about Ramona J. Martinez-Salopek
Ramona is the owner of the Law Office of Martinez-Salopek, LLC and primarily focuses her practice in the areas of criminal defense, civil litigation, contract law, and governmental representation. Ramona has also previously practiced in the areas of employment and labor law. Ramona was previously an associate attorney at the Carrillo Law Firm, where she gained invaluable civil litigation experience. She has also practiced as an Associate Trial Attorney at the Law Offices of the Public Defender in the Las Cruces district office. Here, Ramona found a passion and love for juvenile justice.
As a native New Mexican, Ramona has reaped the benefits New Mexico has to offer. She grew up in Tierra Amarilla on her family’s ranch, where she gained an appreciation and understanding of the needs of rural New Mexico. Ramona graduated as a Presidential Scholar from the University of New Mexico, and then attended the University of New Mexico School of Law. Ramona has various ties and an extensive professional network throughout the State as she previously worked in state government in various capacities, including the Office of Governor Bill Richardson, Children, Youth, and Families Department, and the New Mexico Retiree Health Care Authority. She has worked and volunteered for numerous congressional and statewide political campaigns.
You can rest assured that Ramona will effectively and skillfully negotiate and litigate the most favorable outcome for her clients. Ramona is a zealous advocate of her clients and is most comfortable inside a courtroom. She takes pride in understanding the court rules and procedure. Her intuition and keenness are what vows success in her cases. No matter where Ramona shows up, she is fully equipped to do battle. When Ramona takes on a case, her clients reap the benefit of her knowledge, experience and intense personal investment, all while maintaining a witty sense of humor.
Outside the courtroom, Ramona is also a devoted mother, loves to garden, hangs out with her pups, and her chickens… yes chickens.
Ramona also believes in the importance of involvement in the community and the legal profession. She has been a past board member of the Albuquerque Community Foundation’s Future Fund and HELP NM CSBG Board. She also served on then Governor Elect Michelle Lujan Grisham’s Transition Team for the Department of Corrections. Ramona is the current President of the Las Cruces Junior League and serves as board of director for the New Mexico Hispanic Bar Association, is the Southwest Director for the New Mexico Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, and sits on the Cannabis Law Section Board of Directors of the New Mexico State Bar.
education and court addmissions
• University of New Mexico, B.A. 2002, Major Political Science and Criminology
• University of New Mexico, J.D. 2007
• Professional Associations and Memberships
• New Mexico Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, Southwest Director, 2018 - Present
• New Mexico State Bar Association, 2007 – Present
• New Mexico Hispanic Bar Association, Board of Director, 2018 – 2020; Member 2014 - Present
• New Mexico State Bar Cannabis Law Section, Board of Director, 2018 – Present
• New Mexico Commission Access to Justice, Commissioner 2021 -Present