Labor and Employment Law

Workplace law is tricky and the consequences of not following the law are serious. I represent individuals and small business owners when they need employment law help.

For employees: Have you suffered from discrimination or hostile working environment at work? Were you fired illegally or not hired for a job that you were qualified for based on discrmination? Were you harassed by a boss or co-worker because of your age, gender, race, religion, disability, pregnancy, sexual orientation or national origin? Did your employer retaliate against you for reporting something illegal at work? Have you not received overtime pay or have you been paid less than your employer owed you? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you may have a legal claim and you deserve a strong, hard-working lawyer to fight for your rights. I only take cases that I believe have strong legal merit and I will not get paid until you receive a settlement, verdict or other award.

Trucking Accidents, Wrongful Death, Car Accidents, Personal Injury, Catastrophic Injury, Brain Injury

The types of injuries I deal with can create a ripple effect that changes everything for a whole family in an instant. I understand and have over two decades of experience fighting these fights. When I worked for insurance companies, I often handled cases worth tens of millions of dollars.  I have litigated wrongful death cases, trucking cases, car accidents, motorcycle accidents, explosion cases, fires, construction site accidents, slip/falls, dramshop (overservice of alcohol cases) and medical malpractice suits.  I have had much success at trial. When I was badly hurt in a car accident several years ago and went through a long recovery process, I decided that someday, I would start my own practice to fight for the little guy. It is far more rewarding representing people.  

Workers Compensation

We represent injured workers. I have worked in the construction industry, so I understand that too many accidents happen on jobsites.  One accident can change a workers' life and can turn a productive wage-earner into someone who relies on his or her family to survive. We know it is demoralizing and many of our clients live in pain.  We are empathetic and thorough to help our clients get fair treatment in the process.

Background and Experience

I have been licensed to practice law in New Mexico since 1998. I graduated from the University of Pittsburgh with highest honors in 1995. At Pitt, I sang with the internationally touring a cappella Heinz Chapel Choir and served in student government. In 1998, I graduated with honors from Georgetown University Law Center after serving as an Administrative Editor of the Georgetown Journal of Legal Ethics. After law school, I moved to New Mexico to begin a career at a large firm in Albuquerque. I later practiced with large firms and a Fortune 500 company in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, gaining great experience on cases that drew national attention.

In 2008, I brought my family back to New Mexico, where I continued to get trial and litigation experience in all aspects of injury law, trucking cases, explosions, oil field accidents, drunk driver accidents, service of alcohol cases, wrongful death, medical malpractice and employment law. I founded the Buchanan Law Firm, LLC in 2019. I am “AV-Preeminent” peer-rated by Martindale-Hubbell, a national independent peer review group, and have received high praise from clients, mediators, judges and other lawyers.

Outside of work, I enjoy exploring the amazing outdoors throughout New Mexico and the Southwest. I am an avid skier, nature photographer, hiker and have been known to cast a fly now and then. My family is now based in both Albuquerque and Santa Fe, New Mexico.