Rural Justice initiative connects UNM Law students with communities across New Mexico

The New Mexico Courts' Rural Justice Initiative is giving University of New Mexico School of Law students valuable hands-on legal experience while helping address the shortage of legal professionals in rural communities across the state. Now in its second year, the program placed 12 students in seven rural judicial districts during the summer of 2026. During their ten-week externships, students worked alongside state district court judges, conducted legal research, drafted legal documents, observed courtroom proceedings, and gained firsthand insight into the legal needs of rural New Mexico.

For three UNM Law students, the program offered more than practical legal experience. Their summer externships deepened their understanding of rural communities, introduced them to the unique challenges facing rural courts, and helped shape their thinking about where and how they might practice law.

Second-year law student Buddy Wren served in the Eighth Judicial District after first learning about the Rural Justice Initiative during law school orientation. Although he is not originally from New Mexico, his previous career as a social worker gave him an appreciation for the importance of serving underserved communities. During his externship, Wren observed two civil jury trials and six criminal jury trials and conducted research on custody issues and discovery obligations.

"I have been incredibly happy with the results, as I believe I found my place to serve upon graduation," Wren said. "I honestly cannot wait to work in rural New Mexico. Its charm is unmatched."

For third-year law student Jasmine Jaramillo, the Rural Justice Initiative offered an opportunity to return to the region she calls home. Jaramillo served in the Fourth Judicial District, which includes Mora, San Miguel and Guadalupe counties. During her externship, she gained an appreciation for the breadth of responsibilities handled by rural judges. "Unlike judges who may primarily focus on one area of law, rural judges can handle several different areas in a single day, which was really impressive to see firsthand," said Jaramillo.

The experience also reinforced Jaramillo's commitment to practicing law in northern New Mexico. "This experience has strengthened my desire to return to northern New Mexico and serve the communities I grew up around. Seeing firsthand the shortage of attorneys in rural areas made me realize how important it is for new attorneys to return to these communities and provide much-needed legal services. It confirmed for me that I want to build my career in northern New Mexico and give back to the community that helped shape who I am," Jaramillo said.

Third-year law student Natalie Burk served as a judicial extern in the Twelfth Judicial District, where she worked with all five judges. The variety of assignments gave her insight into judicial decision-making and the day-to-day operations of rural courts. She was also struck by the warm welcome she received from Alamogordo's legal community.

The experience also changed how Burk thinks about where she might build her career. "As someone who is from a big city on the East Coast, Albuquerque was an adjustment for me. I never thought that I would live somewhere even smaller, until I signed up for RJE. I didn't expect to actually consider living in a community like Alamogordo after this summer, but my Zillow search history says otherwise," said Burk.

Through the Rural Justice Initiative, UNM School of Law students are gaining invaluable practical experience while discovering the opportunities and rewards of serving rural communities. For students like Wren, Jaramillo and Burk, the program is doing more than preparing them for legal practice. It is inspiring the next generation of attorneys to consider careers serving communities throughout New Mexico.