Current Employment Position(s)

Of Counsel

Lawyer Overview

Mr. Cheney has practiced law since 1973 in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He has been associated with the law firm of Sheehan, Sheehan & Stelzner, P.A. in an Of Counsel capacity since October 1994. Mr. Cheney's law practice has focused on the representation of lawyers, and he has been recognized for his work in this area annually by The Best Lawyers in America since 1995 and by Southwest Super Lawyers since 2007. In addition to an active trial practice, since 1993 he has devoted more of his active practice to mediation, and has been recognized for his skills as a mediator in The Best Lawyers in America since 2005. Mr. Cheney has an AV rating from Martindale-Hubbell.

Mr. Cheney has been very active in local, state and national bar activities. He served on the State Bar of New Mexico's Board of Bar Commissioners for nine years, and is a past-president of the New Mexico Bar Foundation and the Albuquerque Bar Association. He served three terms as New Mexico's delegate to the American Bar Association House of Delegates, where he also served as a member of the ABA's Nominating Committee, the Executive Committee of State Delegates to the ABA (past co-chair), the Steering Committee to the ABA House, the ABA's Standing Committee on Lawyers' Professional Liability, the ABA Commission on Lawyer Assistance Programs (CoLAP), and the ABA's Standing Committee on Lawyer Referral. He currently serves as a Commissioner for the State Bar of New Mexico's Client Protection Fund. He also serves as chair of the State Bar's Professional Liability Committee, and as a member of the State Bar's Lawyers Assistance Committee. He has received recognition as Outstanding Lawyer of the Year from the Albuquerque Bar Association, the Distinguished Bar Service Award in 2005, and outstanding achievement awards from the State Bar of New Mexico. In 2005, Mr. Cheney also was recognized by the University of New Mexico Alumni Association with its Zia Award.

Areas of Practice

• Commercial Litigation
• Mediation
• Defense of Lawyers and Related Professional Issues

Representative Clients

• Safeco Select Markets (Professional Liability)
• Clarendon / Lawyer's Protector Plan
• Westport Insurance
• CNA Pro
• Attorneys Liability Protection Society (ALPS)
• XL Specialty (Professional Liability)
• Home Insurance Company/REM, Management, Ltd. (Professional Liability)
• Firemen's Fund Insurance Company
• Electric Insurance (General Electric)
• St. Paul/Travelers
• Bankers Life and Casualty
• Kaiser Aluminum & Chemical Company
• DaimlerChrysler Motor Company
• Fiduciary Trust Company International
• Albuquerque Cab Company, Inc.

Representative Cases

• Computer One v. Grisham & Lawless, 2007-NMCA- 079, 141 N.M. 869, 161 P.3d 914 (2007)
• In re Treinen, 2006-NMSC-013, 139 N.M. 318, 131 P.3d 1282 (2006)
• In re Zamora, 2001-NMSC-011, 130 N.M. 161, 21 P.3d 30 (2001)
• Estate of Galloway v. Guaranty Income Life Ins., 104 N.M. 627, 725 P.2d 827 (S. Ct. 1986)
• Gelinas v. Gabriel, 741 P.2d 443 (N.M. App. 1987)
• Harmon v. Atlantic Richfield, 623 P.2d 1015 (N.M. App. 1981)
• Hardin v. Farris, 530 P.2d 407 (N.M. App. 1974)
• Brunacini v. Kavanaugh, 889 P.2d 821 (N.M. App. 1993)

West Practice Categories

Mediation, Business & Commercial Law, Insurance Defense, Personal Injury -- Defense

Bar Admissions

• New Mexico, 1973
• U.S. Court of Appeals 10th Circuit, 1973
• U.S. Court of Appeals 5th Circuit, 1973
• U.S. District Court District of New Mexico, 1973

