With 100% of his practice devoted to civil litigation, Mr. deGraauw enjoys trying cases before New Mexico juries, as well as alternative dispute resolution. In addition to his active practice representing clients, he frequently serves as a presiding mediator or arbitrator for matters including complex personal injury and wrongful death cases, as well as business disputes, employment and construction litigation.
Mr. deGraauw graduated from Louisiana State University in 2003 with a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture degree, where he was President of the Design College and President of Tau Sigma Delta- the Architecture Honors Society. He earned his law degree from Tulane University Law School in 2006, where he served as Managing Editor of the Tulane Environmental Law Journal and earned the Certificate of Specialization in Environmental Law. During law school, Mr. deGraauw completed clerkships at private law firms in Louisiana and New Mexico, as well as an externship at the New Mexico Court of Appeals. He returned to New Mexico in the wake of Hurricane Katrina and completed his final year of law school at the University of New Mexico Law School.
Mr. deGraauw served as Labor Commissioner on the tripartite New Mexico Labor and Industrial Commission, hearing appeals from the Labor and Industrial Division. He also served the Young Lawyers Division as Liaison to the Natural Resources, Energy and Environmental Law Section of the State Bar. Mr. deGraauw has also been certified by the State Bar of New Mexico and appointed by the New Mexico Supreme Court to serve as a "Bridge the Gap Program" Mentor, allowing him the opportunity to provide guidance and advice to new attorneys in the state. He is a member of the American Bar Association, the Defense Research Institute, New Mexico Defense Lawyers Association and the Albuquerque Bar Association. Mr. deGraauw primarily practices in the following areas of civil litigation: wrongful death and personal injury litigation, products liability, contract disputes, construction law, insurance and bad faith litigation. He is admitted to practice in all New Mexico State courts as well as the New Mexico Federal District Court and the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit.
He has received the following awards and recognition during his practice:
AV Preeminent Martindale-Hubbell (MH) rating
MH Client Distinction Award
Selection to The Best Lawyers in America
Personal Injury Litigation- Defendants
Insurance Law
Product Liability Litigation- Defendants
Albuquerque Business First "40 Under Forty" Award, 2014 (given to the state's top young professionals each year, based on professional achievement, leadership and community involvement)
Southwest Super Lawyers, Rising Star recognition (awarded to less than 2.5% of attorneys in the state, based on peer recognition and professional achievement)
U.S. News and World Report, Best Law Firms recognition, Personal Injury Litigation- Defendants
Selection to National Academy of Jurisprudence, "Premier 100" New Mexico trial attorney list
Selection to America's Most Honored Professionals - Top 1%
American Institute of Personal Injury Attorneys, 10 Best list for New Mexico
Selection to "America's Top 100"
Top 100 Attorneys, New Mexico
Top 100 Civil Defense Litigators
Lifetime Achievement Award
Selection to Marquis Who's Who
Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award
Selection to the National Trial Lawyers- Top 100
Education
TULANE UNIVERSITY
Juris Doctor, 2006
Certificate of Specialization in Environmental Law, 2006
LOUISIANA STATE UNIVERSITY
B.A., Landscape Architecture, 2003
Bar Admissions
New Mexico State Courts
New Mexico Federal District Court
United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit
