Erica R. Neff |

Bio

Ms. Neff has devoted the majority of her career to civil defense and the advancement of critical civil defense issues. Ms. Neff’s practice includes the areas of insurance coverage and bad faith issues, unfair claim and trade practice suits, products liability, commercial liability, construction defects, personal injury, property damage, and workers' compensation. She has tried multiple cases to verdict in both bench trials and jury trials, and her appellate experience is reflected in several New Mexico Court of Appeals and Supreme Court opinions.

Ms. Neff received the prestigious rating of AV Preeminent from her peers under Martindale-Hubbell’s peer review system, based upon a finding that she meets the organization’s very high General Ethical Standards and that she practices at the highest level of professional excellence. In 2013, Ms. Neff was named Young Lawyer of the Year by the New Mexico Defense Lawyers Association. In 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018, she was named a Southwest Rising Star by Super Lawyers, an honor bestowed on no more than 2.5% of the lawyers in a state. In 2018, she was selected by America’s Top 100 Attorneys to earn its Lifetime Achievement designation.

In addition to her legal practice, Ms. Neff devotes time to a variety of organizations and publications. Since 2012, she has served on the Editorial Board of Defense News, which is the quarterly publication of the New Mexico Defense Lawyers Association. She has served as Co-Editor-in-Chief of Defense News since 2014. Ms. Neff was elected to the Board of Directors of the Albuquerque Bar Association in 2013 and continues to serve the community in that capacity. Ms. Neff has also been an active member of the H. Vearle Payne American Inn of Court.

Ms. Neff believes that mentorship and volunteerism are critical components of a successful and meaningful legal practice. As such, she enjoys mentoring associates both within and outside of the firm. She also helps coordinate the firm’s annual charity drive, which typically aims to address the needs of a different family or cause each year.

A native of Montana, Ms. Neff enjoys hiking, camping, and many other outdoor activities in her spare time.

EDUCATION

University of New Mexico School of Law, Albuquerque, New Mexico
J.D. Degree, 2010
Honors: magna cum laude, Order of the Coif, Dean's List

Armstrong Atlantic State University, Savannah, Georgia
B.S. Health Sciences, 2006
Honors: magna cum laude, Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society

BAR STATUS

State of New Mexico (Admitted 2010)
United States District Court for the District of New Mexico (Admitted 2010)

MEMBERSHIPS

New Mexico Defense Lawyers Association - Editorial Board Member 2012 to Present
New Mexico Defense Lawyers Association – Co-Editor-in-Chief of Defense News 2014 to Present
Defense Research Institute (DRI)
American Bar Association
State Bar of New Mexico
Albuquerque Bar Association - Board of Directors 2013 to Present

AWARDS AND RECOGNITION

Martindale-Hubbell Rating: AV Preeminent
New Mexico Defense Lawyers Association - Young Lawyer of the Year 2013
Super Lawyers - 2015 Southwest Rising Star
Super Lawyers - 2016 Southwest Rising Star
Super Lawyers - 2017 Southwest Rising Star
Super Lawyers - 2018 Southwest Rising Star
Lifetime Achievement Selection by America’s Top 100 Attorneys

PUBLICATIONS AND APPELLATE DECISIONS

New Mexico’s Legal Community Maintains Year-Round Tradition of Generosity, Defense News, Winter 2012/2013
Medicare Secondary Payer Reform: The Strengthening Medicare and Repaying Taxpayers Act, Defense News, Spring 2013
Untangling the Web: Differentiating Between Raskob and Hovet Claims to Determine the Proper Scope of Discovery, Defense News, Fall 2013
For Those of You Scratching Your Head Over Double Costs Awarded in Estate of Lajeuenesse v. Board of Regents…Good News!, Defense News, Winter 2013/2014
Co-Editor-in-Chief, Defense News, Fall 2014 to Present

REPORTED DECISIONS

Castillo v. Caprock Pipe & Supply, Inc., 2012-NMCA-085, 285 P.3d 1072.
Block v. Holiday Park Neighborhood Assoc., Inc., 2013 WL 4516393 (Ct. App. 2013)
Gonzalez v. Performance Painting, Inc., 2013-NMSC-121, 303 P.3d 802
Magallanes v. Farmers Ins. Co. of Arizona, 2016 WL 2853865 (Ct. App. 2016 Unpub.)

Erica R. Neff

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