound mixing was done by BlueSky eLearn. Intro music is by Gil Flores. The views of the presenters are that of their own and are not endorsed by the State Bar of New Mexico. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment or legal advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.