About SBNM

The State Bar is a professional membership organization of attorneys licensed to practice law in the State of New Mexico.  Established in 1886, the State Bar currently (02/2008) has over 8,144 members. The State Bar of New Mexico (State Bar) was incorporated under the laws of the State of New Mexico in 1978.  Prior to that, the State Bar operated as an agency of the Supreme Court of the State of New Mexico, established by State Statute on March 17, 1925. 

The State Bar is governed by a Board of Bar Commissioners, all of who are licensed attorneys elected by their peers from designated Bar Commissioner districts around New Mexico.  The Board of Bar Commissioners, together with the staff, carry out the purposes of the State Bar of New Mexico as stated in the Rules Governing the Bar and the State Bar Bylaws, which include:

• “… to promote the interests of the legal profession in the State of New Mexico;
• to improve the relationships between the legal profession and the public;
• to encourage and assist in the delivery of legal services to all in need of such services;
• to aid in improving the administration of justice;
• to foster and maintain high ideals of integrity, learning, competence and public service;
• to provide a forum for the discussion of subjects pertaining to the practice of law and law reform;
• to promote and provide continuing legal education in technical fields of substantive law and practice;
• to participate in the legislative, executive and judicial processes by informing its membership about issues affecting the legal system and relating to the purposes of the State Bar, and upon approval by the Board of Bar Commissioners…, to take such further action as may be necessary to present the views of the Board to the appropriate court, executive office or legislative body for consideration.”