About Us
In a state where almost half a million residents live under the poverty line, New Mexico Legal Aid strives to maintain a high level of service to promote family and economic stability. For every 14,000 poor persons, there is one legal aid attorney at NMLA. We dedicate our work to individuals and families who have depleted resources for basic human needs, ultimately securing safe housing, food, income, and personal safety. We are proud and grateful for the opportunities to work alongside our colleagues and community partners to help alleviate poverty in New Mexico.
Our Vision
New Mexico Legal Aid is a civil legal advocacy organization dedicated to opening the door to equal access to justice for all disenfranchised and low-income people and communities throughout New Mexico by providing outreach, training, education, and quality representation.
Our Mission
The mission of New Mexico Legal Aid, Inc. (NMLA) is to be the voice, defender, and advocate for poor people who are seeking justice in all forums, particularly in the communities in which they live. NMLA is committed to helping poor people in their struggle to access food, shelter, security, and to preserve their unique cultural heritages.
What Is Legal Aid?
Legal aid programs help people who live in households with annual incomes at or below 125% of the federal poverty guidelines. Clients represent every ethnic and age group and live in rural, suburban, and urban areas. They are the working poor, veterans, families with children, farmers and migrant workers, people with disabilities, homeowners, renters, and the elderly. Legal assistance is necessary for addressing many issues that affect low-income individuals and families, including:
- Access to Benefits
- Consumer Rights
- Employment and Income Maintenance
- Family Law and Domestic Violence
- Landlord/ Tenant and other housing issues
Our Projects
In addition to these practice areas, New Mexico Legal Aid currently works on twelve individual projects including:
A StateWide Domestic Violence Talk & Help Line
Land & Water
Rights
Language
Access
Legal Services for
Victims of Violence
Low Income
Taxpayer Clinic
Migrant Farmworker/
Low Wage Worker Advocacy
Native American
Program
Partnering for
Native American Health
Rural
Advocacy
Special Immigration
Juvenile Status
Veteran’s
Justice
NMLA Locations
New Mexico Legal Aid has ten office locations serving all counties in New Mexico, although the majority of San Juan county is covered by our partner agency, DNA People’s Legal Services.
Click here for a printable list of our addresses, phone numbers, and office hours for NMLA locations around the state. If you are not sure which office to contact, call our main offfice in Albuquerque at 505-243-7871. We’ll be happy to help make sure you get to the right place! If you want to apply for legal help, call our Statewide Intake Line at 1-833-545-4357 (Monday-Thursday, 10:00am to 3:00pm) or Apply Online.
Office Hours
New Mexico Legal Aid offices are open by appointment only due to the ongoing Coronavirus Pandemic. Holiday closures are listed on our Events page.
If you want to apply for legal help, call our Statewide Intake Line at 1-833-545-4357 (Monday-Thursday, 10:00am to 3:00pm) or apply online (see top navigation bar).
Volunteer Attorney Program
Working in close collaboration with the State Bar of New Mexico, Access to Justice Commission and local judicial district pro bono committees, New Mexico Legal Aid’s Volunteer Attorney Program (VAP) engages in direct case placement with pro bono attorneys, sponsors CLE events, training, and provides support and coordination for local legal clinics for low-income New Mexico residents.
Support NMLA with a Donation
New Mexico families living in poverty struggle with issues of domestic violence, foreclosure, healthcare debt, predatory lending, Veteran’s accessing benefits, and more. By funding civil legal aid in New Mexico, you help families in our community fight poverty. If you would like to contribute to those in need, please visit our donation page. Thank you!
Client Survey
Providing our clients with high-quality legal services is paramount to New Mexico Legal Aid. If you have been a client and would like to give us some feedback, please download and complete our client satisfaction survey or CLICK HERE to complete our survey online.