Biographical
After graduating from the UNM School of Law in 1982, Wendy York litigated both criminal and civil cases. Shehas also taught torts, criminal law, criminal procedure and trial practice. From 1997 until 2005, she sat as a District Court Judge in the Civil Division. She received the Outstanding Judge of the Year from the Albuquerque Bar Association and the Power and Caring Award from the Women’s Bar Association.
As a result of her judicial experience, she has a unique ability to help disputants appreciate the strengths and weaknesses of their positions and the vagaries that make going to trial so risky and unpredictable. She is also a sought after speaker and trainer both locally and nationally. Ms. York has received advanced training in dispute resolution from Pepperdine University, and holds an AV®Preeminent™rating from Martindale-Hubbell®.
For the last seventeen years, she has worked as a mediator, special master and arbitrator and has conducted over 3100 mediations. She also conducts mock cross-examinations to help witnesses prepare for trial. She has mediated appcases and has been named a SuperLawyer in the area of Alternative Dispute Resolution. She has spoken nationally on mediation.
She is the recipient of the Distinguished Alumnus award from the University of New Mexico, Department of Economics and the Distinguished Achievement Award from the University of New Mexico Law School. In 2017, she received the Henrietta Pettijohn award from the New Mexico Women’s Bar. The New Mexico Supreme Court appointed her as chair of the Uniform Jury instruction Committee and as chair of the Adult Guardianship Study Commission.
Since the pandemic she has conducted numerous video conference mediations. She is also available to conduct hybrid mediations.
In response to COVID-19, York Mediations began to offer videoconference mediations to all clients. Lawyers worry that video conference mediations cannot be as effective as in person mediations. With some advanced planning, videoconference mediations are working as well, or sometimes better, than in person. Wendy York is happy to discuss videoconference mediations with you.
"In the midst of these strange times, and despite my own whining, Judge York successfully navigated the video mediation format with ease. Not surprisingly she made the experience productive and enjoyable...and we settled a substantial case! Having the client meet the Judge over video prior to the mediation helped a lot. I would urge my fellow plaintiff's lawyers to try it."
“Due to travel restrictions and COVID19 concerns, we initially decided to cancel our mediation with Judge Wendy York. Judge York encouraged us all to give video conferencing a try and we are so glad we did. It was easy to set up-- even for my out-of-state 75 year old adjuster. We soon forgot that we were all appearing via video and were able to focus on the case at hand. Judge York was still able to build rapport with all the participants and resolve the case successfully. During this time of uncertainty and restrictions, I would really recommend giving video conferencing a try.”
“We had a very difficult and contentious case scheduled for mediation with Judge York in late March, soon after the COVID-19 restrictions were imposed by the Governor. I had never used videoconferencing, and Judge York had only done a few prior to our mediation. Not only did Judge York navigate the challenges of videoconferencing without a single hitch, she was able to resolve a case that I thought hadno chance whatsoeverof settling. Judge York took the time to videoconference with me prior to the mediation to discuss the case and to ensure I was comfortable with the technology. It was most definitely a pleasant and enjoyable experience and an option I hope to use with Judge York on a regular basis in the future.”
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Case Experience
- ADA Disability
- Appellate
- Automotive
- Banking & Finance
- Business Dissolution
- Civil Rights
- Class Actions
- Commercial/Business
- Community Associations
- Condominiums
- Construction
- Consumer Fraud
- Contract Disputes
- Debt Collections
- Discrimination
- Education
- EEOC
- Elder Abuse
- Eminent Domain
- Employment
- Family Businesses
- Health Care
- Insurance
- Land Use/Planning
- Landlord/Tenant
- Legal Malpractice
- Lemon Law
- Libel & Slander
- Local Govt./Municipalities
- Media & Communications
- Medical Devices
- Medical Malpractice
- Mortgage Foreclosure
- Non-profit Organizations
- Nursing Homes
- Partnerships
- Personal Injury
- Police
- Premises Liability
- Probate
- Product Liability
- Professional Fees
- Professional Liability
- Professional Malpractice
- Professional Negligence
- Property Damage
- Railroad & Trucking
- Real Estate
- Religious Institutions
- Sexual Harassment
- Shareholder Disputes
- Title Disputes
- Torts
- Trusts / Estates
- Unfair Competition
- Wage & Hour/FMLA
- Wrongful Death
Education
- University of New Mexico School of Law, Albuquerque, New Mexico J.D., Magna Cum Laude – 1982 
Law Review: Natural Resources Journal, 1981 – 1982
- University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico B.A., Economics Magna Cum Laude – 1978
- McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Memberships & Affiliations
- New Mexico District Judges Association, 1998 – 2005
- New Mexico District Judges Association, Board of Directors, 1998 – 2005
- Mid-State Women’s Bar Association, Member, 1995 – Present
- Albuquerque Bar Association, Board of Directors, 2005 – 2007
- UNM School of Law Distinguished Achievement Award Honoree, 2012
- Super Lawyers®, Alternative Dispute Resolution, 2009 – Present
- Distinguished Alumna, University of New Mexico, Department of Economics, 2006
- Outstanding Judge of the Year, Albuquerque Bar Association, 2002
- Recipient of the Power and Caring Award, New Mexico Women’s Bar Association, 2002
- Albuquerque Bar Association Survey of Judicial Performance: Highest Rated Judge, 2002
