UNM Law dean asks Judiciary Committee for $15.5 million, outlines enrollment and bar supports

Dean Camille Carey told the House Judiciary Committee on the judiciary panel that the University of New Mexico School of Law is seeking a $15,500,000 capital appropriation to unify Bratton Hall with the adjacent New Mexico Law Center building and expand classroom, clinical and student services space. "Our ask is a $15,500,000 ask," Carey said during the informational briefing.

Carey framed the request as part of a broader effort to strengthen the law school’s ability to educate New Mexico attorneys. She described the Law Center building as "in terrible disrepair" but adjacent to Bratton Hall and able to relieve space constraints that limit recruitment and experiential learning. The school has hired Decker Parrot Sabatini for a feasibility study and envisions a unified entrance, innovation classrooms, a moot court space and a student center with registrar and career services.

Why it matters: Lawmakers across the committee raised concerns about a statewide shortage of lawyers and the law school’s role in addressing legal deserts in rural New Mexico. Speaker Alan Martinez told the committee the legislature needs a pipeline of locally trained attorneys to staff courts, public defenders’ offices and legislative staff. "We are experiencing in our legislative body a shortage of attorneys," Martinez said.

Carey provided data on students and outcomes: total enrollment is 300, the incoming first-year class is 108, the median LSAT is 157 and the median undergraduate GPA is 3.56. She said 81% of the current 1L class are residents. Carey also said the school has added student supports aimed at boosting bar performance, including a full-time director of bar exam success and extra bar-prep credit-bearing courses. "Our bar passage rate this last cycle was 73%," Carey said, and she provided a multi-year comparison showing typical fluctuations tied to national exam cycles.

Carey noted broader changes in licensing: New Mexico will begin offering the NextGen Bar in July 2027 and the law school is preparing curriculum and supports to help students succeed under the new format. She also highlighted experiential programs such as the Border Justice Project, clinical placements with public defenders and externships in Washington, D.C.

What comes next: Committee members requested follow-up data on demographics, faculty composition and recruitment strategies. Carey said she would provide requested breakdowns and work with lawmakers on outreach efforts tied to residency and pipeline goals. The committee adjourned without a vote; the briefing was informational and no appropriation decision occurred in this hearing.