March 12, 2009

Albuquerque, NM - Ruth M. Schifani, a shareholder and member of the Executive Committee at Modrall Sperling, the largest law firm in New Mexico, was named the "New Mexico Best Lawyers Banking Lawyer of the Year," by Best Lawyers, one of the oldest and most respected peer-review publications in the legal profession.

Named Business Lawyer of the Year by the New Mexico State Bar Association Business Law Section in November 2008, Schifani also is listed in the prestigious Chambers USA Directories of America's Leading Lawyers for Business, Southwest Super Lawyers, and has been listed in The Best Lawyers in America since 2003.  She is President-elect of the 120,000-member University of New Mexico Alumni Association, in addition to involvement in several other charitable and professional organizations.

Schifani represents numerous financial institutions in public finance, real estate and asset-based secured transactions throughout New Mexico and has represented both bank and retail establishments in regulatory and consumer compliance matters.  She also assists clients in real estate matters to negotiate, structure and document transactions involving the purchase, sale, exchange, development, leasing and financing of commercial real estate.  Additionally, Schifani handles general corporate and business law matters and is a member of the firm's renewable energy group.

Background Information

Best Lawyers

After more than a quarter of a century in publication, Best Lawyers is designating "Lawyers of the Year" in high-profile legal specialties in large legal communities, including Banking Law, Bet-the-Company Litigation, Corporate Law, Family Law, Personal Injury Litigation, and Real Estate Law, and only a single lawyer in each specialty in each community is being honored as the "Lawyer of the Year."  The lawyers being honored as "Lawyers of the Year" have received particularly high ratings in the publication's surveys by earning a high level of respect among their peers for their abilities, professionalism, and integrity.

Modrall Sperling

Modrall Sperling is one of New Mexico's major law firms with approximately 80 attorneys and offices located in Albuquerque and Santa Fe.  Founded in 1937 by Judge John F. Simms and Judge Augustus T. Seymour, both of whom served as New Mexico Supreme Court Justices, and James R. Modrall, the firm has been at the forefront of numerous landmark cases and precedent-setting decisions.  The firm offers a full range of legal services in all major areas of practice with an emphasis on business, as well as in the concentrated areas of Health Care, Indian Law, Mining, Oil and Gas, Pipeline Services, Public Lands, Renewable Energy, Water Rights and Utility Law.