Sheryl Saavedra and Harold (Hal) Atencio have been recognized as “Stars in Pro Bono Work” by the New Mexico Bar Bulletin. Drawing on their 60 years of combined legal experience, Sheryl and Hal volunteer their time and services to provide much-needed pro bono representation for clients of the KWH Law Center for Social Justice and Change. Through the KWH Law Center, the partners of Peak Legal Group work to advance the health, safety, and social justice needs of low-income individuals and survivors of domestic violence. Their commitment to providing these pro-bono services as well as their mentality toward community care and professional duty have set them apart in the New Mexico law landscape.
“We, as attorneys, possess a very unique set of skills that we can draw from in order to contribute to our society. Anyone can volunteer at a homeless shelter or a food pantry, but we are uniquely situated to give back in a way that others cannot. I am rewarded by the knowledge that I have both the opportunity and the obligation to give and do more with what is inherently within me.”
– Sheryl Saavedra
Through Peak Legal Group, Sheryl and Hal have formed a powerhouse partnership specializing in all aspects of the formation and re-formation of families across the state of New Mexico. From Assisted Reproductive Technologies and Adoptions to Divorce and Custody Law, Peak Legal Group provides representation and counsel that focuses on achieving the best possible outcomes for clients and their families.
About Sheryl Saavedra
Representing adults and children in family law cases has always been Sheryl’s passion. With nearly three decades of experience in Family Law, Sheryl has the innate ability to review a client file and map out the most strategic game plan for that particular client under those particular circumstances. The art of developing a strategy for a client from beginning to end and adjusting along the way, helps Sheryl to garner the best results for her clients.
While settling or mediating a case in the client’s best interest is always an option, Sheryl’s tenacity as a litigator has earned her the reputation of being an attorney who will not hesitate to fight for her clients or the children she represents as a Guardian ad Litem.
Ms. Saavedra is also a trained and certified Collaborative Law Practitioner, assisting clients in a non-litigation process. This process centers on mutual resolutions between the parties and their counsel and utilizes mutual experts and other professionals to assist the parties in achieving successful resolution, without litigation.
About Hal Atencio
Hal is the most experienced Adoption Attorney in the State of New Mexico and has been practicing adoption law since 1993. Over the years, he has earned a reputation as the best Albuquerque/New Mexico adoption attorney through his work with adoptive families, birth parents, foster parents and adoptees in agency and independent (direct placement) adoptions, step-parent adoptions, second-parent adoptions, co-parent adoptions, LGBT adoptions, interstate adoptions, international adoptions, relative adoptions, domestic adoptions and Indian Child Welfare Act adoptions.
Hal has extensive experience helping families obtain the financial assistance they are entitled to as part of the adoption process. Whether a State or Title IV subsidy or an adoption tax credit, Hal will do all that is possible to ease the financial impact of adoption and allow families to focus on their newest member.