"True justice can only be achieved if the wrongdoer corrects the problem that caused harm." -Kathy Love
Kathy Love Photo

Kathy Love

Partner
  • Profile
  • Credentials
  • Associations
  • Community Involvement
Meet Kathy Love

Kathy is driven to help people during the most vulnerable times of their lives—after the loss of a loved one or a catastrophic injury that permanently changes the course of their future. Every client who comes to her for help does so for two reasons: 1) so that their tragedy was not in vain, and 2) to make the community safer so that other families do not needlessly suffer in the future. It is her honor to support her clients through their grief and fight for systemic changes that will prevent similar tragedies from happening in the future. No matter how big or rich a company she goes up against, she will fight for change that makes New Mexico families safer and more secure.

In her more than 20 years practicing law, she has made valuable contributions to her community as well as her clients. Kathy began her legal career as an Assistant Public Defender fighting for individuals’ constitutional rights and promoting all individuals’ rights to effective counsel. Since entering private practice, she has helped many injury victims and their loved ones find justice and compensation after facing a tragedy. She works toward these same goals in her community activism and through her professional associations. Kathy recognizes that today’s youth are caring, innovative and hold the key to our future, so she dedicates much of her time and energy toward mentoring young people interested in the legal system and community activism. She contributes her time and energy to worthy pro bono cases such as representing young women subjected to domestic abuse, standing up against racist organizations and protecting our electorate.

With her deep compassion and proven skill as an advocate, Kathy is an attorney you want on your side during a difficult fight. Her impact can be seen directly in the results she has gotten for her clients. In 2014, she and her firm earned a $67.3-million verdict in 2014 against Biotronik for offering kickbacks to a doctor for implant a pacemaker into a patient who did not need it. The 23 other people who were also defrauded into pacemaker implant procedures by the same company and doctor obtained settlements shortly after the verdict.

She will work and fight hard to prove her clients’ cases. Kathy has been seen wearing a hard hat, investigating a copper smelting plant, testing faulty heaters (with safety precautions in place) that had caused numerous deaths, investigating dangerous roadways and the scenes of accidents and crimes, and interviewing witnesses all around New Mexico. The one consistent thread in all her cases is that she puts herself in the shoes of the people who were wronged and battles the corporate or government wrongdoers until justice is done.

Even when she’s not at work, Kathy’s strong sense of justice drives her. She has served on multiple boards of directors for organizations like the New Mexico Wilderness Alliance, which she co-founded around a campfire with like-minded wilderness lovers and which now has a staff of almost 20, hundreds of members, a nearly $2 million budget and has protected nearly 2 million acres of public land. She was President of NARAL Pro-Choice New Mexico, and served on the boards of Equal Access for Justice, the New Mexico Innocence and Justice Project, and other charitable and professional groups. When help is needed, she is among the first to step forward. Her work demonstrates the depth of her commitment to helping her community and those around her.

When she isn’t fighting for justice in the courtroom or giving back to the community through charitable and professional organizations, Kathy is focused on her first love, her family. She likes to dance with her son, backpack in the wild of New Mexico, travel the world, read, learn new things, and meet people with different backgrounds and experiences than her own.

Past Employment

  • State of New Mexico, Public Defender Department, Metro and Felony Divisions, Assistant Public Defender, 1997 to 2000

Honors

  • ACLU Guardians of Liberty Award
  • AV Preeminent Rated, Martindale-Hubbell
  • AV Preeminent Rated, Judicial Edition, Martindale-Hubbell
  • Martindale-Hubbell High Ethical Standards Rating
  • Best Lawyers in America®:  2013 - Present
  • Best Lawyers in America® Lawyer of the Year:
    • Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs, Albuquerque: 2017
  • Southwest Super Lawyers®: 2014 - 2021
  • 500 Best Lawyers in the US, Lawdragon 500

Classes/Seminars

  • Former Adjunct Professor, Evidence and Trial Practice, University of New Mexico School of Law
  • Mentor, Albuquerque Public Schools, Career Enrichment Center
  • Presenter at Professional Association Seminars

Publications

  • “Record on Appeal”, New Mexico Trial Lawyers Association Journal

Education

DePaul University College of Law, Chicago, Illinois

  • J.D. - 1995
  • University of New Mexico School of Law, Albuquerque, New Mexico
    • Visiting Law Student - 1995
  • Hanover College, Hanover, Indiana
  • Ball State University, Muncie, Indiana
    • B.S. - 1991
    • Major: Political Science
    • Major: Telecommunications
    • Major: Journalism
       
  • National Criminal Defense College, Macon, Georgia

Professional Associations

  • New Mexico Trial Lawyers Association, President 2015 - 2016
  • New Mexico Trial Lawyers Association Board of Directors, 2004 to Present; Secretary 2011 – 2012; President
  • American Association for Justice, Board of Governors, 2013 to Present
  • American Association for Justice, Member
  • New Mexico Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, Former Member
  • National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Former Member
  • New Mexico Innocence and Justice Project, Member, Board of Directors, 2004 to 2007
  • Appointed to Several Judicial Nominating Commissions
  • Equal Access to Justice, former Board Member
Licenses
  • New Mexico
  • U.S. District Court District of Colorado
  • U.S. District Court District of New Mexico
Awards
  • Best Lawyers Lawyer of the Year 2023
    Best Lawyers Lawyer of the Year 2023
  • Lawdragon 500
    Lawdragon 500
  • Best Lawyers in America
    Best Lawyers in America
  • Super Lawyers
    Super Lawyers
  • AV Preeminent Rated
    AV Preeminent Rated
  • LOTY - Best Lawyers - Kathleen Love
    LOTY - Best Lawyers - Kathleen Love
  • Expertise.com - Best Personal Injury Lawyers
    Expertise.com - Best Personal Injury Lawyers
Community Involvement
  • ACLU, Member of Reproductive Rights Legal Panel, 2015 - present
  • NARAL Pro-Choice New Mexico, Board of Directors, Member, 2003 – 2007; President, 2005 to 2007
  • NARAL Pro-Choice America, Board of Directors, Member 2005 - 2007
  • Equal Access for Justice, Board Member, 2014 to 2016
  • EMERGE New Mexico, Board Member, 2014-2015
  • New Mexico Wilderness Alliance, Founding Member
  • New Mexico Wilderness Alliance, Board of Directors, Member, 1997 - 1998, 2002 – 2006; Secretary, 2004 to 2006
  • Power PAC, Board of Directors, Member; President
  • North Valley Little League Volunteer

Representation Centered Around Real Change

Why We're the Right Choice
  • It's All About the Mission

    Our goal is to use the law as a force for good. We not only want to achieve the best possible results for our clients, but we strive to create lasting change that makes our world a safer place.

  • Prepare Every Case for Trial

    We believe when you lead with confidence, you've won before you started; therefore, by fighting from a position of strength, we know that cases are more likely to settle for a fair amount.

  • Personalized Approach

    Because every case is unique, we never apply a one-size-fits-all approach. We take the time to know our clients and prepare personalized strategies that yield the greatest success.

  • 35 Years of Experience

    Since 1985, we have been helping ordinary citizens hold insurance companies and corporate wrongdoers accountable, while securing the compensation our clients deserve.

Tell Us About Your Case

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We are dedicated to supporting families during the most challenging times, with a focus exclusively on cases involving catastrophic injuries or the loss of a loved one. Please reach out if you have any questions. We look forward to speaking with you.

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