Professional Associations and Memberships

• American Bar Association, 1995 - 2004 (Member, Nominating Committee)
• American Bar Association, 1999 - 2002 (Member, Standing Committee on Lawyers' Professional Liability)
• American Bar Association, 2002 - Present (Member, Standing Committee on Lawyer Referral and Information Service)
• American Bar Association, 1995 - 1997 (Member, Commission on Lawyer Assistance Programs)
• American Bar Association, 2000 - 2001 (Co-Chair, Executive Committee of the Conference of State Delegates)
• American Bar Association, 1998 - 2002 (Steering Committee to the House of Delegates)
• American Bar Association, 1997 - 2000 (Member, Advisory Committee, Standing Committee on Substance Abuse)
• State Bar of New Mexico, 1985 - 1994 (Member, Board of Bar Commissioners)
• State Bar of New Mexico, 1992 - Present (Chair, Lawyer Professional Liability Committee)
• State Bar of New Mexico, 1991 (Member, Executive Committee)
• New Mexico Client Protection Fund Commission, New Mexico Supreme Court Appointee, 2005 - Present (Commissioner)
• State Bar of New Mexico, 1987 - Present (Member, State Bar Lawyer Assistance Committee)
• State Bar of New Mexico, 1985 - 1994 (Member, Board of Directors, Continuing Legal Education)
• State Bar of New Mexico, New Mexico Supreme Court (Judicial Evaluation Committee, Initial Exploratory Committee)
• Albuquerque Bar Association Member, 1978 - 1997 (President, Board of Directors, 1994-1997)
• New Mexico Bar Foundation, Member, Board of Directors, 1986 - 1997 (President, 1993)
• New Mexico Bar Foundation, 1992 - 1997 (Member, Interest on Lawyer's Trust Account (IOLTA) Grant Committee)
• Bill Kitts Society Mentorship Program, a Joint Project of the New Mexico Bar Foundation and the Young Lawyers Division of the State Bar of New Mexico (Chair)
• Large Complex Case Panel, American Arbitration Association (Member)
• Martin Chavez, Mayor of the City of Albuquerque, 1994 (Mayor's Blue Ribbon Committee)

Honors and Awards

• The Best Lawyers in America, Woodward/White, Inc. (Representation of Professionals), 1995 - Present
• The Best Lawyers in America, Woodward/White, Inc. (Mediation and ADR), 2007 - Present
• Albuquerque The Magazine - Albuquerque's Top Lawyers, 2006
• Southwest Super Lawyers (Recognized in the Area of Defense of Legal Professionals), 2007 - Present
• State Bar of New Mexico - Distinguished Service to the Bar Award, 2005
• Recipient of the University of New Mexico Zia Award for Outstanding Alumni, 2005
• State Bar of New Mexico, Outstanding Service to the Bar Award for Nine Years Service on Board of Bar Commissioners, 1994
• Albuquerque Bar Association, Outstanding Lawyer of the Year, 1992
• State Bar of New Mexico, Outstanding Contribution to the Bar, 1992

Classes and Seminars

• Current Issues in Legal Ethics & Professionalism, State Bar of New Mexico, 1990
• Are You Really Covered? Ethical and Practical Consideration of Malpractice Insurance Coverage in the 90's, State Bar of New Mexico, 1991 - 1992
• Arbitration and Mediation/Settlement, New Mexico Trial Lawyers Association, 1994
• Interactive Seminar - Legal Ethics, State Bar of New Mexico, 1994

Pro Bono Activities

• Chairman, Mentorship Program, New Mexico Bar Foundation Young Lawyers Division, 1992 - 1994
• Co-Developer, Statewide Program for Lawyers, Alcohol/Substance Abuse, 1991 - Present
• Presidential Scholarship Program, University of New Mexico, 1980 - 1991

Past Employment Positions

• State Bar of New Mexico, Commissioner, 1985 - 1994
• Butt, Thornton & Baehr, P.C., Director and Shareholder, 1976 - 1994
• Toulouse, Krehbiel & Cheney, P.C., 1973 - 1976

Education

• University of New Mexico School of Law, Albuquerque, New Mexico, 1972
  J.D., Doctor of Jurisprudence
• University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, 1969
  B.B.A., Bachelor of Business Administration
  Major: Business Administration

Fraternities/Sororities

• Phi Delta Theta

References

• James R. Deane, Esq., Fiduciary Trust Company, International
• R. Scott Smith, Esq., Weingarten Realty Management Company
• Patricia Ratner, Esq., Electric Mutual Lab Insurance Company
• James Catalani, Esq. The Home Insurance Company

Address

40 First Plaza N.W.
Suite 740
Albuquerque, NM 87102

Phones

(505) 247-0411

Faxes

(505) 842-8890

Emails

Contact Us

Websites

http://www.ssslawfirm.com