Scott M. Davidson
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Practice Areas:
- Appeals (Civil and Criminal, Federal and State)
- Post-Conviction Cases (Federal and State)
- Expungements (New Mexico)
- Criminal Defense (Federal and State)
- Immigration Appeals
Biography
I have an extensive background representing clients from across the United States and beyond in appellate and post-conviction cases in federal state courts.
In 2005, I founded Just Appeals, a boutique law firm of national scope, headquartered in the beautiful high desert city of Albuquerque.
My practice includes criminal appeals, post-conviction proceedings, complex federal multi-defendant criminal cases, Title III electronic surveillance litigation, expungement of criminal records, executive clemency proceedings, and immigration appeals in EOIR.
My legal experience spans two decades of federal and state trial and appellate litigation. From 1996 to 1998, I clerked at the New Mexico Supreme Court. From 1998 to 2000, I litigated federal multi-district class-action anti-trust and securities cases while an associate at Freedman Boyd Daniels Hollander Goldberg & Cline PA. In 2000, I joined the Federal Defender's office in New Mexico, where my practice focused on appellate and post-conviction cases on behalf of indigent criminal defendants in federal court.
My educational history includes advanced degrees from Yale University (Ph.D., M.A., M. Phil.) and the University of New Mexico School of Law (J.D.). I also earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Trinity University, and also studied at Macalester College, Institut Méditerranéen, and King's College London.
My scholarly approach to the law is grounded in my extensive educational background and more than a dozen years of teaching experience in law and philosophy at Yale University, the University of New Mexico School of Law, and the University of South Carolina. Over the last two decades, I have contributed to professional publications and presented at legal seminars on a variety of topics in criminal law, civil law, immigration law, and related fields.
My firm, JustAppeals, the Law Office of Scott M. Davidson, is dedicated to offering a client-centered, research-based approach to mitigating or erasing the effects of prior convictions, and related types of cases. I personally handle each case and take the time to make sure clients understand every phase along the way. I recognize that these cases can be time consuming, emotionally draining, and costly. An appeal or post-conviction case is often the last chance to right a wrong and correct a miscarriage of justice. I have seen first hand that choosing the right lawyer to handle your case can be one of life's most important decisions.
Education
- University of New Mexico School of Law, Albuquerque, New Mexico
- J.D. - 1996
- Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut
- Ph.D, M. Phil, M.A. - 1991
- Trinity University, San Antonio, Texas
- B.A. - 1984
- Institut Méditerranéen, Fabrégues, France
- 1986
- King’s College, University of London, London, England
- 1983
- Macalester College, Saint Paul, Minnesota
- 1981
Bar Admission
- Supreme Court of the United States of America
- U.S. Court of Appeals 5th Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals 9th Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals 10th Circuit
- U.S. District Court District of Colorado
- U.S. District Court District of New Mexico
- U.S. District Court for the District of Maine, pro hac vice
- U.S. District Court District of Wyoming
- U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas, pro hac vice
- U.S. District Court Southern District of Texas
- New Mexico
Published Works
- Editor, THE ELECTRONIC DIGEST OF NEW MEXICO CASES, 2007-2010
- Editor, New Mexico Criminal Defense Lawyers Association’s Online Library of Briefs, 2008-2009
- Research and Writing Specialist, Federal Public Defender, Albuquerque, NM, 2000-2005
Honors
- Top Lawyers in New Mexico, Highest in Ethical Standards and Professional Excellence, by The Legal Network
- 10 Best Client Satisfaction Award by the American Institute of Criminal Law Attorneys
Classes & Seminars
- University of New Mexico School of Law, Albuquerque, NM, 1994-96, 2006-08, 2010-12
- University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, 1991-93
- Yale University, 1985-91
Pro-Bono Activities
- Board Member, Ghost Ranch Governing Board, Presbyterian Church U.S.A., 2007 to 2013
- Board Member, New Mexico Innocence and Justice project, 2008 to Present
Past Positions
- Freedman Boyd Daniels Hollander Goldberg & Cline, P.A., Albuquerque, NM, Associate, 1998 to 2000
- Supreme Court of New Mexico, Santa Fe, NM, Judicial Law Clerk, 1996 to 1998
Professional Associations
- State Bar of New Mexico Appellate Practice Section, Chair, 2009 to 2009
- State Bar of New Mexico Appellate Practice Section, Board Member, 2007 to 2012
- State Bar of New Mexico Appellate Practice Institute Committee, Chair, 2007 to 2007
- H. Vearle Payne American Inn of Court, Barrister, 2008 to 2012
- New Mexico Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, Benefactor and Member, 1998 to Present
- National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Member, 2005 to Present
- Association of Trial Lawyers of America, Past Member
- American Immigration Lawyers Association, Member
Current Employment Position
- President