Last week, justices on the New Mexico Supreme Court justices presented the state’s “Rural Justice and Modernizing the Legal Profession in New Mexico” report. You can find the report here. More details from Law.com:

Two New Mexico Supreme Court justices are exploring ways to address legal deserts within the state, including a skills-based assessment initiative.

Chief Justice Julie Vargas and Justice C. Shannon Bacon presented the “Rural Justice and Modernizing the Legal Profession in New Mexico” report on Tuesday to the state legislature’s interim Courts, Corrections and Justice Committee, which states that 94% of low-income households in rural communities and 92% of low-income households did not receive enough assistance to resolve their substantial legal problems, citing data from 2021 and 2022.

The New Mexico Skills-Based Assessment would require graduating from an American Bar Association-accredited law school with a minimum passing grade of C-, along with 675 hours of supervised practice within one year at a host organization, and producing a skills-based portfolio and lawyering experience, according to the justices’ report. Requirements would also include a character and fitness review and taking the Multistate Professional Responsibility Exam (MPRE).

Christine Charnosky, New Mexico Exploring Alternate Pathways to the Bar to Address Legal Deserts, Law.com, June 24, 2026.