Our Successes

Civil Rights and Government Misconduct Cases

In 2026, the firm — along with the ACLU of New Mexico, Rachel Higgins, and Mia Touchet — resolved a wrongful-death lawsuit against the private operator of the Torrance County Detention Facility in Estancia, New Mexico, on behalf of the estate of a 23-year-old who died by suicide in immigration custody. The suit alleged systemic failures in the facility's mental-health care, including leaving him locked alone and unsupervised while in visible crisis. The Defendant resolved the matter confidentially with the Estate on the eve of trial.

In 2026, the firm secured a significant settlement for a community transparency advocate who alleged that a small City’s two highest officials retaliated against her for criticizing local government — interfering with her employment and shutting her out of public forums. Brought under the New Mexico Civil Rights Act, the case invoked the free-speech and equal-protection guarantees of the New Mexico Constitution, which protect expression more broadly than the First Amendment.

In 2023, in Cangialosi et al v. City of El Paso, the firm tried and won a case against the El Paso Police Department for its failure to follow the safety rules when its officers engaged in a vehicular pursuit that resulted in one death and several injuries. After winning two appeals filed by the City, and a week of trial, a jury in El Paso found in favor of the firm’s clients. Damages in this case were capped by Texas law and the case later settled before an appeal took place. However, this is likely the first successful jury verdict against the City of El Paso for a negligent hot pursuit.

In 2020 and 2021, the firm – along with co-counsel – obtained two rulings in the Western District of Texas. In both cases, the courts permitted victims of law enforcement misconduct to go to trial against the El Paso Police Department for structural problems including failure to discipline officers for improper use of force, failure to train officers to deal with persons in mental health crises, and failure to implement critical programs to respond to persons in mental health crises. Both cases settled shortly before trial in 2022 and 2023.

In 2020, the firm won what is likely the first trial held in the Western District of Texas – El Paso Division under the Freedom of Information Act. The firm uncovered serious wrongdoing on the part of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement as it failed to disclose critical documents to the public. The Hon. Frank Montalvo stated in a final ruling that “the amount of work done in such a low number of hours is the direct result of [Christopher] Benoit’s high level of litigation skills and accompanying effectiveness . . .” Diocesan Migrant & Refugee Servs., Inc. v. U.S. Immigr. & Customs Enf’t, No. EP-19-CV-00236-FM, 2021 WL 289548, at *11-13 (W.D. Tex. Jan. 28, 2021).

“The amount of work done in such a low number of hours is the direct result of [Christopher] Benoit’s high level of litigation skills and accompanying effectiveness.” –Judge Frank Montalvo

In 2014, the firm, along with co-counsel, won a $402,000 bench judgment against the United States when FBI agents intentionally misrepresented the facts and wrongly arrested an office supply salesman for a bank robbery.  The client eventually recovered $282,321.48 after attorneys’ fees and costs. 

Whistleblower, Retaliation, Discrimination, and Wage and Hour Cases

Between 2023 and 2026, the firm brought numerous actions on behalf of whistleblowers against state entities and municipalities throughout the State of New Mexico. The cases included representation of both former fire and police chiefs who reported fraudulent and unlawful conduct and were fired as a result of their work. In each of these cases, our clients sought and were able to obtain accountability for the system failures that put them and their communities at risk.

In 2021, the firm obtained a significant settlement for a former executive of a large-scale government contractor. The executive was a whistleblower regarding serious product defects that could affect the safety of U.S. troops.

In 2020, the firm – along with co-counsel – obtained one of the first class action certifications under the New Mexico Minimum Wage Act against an employer in Santa Fe, New Mexico. For years, New Mexico courts have used a more restrictive procedure (a collective action) to allow workers to file suit against their employers for wage violations. This groundbreaking certification will pave the way for workers in New Mexico to hold their employers accountable for illegal wage schemes as class actions.

“[I was] uninitiated and naïve to the entire legal process; Chris and Lynn addressed all my concerns in my employment case through their hard work, straightforwardness, and honesty. They took the time to learn my case thoroughly and in detail. They sought out unique solutions and delivered astonishing results in the end. These are the type of folks you want on your side." – Armando, Former Client

In 2014, the firm won reinstatement for a firefighter with a distinguished seventeen-year career who was fired soon after recovering from surgery and treatment for brain cancer.

Workplace Injury and Wrongful Death Cases

In 2020, the firm, along with co-counsel, filed suit against a distributor on behalf of the family of a warehouse worker who died during a forklift collision. The firm first succeeded in keeping the case out of arbitration. The ensuing litigation uncovered unsafe system failures that led to the death of our client’s family member. The case settled favorably and confidentially just three months prior to trial.

In 2019, the firm, along with a litigation team, secured a jury verdict of $2,840,000 (later reduced to $1,420,000 by the court) on behalf of families and injured passengers of a large multi-death vehicle collision that occurred on a private road in a populated area in East El Paso. Our clients sought to hold accountable the company which controlled and maintained the road in extremely dangerous conditions. Dozens of other accidents and several other deaths occurred on the same stretch of road. The case settled while on appeal.

In 2015, the firm, serving with co-counsel, secured a jury verdict on behalf of a laborer severely injured after falling in an unsafe construction site. Our client sued numerous contractors and an employment staffing agency who were responsible for the job site. The jury found that our client’s damages totaled over $20 million. Because the general contractor was not legally required to pay, the court rendered final judgment for $6,166,318. During appeal, the case settled confidentially with some of the parties.