Jennifer Moore Professor of Law | UNM School of Law Clinical Programs
May 1, 2025
Bonnie Stepleton, Director of Student and Career Services at the UNM School of Law, has announced her retirement after 16 years of service. Stepleton's career in the legal industry began in Albuquerque, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Political Science from the University of Oregon in 1984 and a Juris Doctor from the UNM School of Law in 1987.
She initiated her legal career clerking for the New Mexico Supreme Court and assumed various roles, including representing individuals with intellectual disabilities, practicing insurance defense law, and mediating for the New Mexico Workers’ Compensation Administration. Stepleton also volunteered as a mediator with the Metropolitan Court.
Stepleton joined the School of Law as Assistant Dean for Student Services in 2004, serving for a decade in mentoring law students. She later returned to the Workers’ Compensation Administration as Bureau Chief, and as an appellate mediator with the New Mexico Court of Appeals. In 2019, she came back to the School of Law as Director of Student and Career Services, providing essential support for students.
Patrick Lopez, Director of Bar Exam Success, commented, “Bonnie has been an inspirational leader for the Student and Career Services team and a key part of getting the UNM School of Law on national rankings for Federal Judicial Clerkships and Government and Public Interest jobs. She has led by example through her kindness and compassion for everyone including stressed out law students and overwhelmed co-workers. We will miss her dearly but wish her the very best in her encore career!”
Stepleton's retirement marks the end of a significant chapter, celebrating her contributions and impact on the community.
