Curtis & Co. Curtis & Co.
505-871-3740
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  • Bio

Lisa K Curtis

Founding Partner

For 30 years, Lisa has prosecuted negligent and reckless corporations, people, insurance companies and the government in civil cases for New Mexico's working families, dedicating her career to helping and protecting victims killed or permanently harmed because of the wrongful conduct of others.

Lisa is primarily a malpractice trial lawyer. She graduated from the University of New Mexico School of Law in 1993, where she was distinguished with the Tort Scholar Award for her graduating class. Following law school, she immediately began civil trial practice. Her practice has focused over the last decade on prosecuting primarily medical malpractice cases for patients killed or permanently harmed by bad medical care. She has handled and tried cases on behalf of hundreds of victims. She has worked directly against insurance companies for bad faith insurance practices, automobile and semi-truck crashes, products liability cases, Fair Labor Standards Act violations and violent torts, most notably helping children who were the victims of sexual abuse. It was because of this work that Lisa introduced key legislation in the 2012 session to extend the time a victim of childhood sexual abuse can pursue charges against their abuser.

Lisa has had the privilege of representing countless New Mexico families over the years, including the Cardon family. After a long trial against a careless doctor, the jury found the doctor to have recklessly caused the death of their much beloved mother. The jury assessed a verdict of over $6 million against the doctor. The Jury's high verdict sent a message to the New Mexico Medical Board who then restricted that doctor's license, so that similar harm could not happen to another family.

Other cases represented by Lisa include holding an alcoholic surgeon accountable in a wrongful death case, who negligently operated while actively drinking (he then surrendered his license to practice medicine because of the case); and another powerful doctor's license was taken because he was sexually abusing his patients. These and other doctors, who have committed gross negligence, have had their licenses surrendered or restricted because of Lisa's commitment to the victims and their families.

In Spencer v. Health Force, Lisa's case created case law that requires home healthcare agencies to make sure their employees are safe for the vulnerable elderly and disabled population they care for. In other appellate cases she solidified rights of people against irresponsible insurance companies in both the Supreme Court and the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals through Sloan v. State Farm. Lisa is known in the legal community for protecting the rights of children in the settlement of claims through our state appellate court. Lisa has cases in the NM Court of Appeals and NM Supreme Court on the impact and constitutionality of the Medical Malpractice Act.

Lisa was appointed by the NM Supreme Court Rules of Evidence Committee, is one of two NM lawyers on the American Association for Justice Board of Governors, is the Chair of the NM Commission on the Status of Women, and a member of the NM Citizen Redistricting Committee. She is also Trustee of her Fund, the LK Curtis Children's Fund, which seeks out programs to protect and enhance the education and lives of children in New Mexico. Lisa is married to her very supportive husband, Bob Curtis, and has four very busy adult children, and three grandchildren.

Lisa K Curtis Lisa K Curtis

Cases on Appeal

New Mexico Supreme Court

  • Estate of Brice v. Toyota Motor Corp., 2016-NMSC-018, 373 P.3d 977
  • Spencer v. Health Force, Inc., 2005-NMSC-002, 137 N.M. 64, 107 P.3d 504
  • Sloan v. State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co. (In re Sloan), 2004-NMSC-004, 135 N.M. 106, 85 P.3d 230

New Mexico Court of Appeals

  • Wirth v. Sun Healthcare Grp., Inc., 2017-NMCA-007, 389 P.3d 295
  • Herald v. Bd. of Regents of the Univ. of N.M., 2015-NMCA-104, 357 P.3d 438
  • Estate of Lajeuenesse v. Bd. of Regents, 2013-NMCA-004, 292 P.3d 485
  • Merino v. N.M. Med. Review Comm'n, 2012 N.M. App. Unpub. LEXIS 70 (Ct. App. Feb. 21, 2012)
  • Otero v. City of Albuquerque, 1998-NMCA-137, 125 N.M. 770, 965 P.2d 354

