There were three more active legal licenses in McKinley County in the first quarter of 2026 than in the previous quarter, according to the State Bar of New Mexico.
Overall, 43 lawyers were working within the county at the time, compared to 40 the quarter before.
Data refers to all lawyers who were actively practicing during this time period.
As of April 1, 2026, average lawyer salaries in New Mexico ranged from $92,683 for an entry-level attorney handling routine legal work (Attorney I) to $234,661 for highly experienced attorneys managing complex cases with significant autonomy (Attorney V). Mid-level attorneys, such as those in Attorney III roles—who handle highly complex legal work with moderate supervision—earn on average $173,708 in New Mexico, compared to $187,549 nationwide.
New Mexico had a first-time pass rate of 81% on the July 2025 bar exam, above the national average that year, based on results from the National Conference of Bar Examiners. The rate marked a slight drop from 83% in July 2024, when the state ranked among the top 10 for first-time passage.
The overall pass rate in New Mexico was 63% in July 2025, compared with 69% in July 2024.
| Lawyer Name | Name of Firm | Admission Date |
|---|---|---|
| April Ann Quinn | April Quinn Law, LLC | 01/05/2015 |
| Arianne E. Depauli | Rosebrough Fowles & Foutz, P.C. | 09/28/2021 |
| Bernadine Martin | 11th Judicial District Attorney’s Office | 09/24/2001 |
| Bradley L. Keeler | 11th Judicial District Attorney’s Office | 07/01/2003 |
| Caitlin D. Pozernick | Law Offices of the Public Defender | 09/23/2019 |
| Calvin Lee Jr. | CJ Lee & Associates, P.C. | 05/05/2003 |
| Christy S. Chapman | Law Office of Christy Chapman, LLC | 04/29/2019 |
| David Richard Eason | — | 08/16/2023 |
| Douglas W. Decker | 11th Judicial District Court | 10/02/1990 |
| Douglas William Fowles | Rosebrough Fowles & Foutz, P.C. | 02/23/2017 |
| Earl Augustus Rhoads III | 11th Judicial District Attorney’s Office | 10/04/1999 |
| Erika Rose Pirotte | — | 12/10/2019 |
| Felisha Adams | BLPA | 09/28/2021 |
| Grant R. Birtcher | Navajo Nation Gaming Enterprise | 04/24/2018 |
| Heather L. Clah | Tohono O’odham Nation | 04/27/2007 |
| James J. Mason | Mason & Isaacson, P.A. | 09/01/1975 |
| Jean Philips | — | 04/20/2009 |
| Jeremy Michael Gay | Advocate Law Center, P.A. | 01/08/2019 |
| Jesse Max Mallinger | Navajo Nation Department of Justice | 04/28/2025 |
| Jessica E. Halperin | New Mexico Legal Aid, Inc. | 04/21/2021 |
| Joel R. Jasperse | New Mexico Legal Aid, Inc. | 10/05/1981 |
| John W. Bernitz | 11th Judicial District Attorney’s Office Div I. | 04/27/2007 |
| Kandis Martine | NM Children Youth and Families Department | 04/26/2004 |
| Krystal A. Dominguez | — | 04/25/2016 |
| Levon B. Henry | — | 05/21/1996 |
| Linda G. Padilla | — | 10/09/1991 |
| Louis I. Mallette | Law Offices of the Public Defender | 10/16/2017 |
| Luke Allen Jobe | Law Offices of the Public Defender | 10/13/2022 |
| Marcella King | — | 05/05/1997 |
| McKade Ron Loe | Rosebrough Fowles & Foutz, P.C. | 10/12/2023 |
| Michael A. Venegas | Mason & Isaacson, P.A. | 12/04/1995 |
| Pablo H. Padilla | Pablo H. Padilla Esq | 09/26/2005 |
| Patrick T. Mason | Mason & Isaacson, P.A. | 04/27/2007 |
| Paul D. Tony | NM Children Youth and Families Department | 06/24/2022 |
| Phillip T. Gay | Advocate Law Center | 09/29/2025 |
| Ramsey Mumtaz Younis | Law Offices of the Public Defender | 10/12/2023 |
| Robert David Pederson | 11th Judicial District Court | 10/11/1978 |
| Robyn K. Neswood | — | 09/23/2013 |
| Sharon M. Noel | Navajo Technical University | 12/16/1998 |
| Taylor A. Bingham | New Mexico Legal Aid, Inc. | 10/13/2022 |
| Thomas Lynn Isaacson | Mason & Isaacson, P.A. | 10/05/1981 |
| William G. Stripp | Law Office of William G. Stripp | 04/27/1992 |
| William R. Keeler | Keeler & Keeler, LLC | 10/08/1997 |
