David B. Martinez, Kelly Stout Sanchez, and Julio C. Romero, partners at the law firm Martinez, Hart, Sanchez & Romero P.C., have donated $2.5 million to the University of New Mexico School of Law. This contribution has led to the establishment of an endowed chair named the F. Michael Hart Chair in Children’s Law, honoring Mike Hart, a partner at their firm.
The University of New Mexico School of Law has announced that Professor Sarah Steadman will be the first to hold this position. Professor Steadman earned her J.D. from UNM School of Law in 2005 and began teaching there in 2013. She played a key role in creating the Child and Family Justice Clinic in 2017, which offers legal help to low-income children and families who are at risk.
Professor Steadman's experience as a child and family therapist informs her approach to teaching law students with a focus on trauma-informed practices. She is committed to developing a curriculum for children's law that highlights practical skills. The course aims to motivate students towards advocacy, practice, and pro bono work centered on children's needs. "The children we serve," she stated, "and so many of our New Mexico kids have had adverse childhood experiences. I'm truly grateful and excited to explore how we can expand the ways we serve these youth through the Chair's focus on children's law."