10th Circuit Court of Appeals

  • Estate of Cummings v. United States, 651 Fed. Appx. 822 (10th Cir. 2016)
  • Smith v. Aztec Well Servicing Co., 462 F.3d 1274 (10th Cir. 2006)
  • Sloan v. State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co., 360 F.3d 1220 (10th Cir. 2004)
  • Gonzales v. United States, No. 96-2167, 1998 U.S. App. LEXIS 1343 (10th Cir. Jan. 30, 1998)

Areas of Practice

  • Medical Malpractice
  • Bad Faith
  • Complex Litigation
  • Federal Appellate Practice
  • Federal Claims Court
  • Federal Trial Practice
  • State Appellate Practice
  • State Trial Practice
  • Aviation Accidents -- Plaintiff
  • Defamation & Privacy -- Plaintiff
  • Motor Vehicle Accidents -- Plaintiff
  • Premises Liability -- Plaintiff
  • Property Damage -- Plaintiff
  • Slip and Fall -- Plaintiff
  • Wrongful Death -- Plaintiff
  • Civil Rights
  • Products Liability
  • Fair Labor Standards Act Violations
  • Violent Torts
  • Sexual Abuse

Bar Admissions

  • New Mexico, 1993
  • U.S. District Court District of New Mexico, 1994
  • U.S. Court of Appeals 10th Circuit, 1994
  • Supreme Court of the United States of America

Education

  • University of New Mexico School of Law, Albuquerque, New Mexico
    • J.D. - 1993
    • Honors: Tort Scholar Award

Representative Cases

  • Estate of Brice v. Toyota Motor Corp., 2016-NMSC-018, 373 P.3d 977
  • Spencer v. Health Force, Inc., 2005-NMSC-002, 137 N.M. 64, 107 P.3d 504
  • Sloan v. State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co. (In re Sloan), 2004-NMSC-004, 135 N.M. 106, 85 P.3d 230
  • Wirth v. Sun Healthcare Grp., Inc., 2017-NMCA-007, 389 P.3d 295
  • Herald v. Bd. of Regents of the Univ. of N.M., 2015-NMCA-104, 357 P.3d 438
  • Estate of Lajeuenesse v. Bd. of Regents, 2013-NMCA-004, 292 P.3d 485
  • Merino v. N.M. Med. Review Comm'n, 2012 N.M. App. Unpub. LEXIS 70 (Ct. App. Feb. 21, 2012)
  • Otero v. City of Albuquerque, 1998-NMCA-137, 125 N.M. 770, 965 P.2d 354
  • Estate of Cummings v. United States, 651 Fed. Appx. 822 (10th Cir. 2016)
  • Smith v. Aztec Well Servicing Co., 462 F.3d 1274 (10th Cir. 2006)
  • Sloan v. State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co., 360 F.3d 1220 (10th Cir. 2004)
  • Gonzales v. United States, No. 96-2167, 1998 U.S. App. LEXIS 1343 (10th Cir. Jan. 30, 1998)

Classes/Seminars

  • Advanced Trial Evidence, Adjunct Professor University of New Mexico School of Law, 2009 to 2014
  • National Speaker, American Association for Justice
  • Calling the Defendant in the Plaintiff's Case: Why, How and When", Scottsdale, Arizona, 2013
  • "Preparing and Trying the Surgical Mishap Case", Phoenix, Arizona, 2009
  • Lectures on Trial Practice in both State and Federal court for last 15 years, New Mexico Trial Lawyers Foundation
  • Lectures on Federal Court Rules and Procedure, United Stated District Court Federal Bar Association
  • State Speaker, New Mexico Trial Lawyers Foundation
  • Speaker on Trial Rules of Civil Procedure, United States District Court Federal Bar Association

Honors and Awards

  • Best Lawyers in America® Personal Injury
  • Super Lawyer for New Mexico Medical Malpractice
  • American Trial Lawyers Association Top 100 Trial Lawyers New Mexico

Professional Associations and Memberships

  • American Trial Lawyers Association, Leaders Forum
  • New Mexico Trial Lawyers Association, President, 2011 to 2012
  • New Mexico Trial Lawyers Association, Board of Directors

Pro Bono Activities

  • Trustee L.K. Curtis Children's Fund