Little, Gilman-Tepper and Batley are so proud to announce that Randy Powers has received his New Mexico Board Certification as a Family Law Specialist. There are specific standards and procedures for certification as a specialist in Family Law. Randy has met with all of the following criteria to achieve this certification.

All applicants for certification in Family Law must be active members in good standing with the New Mexico Bar and shall meet the requirements for certification or recertification governed by the Rules of the New Mexico Board of Legal Specialization and prescribed by the Committee.

Family Law is the practice of law dealing with all aspects of domestic relationships, annulment, separation and divorce, alimony and child support, child custody matters, property and debt division, marital torts, paternity, adoption, family law settlement facilitation and family law mediation, giving due consideration to the tax consequences, including retirement plan values and divisions, and court proceedings relating thereto both trial and appeal, and pre and post decree.

Applicants for certification or recertification shall furnish satisfactory evidence of their good character and reputation. an applicant for certification or recertification as a specialist shall submit the names and addresses of four (4) lawyers licensed in New Mexico engaged in the “practice of law,” and who have worked on cases with the applicant during the last three (3) years, and one (1) judge hearing or reviewing family law cases before whom the applicant has practiced during the last three (3) years, and who are familiar with applicant’s practice and who are not partners, associates or members of the Committee, the Board or the New Mexico Supreme Court, to be contacted as references to attest to the applicant’s experience, involvement, and competency in the practice of Family Law.

1. Applicants shall have been engaged in the practice of law for a period of 5 years on a full-time basis.

2. During each of the five years immediately preceding application, applicants must show that their time devoted to the practice of Family Law was not less than 33.3% of a normal full-time practice of law, or the equivalent annual hours (624 hours based on a work year of 2080 hours).

3. During the three years preceding application for initial certification, applicants must have earned credit for not less than 72 hours of continuing legal education (CLE) in approved courses or programs dealing with Family Law which may include but not limited to evidence, civil procedure, ethics, psychology, accounting, tax, and estate planning. Training in alternative dispute resolution is particularly recommended.

4. Applicants must make a satisfactory showing of qualification through peer review by providing five references who shall be attorneys and judges

5. Renewal of certification shall be required every five years

Congratulations Randy!