There were seven fewer active legal licenses in McKinley County in July than in the previous month, according to the State Bar of New Mexico.
Overall, 41 lawyers were working within the county at the time, compared to 48 the month before.
Data refers to all lawyers who were actively practicing during this time period.
As of March 1, 2025, average lawyer salaries in New Mexico ranged from $96,460 for an entry-level attorney handling routine legal work (Attorney I) to $202,032 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 $161,322 in New Mexico, compared to $174,969 nationwide.
Based on results from the February 2025 Bar Exam by the National Conference of Bar Examiners, New Mexico’s first-time pass rate was 63%, ranking it above the national average at the time. However, that also marked a notable drop from the 82% first-time pass rate in July 2024, when New Mexico was among the top 10 states for first-time passage.
For context, overall pass rates for the February 2025 bar exam were low, with only 14 states recording rates above 50%. The decline has been linked to historically low scores on the Multistate Bar Examination (MBE), which saw its lowest average since it began in 1972.
| Lawyer Name | Name of Firm | Admission Date |
|---|---|---|
| April Ann Quinn | — | 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 | 11th Judicial District Court | 09/23/2019 |
| Calvin Lee Jr. | CJ Lee & Associates, P.C. | 05/05/2003 |
| 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 | Law Offices of the Public Defender | 10/04/1999 |
| Felisha Adams | BLPA | 09/28/2021 |
| Grant L. Foutz | Rosebrough Fowles & Foutz, P.C. | 04/01/1976 |
| Grant R. Birtcher | Navajo Nation Gaming Enterprise | 04/24/2018 |
| James J. Mason | Mason & Isaacson, P.A. | 09/01/1975 |
| Jean Philips | New Mexico Legal Aid, Inc. | 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 | Law Office of John Bernitz | 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 |
| Linda Riley R. James | Linda Riley James Attorney at Law, LLC | 04/20/2009 |
| Louis I. Mallette | Law Offices of the Public Defender | 10/16/2017 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| Samuel Chase Wilson | Law Offices of the Public Defender | 06/27/2023 |
| 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 |
