There were three fewer active legal licenses in Lea County in the first quarter of 2026 than in the previous quarter, according to the State Bar of New Mexico.
Overall, 45 lawyers were working within the county at the time, compared to 48 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Amber Christine Leija | — | 05/15/2023 |
| Andrew Lowell Stout | Stout & Stout Lawyers | 09/20/2016 |
| Austin Wade | Zebas Law Firm | 11/18/2025 |
| Ayana Isabella Estrada | — | 06/21/2024 |
| Blake J. Dugger | Law Office of Blake J. Dugger, P.C. | 11/04/2016 |
| Chase Clark | Fifth Judicial District Attorney’s Office | 06/27/2025 |
| Chiduziem Chinedu Ezeh | NM Children Youth and Families Department | 02/28/2019 |
| Christan Quiroz Valencia | Valencia Law Firm | 09/25/2018 |
| Christopher R. Mills | — | 09/27/2007 |
| Cynthia Lane Graves | NM Children Youth and Families Department | 01/18/2022 |
| D’Nae Robinett L. Mills | DRM Attorney at Law, LLC | 09/23/2019 |
| Eduardo Ramirez | Law Offices of the Public Defender | 05/11/2022 |
| Efren Andres Cortez | Fifth Judicial District Court | 09/25/2012 |
| Erik Ryne Hutcheson | Davis W. Smith, P.C. | 04/24/2014 |
| Gareth Edward Denham | Law Offices of the Public Defender | 10/24/2024 |
| Jesse Craig | Law Offices of the Public Defender | 09/11/2023 |
| John W. Caldwell Jr. | — | 04/26/2004 |
| Joseph Mio Zebas | Zebas Law Firm, PLLC | 03/04/1999 |
| Joy Akayla Key-shawna Applewhite | Law Offices of the Public Defender | 09/28/2021 |
| Juan Venancio Silva | Silva Law Firm | 05/12/1999 |
| Karen McReynolds | McReynolds Law Firm | 04/25/2011 |
| Karli Sue McMurray | One Love Worldwide | 09/25/2012 |
| Kathleen A. Moran | Crenshaw Dupree & Milam, LLP | 04/24/2006 |
| Kirk C. Chavez | NM Human Services Department Child Support Enforcement Division | 02/01/2005 |
| Larry K. Bishop | — | 10/09/1991 |
| Laura K. Castillo | Laura K. Castillo Attorney at Law | 09/20/2004 |
| Lee A. Kirksey | Fifth Judicial District Court | 05/01/2000 |
| Lewis C. Cox III | Heidel Samberson Cox & McMahon, LLC | 09/26/1989 |
| Lisa Kuykendall | NM Children Youth and Families Department | 10/08/1998 |
| Mark L. Stout | Stout & Stout Lawyers | 08/27/1979 |
| Mark Terrence Sanchez | Fifth Judicial District Court | 10/05/1987 |
| Medjine Desrosiers-Douyon | — | 10/24/2024 |
| Megan A. Kirtley | Fifth Judicial District Attorney’s Office | 04/29/2022 |
| Melissa A. Sawyers | The Sawyers Law Group | 09/22/1992 |
| Michael H. Stone | Fifth Judicial District Court | 10/05/1992 |
| Michael T. Newell | Newell Law Firm, LLC | 10/05/1987 |
| Mirna Raquel Torres | — | 10/04/1999 |
| Patrick B. McMahon | Heidel Samberson Cox & McMahon, LLC | 03/28/1997 |
| Ricardo Jasso | Jasso & Jasso Law Firm, LLC | 09/23/2019 |
| Scotty A. Holloman | Holloman Law, LLC | 04/12/1984 |
| Sri Mullis | Fifth Judicial District Attorney’s Office | 09/20/2010 |
| Tashika A. Curlee | Law Offices of the Public Defender | 09/23/2019 |
| Ugochuku Nwachuku | Law Offices of the Public Defender | 02/09/2024 |
| Valerie S. Chacon | — | 09/25/2018 |
| William G. Shoobridge | — | 10/09/1974 |
