Our Practice Areas

Your company's representation before local, state, and federal administrative bodies and regulatory agencies affects your everyday business and impacts your bottom line. Companies and associations that understand the importance of experience in this area count on Miller Stratvert.
 
Any time your business becomes involved with a regulatory agency or needs an effective lobbying strategy, you can rely on our team of governmental experts to make sure your interests are protected. We’ve represented companies, both large and small, before a wide range of local, state, and federal regulatory agencies, including:

• Bureau of Land Management
• Minerals Management Service
• Human Rights Division
• Department of Insurance
• Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
• Public Regulation Commission
• Alcohol and Gaming Division
• Construction Industries Division
• New Mexico Oil Conservation Division
• Financial Institutions Division
• Real Estate Division
• New Mexico Environment Department

Miller Stratvert is one of New Mexico's preeminent appellate law firms. Our attorneys practice in the State Court of Appeals and Supreme Court and are admitted to practice in the federal courts, including the 10th Circuit, 9th Circuit, 5th Circuit, 4th Circuit, and the United States Supreme Court. Several members of our appellate practice group also handle state and federal administrative appeals.

While most of the firm's appellate practice arises out of matters tried by litigators within the firm, Miller Stratvert also acts as co-counsel and handles appellate matters and post-trial motions in cases tried by counsel from other law firms.

Working with clients to resolve their differences in all types of disputes, including business, products liability, construction, professional liability, and health care, is one of Miller Stratvert’s unique services.

We know that an early, thorough evaluation of every legal issue is critical for determining how best to serve your needs, so we are always prepared to advise you on all forms of alternative dispute resolution. After many years of trial and courtroom experience, several of our attorneys use that expertise to help clients work through disputes as mediators or arbitrators. 

From small start-ups to large companies, some of New Mexico’s leading businesses rely on our expertise. Our team of business lawyers is known for its extensive experience in business formation, mergers, acquisitions, and a variety of other business and commercial transactions. With in-house resources in specialty areas of litigation, government relations, environmental law, land use, taxation, and water rights, our business lawyers ensure your needs are fully addressed.

Litigation is one of our principle strengths. In many respects, our firm grew from a litigation practice to the full-service firm we are today.  Our lawyers engage in all types of civil litigation and administrative practice, from simple litigation to complex multi-district and class action cases. We also appear before regulatory agencies. We represent clients in litigation involving a broad range of subjects and levels of complexity, including:

We know that an early, thorough evaluation of every legal issue is critical to determining how to best serve you. Our litigation attorneys are well versed in all forms of dispute resolution, but we are also ready to represent your rights in court if a trial is the only recourse.  We will consult with you on the most efficient way to resolve your situation.

Our lawyers have extensive experience representing the State of New Mexico and the state’s many municipalities, counties, and political subdivisions. We routinely defend public entities that have been sued for civil rights violations under 42 U.S.C. § 1983. We also represent police and sheriff departments around the state in matters alleging wrongful arrest, illegal search and seizure, excessive force and wrongful death, termination of employment without due process of law, and jail-based violations of liberty and property. In addition, we represent public entities that have been sued under the New Mexico Tort Claims Act, which may encompass claims of premises liability, negligent operation of utilities, medical malpractice, and law enforcement liability.

Miller Stratvert has extensive negotiation and litigation experience in condemnation proceedings.  We have represented clients under both the New Mexico Eminent Domain Code and the Special Alternative Condemnation Procedure.  We have litigated many condemnation issues, including the core issues of “public use”, necessity of immediate possession, inverse condemnation and valuation.

Our lawyers regularly advise contractors, subcontractors, and construction suppliers, as well as architects, engineers, and builders, about contracts, liens, federal and state Miller Act claims, and other issues involving the construction industry.

We assist with licensing, gross receipts and other tax issues unique to the construction industry, as well as provide help with employment, workers' compensation, and insurance matters.  We represent clients statewide regarding their construction needs.

We work with businesses, financial institutions, trustees, unsecured creditors' committees, and individuals to anticipate, understand, and evaluate simple and complex insolvency and bankruptcy matters. Our lawyers plan and pursue efficient strategies to obtain the best possible asset protection, financial workout and restructuring, money recovery, and resolution of financial problems.  We also help clients tailor their business practices to maximize account collections.

Our firm has extensive experience handling employment-related cases and personnel matters involving both private and public sector employment. We can help you draft employment agreements and employee handbooks and policies, and we handle all types of employment-related litigation and administrative claims before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the New Mexico Human Rights Division, and the federal and state Departments of Labor.

The firm routinely handles litigation alleging discrimination and wrongful termination under both state and federal law, including allegations of sexual harassment and discrimination, age, race, and disability discrimination, and related claims, such as retaliation. We have experience defending Title VII discrimination actions, Americans with Disability Act claims, and age discrimination in employment claims, at both the administrative and court level. We also handle contract-based claims concerning alleged breache of employment contracts and breache of covenant not to compete brought by former employees.

Our private clients include financial institutions, restaurants, health care providers, insurance companies, non-profit corporations, real estate companies, automobile dealerships, and government contractors.

