In Episode 76, we chat with Alicia Ulibarrí a third-year law student at the University of New Mexico School of Law. Alicia shares her journey into public interest law, motivated by personal experiences of injustice experienced by her family. She discusses her fellowship at the Southwest Women's Law Center, where she worked on issues related to domestic violence and economic security, particularly for Native women. She also highlights her work with land grant and acequia communities through her work at New Mexico Legal Aid, where she will return after graduation. Alicia emphasizes the significance of building connections and the impact of passion in pursuing a fulfilling legal career. She also touches on the importance of storytelling and understanding the rich histories of the communities she serves, ultimately defining success as the ability to explore and engage in meaningful work.
This episode was created in partnership with the University of New Mexico School of Law’s Association of Public Interest Law (or APIL) and New Mexico’s very own Equal Access to Justice. APIL provides funding and education related to public interest law to UNM’s law students. And EAJ supports some of the most important public interest organizations in the state, including New Mexico Legal Aid, the New Mexico Center on Law and Poverty, and DNA People’s Legal Services.
Importantly for this episode, APIL and EAJ have teamed up to provide scholarships for students to undertake important public interest work during the summers while they’re in law school. Alicia was one of last year’s recipients of an APIL Fellowship funded by EAJ. During her fellowship, Alicia worked at the Southwest Women’s Law Center, an organization the provides free legal services to Native women experiencing domestic violence and/or intimate partner violence.
Alicia was also recently selected to be part of the Community Governance Attorney Program, which was established by the New Mexico legislature in 2019 to provide legal services for land grant, acequia, and colonias communities. She will serve these communities while working at New Mexico Legal Aid following graduation.
If you would like to donate or get involved with EAJ, please do so here. EAJ is working to unlock a $15,000 matching challenge, so please make your donations by March 31!
Thank you to our sponsor, Themis Bar Review!
Listen to this episode for a special code to get the lowest price of the year on the July 2025 Themis Bar Review Course (code valid through March 31, 2025).