Attorney Profiles

Phillip G. Sapien is licensed to practice in New Mexico and is a founding partner of Sapien Law, located in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He is a graduate of the University of New Mexico (1988)
Phillip G. Sapien, Esq.
Telephone: 505-842-5979
1-888-296-3022
Email: pgsapien@sapienlawand the University of Arizona College of Law (1991).

Phillip graduated Cum Laude from the University of New Mexico (UNM) with a degree in Political Science in 1988. In 1991 he graduated from the University of Arizona (U of A) Law School in Tucson, Arizona. At the U of A, Phillip served as the Student Bar Association (SBA) President.

He began his legal career at the New Mexico Public Defenders office in Albuquerque, New Mexico in 1992. While at the Public Defender’s office, Phillip represented thousands of clients with charges ranging from petty misdemeanors to first-degree felony offenses. In 1996, Phillip left the Public Defender’s office and started his own law practice in the areas of general practice, criminal defense, personal injury and wrongful death and he has handled cases throughout the state of New Mexico.

Phillip has participated in hundreds of bench and jury trials and other court hearings since his admission to the New Mexico Bar. In 2005, he and his brother, Joseph, formed Sapien Law, LLC which handles a variety of cases for their clients.

Phillip is a past president of the The New Mexico Hispanic Bar Association (NMHBA), having held the position from 2003-2005. In 2006, he completed serving 10 years on the NMHBA‘s board of directors. He has served on various New Mexico State Bar Committees and Subcommittees, including the Bar’s Committee on Diversity in the Legal Profession. He is also a former member of the New Mexico Supreme Court’s Commission on Professionalism.

Phillip is married and has three children. His hobbies include coaching various youth sports, umpiring little league baseball, spending time with family and friends, golfing, hunting and water sports. He is the Chief Umpire at Coronado Little League in Bernalillo, New Mexico. He also enjoys participating in community theatre productions as a producer and actor.

Fluent in written and spoken Spanish

Education

    University of Arizona. Juris Doctor: 1991

    University of New Mexico (B.A., cum laude,1988).

Admitted to Practice

    New Mexico State Courts

    U.S. District Court of New Mexico

    U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit

Member

    State Bar of New Mexico

Committee on Professionalism (Former Member)
   (appointed by the Chief Justice of the New Mexico Supreme Court)
Committee on Diversity in the Legal Profession

    Albuquerque Bar Association

    New Mexico Criminal Defense Lawyers Association (Board Member 2004)

    New Mexico Hispanic Bar Association (President 2003-2005)

    New Mexico Trial Lawyers Association (NMTLA)

    Hispanic National Bar Association (HNBA)

Joseph is a native New Mexican born in Albuquerque, New Mexico and raised in Bernalillo, New Mexico. Joseph earned his undergraduate degree in finance, Cum Laude from the Anderson Schools of Management at the University of New Mexico (UNM) in 1990.
Joseph A. Sapien, Esq.
Telephone: 505-842-5979
1-888-296-3022
Email: jasapien@sapienlawAfter college, he was employed in Underwriting/Operations Management, Agency, and Property and Casualty claims with the State Farm Insurance Companies in Tempe, Arizona. He earned the Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) designation in 1996. He returned to Albuquerque in October 1997 working with the State Farm Fire & Casualty Company in the newly formed Casualty/Litigation claim unit.

Joseph entered the University of New Mexico School of Law (UNMSOL) in the fall of 1999 and earned his Juris Doctor in May 2002. He began his legal career in September 2002 with Butt Thornton & Baehr, P.C. working in the areas of general liability, products liability, workers compensation, and trucking and transportation. In November 2005 Joseph and his brother Phillip G. Sapien formed Sapien Law LLC.

Joseph is a member of the American Bar Association (ABA), a member of the New Mexico Hispanic Bar Association (NMHBA), member of the Hispanic National Bar Association (HNBA) member of American Association of Justice (AAJ). He also served on the board of the Young Lawyers Division until the end of 2007. Joseph was recently appointed as the Chair of the Solo and Small Firm Practioners Section for the New Mexico State Bar.

Joseph is dedicated to serving the people of his home state of New Mexico. In his spare time, he participates in local cultural activities and enjoys skiing, hiking, mountain biking and camping in the beautiful mountains of New Mexico.

Fluent in written and spoken Spanish

Education

University of New Mexico School of Law. Juris Doctor: 2002

University of New Mexico's Anderson Schools of Management (B.B.A.. Cum Laude, 1990)

Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) 1996

Admitted to Practice

New Mexico State Courts

U.S. District Court, New Mexico

Member

State Bar of New Mexico

American Bar Association

Albuquerque Bar Association

NM Hispanic Bar Association(s): Board Member (2002-2006)

Association of Trial Lawyers of America

Hispanic National Bar Association

New Mexico Trial Lawyers Association (NMTLA)

New Mexico Young Lawyers Division (NMYLD) - Board Member (2004-2006)

Solo and Small Firm Section - Chair (2008-present)