Featured Staff Member of the Week

MICHELLE HERNANDEZ
Shareholder Modrall Sperling Law firm

Ms. Hernandez is a member of the firm’s Litigation Department and has more than 20 years of extensive experience in all aspects of civil litigation including: products liability, professional liability, asbestos litigation, construction defect, and insurance coverage. She has represented clients in state and federal courts in New Mexico. She also works on appellate matters. Significantly, she was a member of the appellate team that successfully overturned a $53 million nursing home verdict, which at the time had been New Mexico’s largest personal injury verdict.

Ms. Hernandez has also represented clients in a broad range of commercial matters, including real estate and contract disputes as well as will contests. She has also represented public entities such as law enforcement agencies and public schools in a variety of matters including employment matters and personal injury claims. Ms. Hernandez has represented healthcare providers including nursing homes, assisted living facilities, nurses and physicians in both litigation and regulatory and compliance, licensing and regulation, and Medicaid/Medicare reimbursement matters. She has also provided advice on administrative matters.

Ms. Hernandez also has experience in government relations, lobbying for economic development legislation at both the State and County level. She also has experience in state and local procurement and in drafting and reviewing procurement contracts. In addition, she has provided advice to individual clients on business formation and contract liability issues. Ms. Hernandez’ vast experience and counsel has helped clients strategically navigate difficult litigation and complex commercial matters by providing them with early strategic thinking and efficient litigation and risk management advice. Ms. Hernandez has achieved an AV® rating from Martindale-Hubbell, the highest rating for professional ethics and legal ability by her peers and has been included in the Bar Register of Preeminent Women Lawyers since 2014. She is among those listed in Southwest Super Lawyers®.

Born and raised in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Ms. Hernandez has family throughout Northern New Mexico. Prior to joining Modrall Sperling, she served as a judicial law clerk to the Honorable Joseph F. Baca, Senior Justice for the New Mexico Supreme Court. She serves as Co-Chair of the firm’s Technology Committee and is also currently on the Board of Directors for the National Institute of Flamenco.

EDUCATION  University of California at Los Angeles, J.D., 1997, Awarded Pioneering Women in the Law Scholarship, 1995  University of New Mexico, B.A. in Political Science, magna cum laude, 1993, Phi Beta Kappa BAR ADMISSIONS  New Mexico 1997  U.S. District Court for the District of New Mexico 2000  U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit 1999