Alicia M. LaPado is a Senior Litigation Associate of the firm and member of the New Mexico Bar. Her practice includes business litigation, general civil litigation, and criminal defense. Prior to becoming an associate, Ms. LaPado was employed by the firm as a law clerk where she provided support for complex civil and criminal matters, primarily in federal court. She also researched, drafted, and prepared briefs for submission in both state and federal court, as well as the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals. Having several years of experience at the firm in other capacities, her knowledge with regard to business law extends beyond her recent admittance to the Bar.
Ms. LaPado obtained her Juris Doctorate magna cum laude in 2013 from the University of New Mexico School of Law, and was granted membership to the Order of the Coif following graduation. As a law student, she received Clinical Honors for her work in the Business and Tax Clinic. Mrs. LaPado’s case note was selected for publication in the New Mexico Law Review, and she also served as a student article editor for the Law Review. As a judicial extern for the Honorable James O. Browning, Ms. LaPado performed legal research and analysis, prepared draft opinions in the areas of federal civil procedure, and attended several criminal and civil motions hearings, criminal detention hearings and a homicide trial.
Ms. LaPado has been named a 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022 New Mexico Rising Star by Super Lawyers, a distinction that recognizes no more than 2.5% of attorneys in each state.