Overview
Ms. Valverde is currently a shareholder of the firm. Ms. Valverde’s practice focuses on lobbying, government relations, and counseling clients regarding employment and labor law. Her practice also includes conducting administrative investigations into personnel matters, drafting personnel policies, conducting employee training, and providing strategic policy and media relations advice.
Prior to joining Montgomery & Andrews, Ms. Valverde was General Counsel for the New Mexico State Personnel Office from August 2013 to April 2016. Ms. Valverde also has prior private practice litigation experience in the areas of employment law, property law, construction defect, premises liability, personal injury, wrongful death, medical malpractice, and bad faith insurance practices. Additionally, Ms. Valverde has experience in drafting coverage determinations for insurance carriers.
Experience
Representative Cases:
Ms. Valverde assisted in drafting Amicus Brief to the United States Supreme Court on behalf of Governor of the State of New Mexico, in Friedrichs, et al. v. California Teachers Association, et al., No. 14-915.
Representative Clients:
- Anheuser-Busch Companies
- ConocoPhillips
- EPCOR Water New Mexico, Inc.
- Farm Credit New Mexico
- Hidalgo Medical Services
- NDI New Mexico
- New Mexico Association of Realtors
- Navajo Nation Phase 2 Removal Site Evaluation Trust
- The Department of Public Safety
- The New Mexico State Personnel Office
- The State of New Mexico
- XTO/Exxon Mobile Corporation
- Western Refining, Inc.
Background
University of New Mexico
Juris Doctor, 2009
New Mexico State University
Bachelor of Arts in Government, Supplemental Degree in Law & Society, 2006
- Completed an Honors Thesis & graduated with distinction.
Activities
Bar Admissions
Supreme Court of New Mexico, admitted 2009.
United States District Court, District of New Mexico, admitted 2009.
Bar Activities
Bridge the Gap Mentor, July 2017 to present
Professional Memberships
Public Employer Labor Relations Association, 2015 to present.
First Judicial District Bar Association, 2012 to present.
New Mexico Women’s Bar Association, 2010 to present.
New Mexico Bar Association, 2009 to present.
American Bar Association, 2009 to present.
DRI, Member, 2009 to present.
New Mexico Defense Lawyers’ Association, 2009 to present.
Trainings
Ms. Valverde has trained hundreds of employees regarding employment law and human resources topics, including:
- Sexual harassment;
- Administration and adjudication of discipline;
- Employee policies and procedures update;
- Workers’ compensation issues; and,
- Personnel and records retention sections of the New Mexico State Administrative Code.
Ms. Valverde has also prepared training materials regarding public employee ethics and drafting effective employee policies.
Speaking Engagements
- Speaker, Third Annual Risk Management Division CLE, “Defending Whistleblower Claims in New Mexico: Panel Talk with Ellen Casey and Karen Kilgore,” November, 2013.
- Speaker, Fifth Annual Risk Management Division CLE, “State Personnel Office: Tips for General Counsel and Litigators,” November 2015.
- Speaker, New Mexico Public Education Department Data Conference, “Data Privacy Updates and Best Practices,” April 2016.
- Speaker, New Mexico Defense Lawyers Association, Panel Discussion: “Strategies for Successfully Defending Whistleblower Protection Act Claims,” December 2018
Community Service
- Provide free employment trainings to small businesses and organizations
- March 2021 – September 2021, Founding Board Member & Proposed Board Chair, Thrive Community School
- September 2021 – Present, Board Chair, Thrive Community School
Articles
- “New Mexico Employers Should Plan Now for New Overtime Rules”, by Randy S. Bartell and Randi N. Johnson, Montgomery & Andrews, PA, Employment Law Group, September 18, 2016.
National Conferences
National School Boards Association Council of School Attorneys 2013
National Public Employers Labor Relations Association 2015
SCG Legal Annual Conference 2018
Honors
Appointed to the New Mexico Human Rights Commission, October 2012 to October 2018.