Miller Stratvert has environmental experience you can count on. Our lawyers have practiced before the Environmental Protection Agency, the New Mexico Environment Department, and the New Mexico Oil Conservation Division. Our firm was called upon to litigate New Mexico's first Superfund case due to the respect we have earned in this area.

Environmental laws and regulations can greatly affect the way you conduct business. From commercial contracts that involve environmentally sensitive properties, to the sale of real estate with environmental contamination, the success of your business may depend on the counsel you receive from your lawyer.

Our lawyers are well-known for their expertise in managed care contracting, administrative law, and litigation in the health care field.

We represent and advise health care facilities, physicians, and other health professionals in all aspects of their business operations, including business planning, contract preparation, negotiation and review, HIPAA privacy and security rule compliance, licensing and credentialing issues, operational issues, regulatory matters, and collections.

Whom better to trust for legal advice about your insurance than a law firm known for its insurance defense work? Because Miller Stratvert has vast experience with all aspects of insurance coverage, we can assist with legal questions regarding your coverage. You can count on our lawyers to have the answers to all of your insurance questions.

Bad Faith claims can affect many types of businesses. Our lawyers have extensive experience in this area and can guide you through the legalities in such cases.

Our talented lawyers have represented restaurants, bars, and package liquor establishments on issues involving the sale and service of alcohol in violation of the Liquor Control Act, employee misconduct, and premises liability. In addition, They have represented liquor license holders in license revocation matters and in cases involving violation of the Liquor Control Act.

Few businesses are as regulated as those that deal with oil and gas. Our oil and gas experts are highly respected for their knowledge of the industry, from the wellhead to the gas pump. Our clients have relied on our expertise in diverse areas, including royalty class action, severance tax issues, oil field accident litigation, and environmental matters.

Recently recognized as the most important factor in the future of New Mexico, water rights continue to create headlines. Miller Stratvert's water and natural resources lawyers are ahead of the curve in experience in this growing area of law.

Several of Miller Stratvert's lawyers have extensive experience with products liability issues.  Our lawyers have tried numerous cases involving a wide variety of products and have worked with many technical experts so that they are able to understand and litigate the unique issues regarding defective products claims.  Our team has worked successfully on major litigation, including multi-district litigation and class action litigation of defective product claims ranging from office machines to pharmaceutical products.

Miller Stratvert prides itself on its malpractice defense work.  While we primarily represent physicians and dentists, we also routinely defend a variety of other professionals, including engineers, architects, and lawyers.  Our attorney-client relationship with professionals also extends to representation before their respective licensing boards, in contract review and negotiations, and in business and estate planning.  Our malpractice defense work reaches beyond the individual professional and encompasses professional organizations as well, including a number of health care institutions such as hospitals, nursing homes, and rehabilitation centers.  

Recognized for our expertise in the area of professional liability and medical malpractice, Miller Stratvert is frequently retained by the New Mexico Medical Society and other professional associations to submit amicus curiae briefs on important appellate issues.

On a national basis, Miller Stratvert routinely defends complex propane and natural gas cases involving multiple plaintiffs, plaintiffs who have suffered catastrophic injuries, and considerable property damage claims.

We make every effort to have experienced fire cause and origin investigators and other needed specialists at the scene of an accident within 24 hours. This allows us to oversee a prompt and proper investigation to assure of the appropriate preservation of evidence. 

We also advise propane retailers, manufacturers, and natural gas companies on a variety of issues, including warnings, risk management and other safety matters.

Miller Stratvert represents New Mexico’s largest electric public utility in the areas of regulatory compliance, power plant and transmission operations, contracting and transactional matters, environmental compliance, finance, and development. 

We have experience representing clients before the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.  Our public utility law practice includes trial and appellate litigation in utility-related matters.

Because buying or selling real estate without legal representation can open the door to a host of problems, smart investors rely on the team of experienced real estate lawyers at Miller Stratvert. Whether the property is commercial or residential, our team has the expertise to complete your transaction while protecting your interests.
 
We can help you with a variety of real estate transactions, from a simple sale or purchase to leasing and refinancing, and we can assist with related issues, including landlord-tenant conflicts and property management procedures.

Our lawyers are also experienced in land use and development issues, and can help you with land acquisitions, zoning, subdivision and utility matters, and every step in between, from land purchase agreements and restrictive covenants, to contracts with builders and lot sales agreements.

Water is our most vital natural resource.  Therefore, legal issues involving water and water rights cut across all spectrums of New Mexico life.  We utilize our expertise to advise our clients in the areas of purchasing and sale, leasing and permitting of water rights, on water utility issues, and on water rights adjudications  - whether it is in state or federal court, before the State Engineer, the Public Regulation Commission or other federal agencies. 

Our experience is broad based, ranging from individual water rights claims to rural cooperatives and acequia associations, from municipalities to businesses of all sizes.  We advise clients on strategy and policy, review, research and document rights, and provide counsel in administrative hearings and litigation.

As every business owner knows, the legal aspects of having employees become more complex every year. As employment and workers' compensation laws change, your business needs also change. Facing these challenges is easier when you add the expertise of Miller Stratvert to your business team.

Our extensive workers' compensation experience includes representing employers and insurers (as well as self-insured businesses, funds, and trusts) at administrative hearings and in court.