Matthew Vance

Matthew Vance was born and raised in the Land of Enchantment, spending his childhood and adolescence in Santa Fe before receiving his undergraduate degree at NM State University, and settling in Albuquerque after completing his Juris Doctorate at UNM School of Law in 1998. Following law school, Matt Vance couldn’t fathom leaving the beautiful State, home and community he knew and loved. In 2003, he married his wife and fellow attorney Lisa Schatz-Vance and the young couple began their family here in the Rio Grande Valley.

Matt Vance knew early on that he wanted to be an attorney. Matt Vance launched his legal career in 1989 as a runner and paralegal for two Santa Fe law firms, which focused on criminal defense and plaintiff’s person injury matters. Matt worked his way up from there, including seeking out internships (New Mexico Attorney General – Consumer Protection Division), trainings (e.g. NACDL seminars and National Criminal Defense College) and other learning opportunities he could find. Ten years and a law degree later, he began working in the Public Defender Department, where he remained committed to criminal trial work until he transitioned to civil Insurance Defense Litigation in 2002. During those early years, attorney Matthew Vance had the opportunity to work alongside and opposite some of the best attorneys in the community. While he learned a respect for both perspectives, whether prosecution or defense, his early leanings of representing individuals lead him to back to plaintiff’s personal injury law in 2004.

In 2006, The Law Office of Matthew Vance was founded with a primary objective: To bring honest and personalized representation to its clients. Now, after 26 years of litigating criminal and civil matters, Matt Vance’s practice has transitioned to mediations and Guardian Ad Litem work related to minors’ settlements.  Matt Vance has mediated over 770 cases to date and served as Guardian Ad Litem in over 350 matters to date. This practice has brought Matt Vance into better contact with attorneys on both sides of matters, insurance adjusters and the court. Throughout his career Matt Vance has found that sincere and honest communications with clients, other counsel, jurors and the court are the best tools to use. As a mediator, Matt Vance works to frankly, respectfully and openly discuss the issues in a case, whether legal or factual, and the corresponding potential risks and upsides to settlement versus trial. Matt Vance approaches every mediation with respect for the parties, the dispute and will work hard to bring the parties together on a resolution, if possible.  While not every case can be settled, every case should be mediated – to give the parties an opportunity to exchange information through a neutral and explore to possibility of a known resolution over the uncertainties and expenses of a trial.

Past Employment Positions

Whitener Law Firm, 11/2004 – 7/2006

Hatch, Allen & Shepherd, P.A., Associate Attorney, 1/2002 – 11/2004

New Mexico Public Defender Dept., Felony Attorney, 1/2001 – 1/2002

New Mexico Court of Appeals, Judge T. Glenn Ellington, Law Clerk, 5/2000 – 12/2000

New Mexico Public Defender Dept., Metro Attorney, 10/1998 – 5/2000

New Mexico Public Defender Dept., Student Extern, 1/1998 – 5/1998

Professors Barbara Bergman and James Ellis, UNM School of Law, Law Clerk, 8/1997 – 5/1998

Freedman, Boyd, Daniels, Hollander, Guttman & Goldberg, P.A., Law Clerk, 1/1997 - 5/1997

Professor Ted Occhialino, UNM School of Law, Law Clerk, 8/1996 – 12/1996

Lamberton & Riedel Attorney at Law, Runner/Law Clerk, 6/1994 – 1996

Law Office of Michael E. Vigil, Runner, 5/1990 – 6/1993

• University of New Mexico School of Law - J.D. - 1998

  ATLA Mock Trial Team, 1998 Public Defender Externship, 1998 District Attorney Clinic, 1997 Summer Institute at Universidad de Guanajuato, 1997

• New Mexico State University - B.A. - 1994

  Honors: Member of Prelaw Society Major: Philosophy with Supplementary major in Law and Society Minor: English

• New Mexico State Bar Association, Member Since: 1998 - current
• Albuquerque Bar Association, Member
• New Mexico Trial Lawyers Association Member - Board Member
• American Association for Justice, Member

My rate for mediation is $350/hour, plus GRT (7.625%), which will be split equally among the parties unless I hear otherwise.  For mediations scheduled for a half-day, there is a two (2) hour minimum charge, plus GRT, and for a full-day mediation, there is a four (4) hour minimum charge, plus GRT. My fee for services as a mediator is charged for preparation time as well as time spent in the actual mediation. Work performed post-mediation in furtherance of achieving a final resolution may also be charged at the normal hourly rate. Counsel for the parties are primarily and ultimately responsible for their client’s portion of the fees. I am retained by the attorneys to serve as mediator for their client and I view the attorney as the individual primarily and ultimately responsible for payment of my fees. I am not interested in chasing down parties for direct payment after settlement, whether they be a plaintiff, defendant, or insurance adjuster.  By scheduling a mediation with me, you are agreeing to these terms.