Kim A. Griffith

Kim A. Griffith began her association with Sheehan & Sheehan in 1986, and she attributes her long tenure to the fact that she works with wonderful, talented people who share her goal of providing high quality legal service and helping clients solve their problems. She has had the opportunity during her years of practice with the firm to work on a broad and interesting variety of matters for many different kinds of clients, including individuals, small business owners, corporations, state and local government bodies and agencies, and state universities. Her practice is concentrated in the areas of employment law, contract law, and general litigation. She also practices in the areas of construction law and commercial litigation. Ms. Griffith holds an AV Preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubbell .

Employment law matters are a primary focus of Ms. Griffith's practice. She has represented public and private employers, large and small, in connection with charges of sexual harassment, discrimination, and retaliation for whistle blowing under federal and state laws. She has also defended a large federal contractor and a healthcare provider in  lawsuits brought by former employees under the Federal False Claims Act. She has represented employees as well as employers in cases involving breach of contract claims, covenants not to compete, wage and hour disputes, and general allegations of wrongful discharge. She also provides advice and counsel to employers on how to identify, investigate and properly handle personnel problems as they arise and evolve, with the goal of avoiding costly litigation. In the same vein, she assists employers in reviewing and revising their personnel policies and procedures.

Ms. Griffith's work in the area of contract law has included negotiation and drafting of a wide range of agreements, including shareholder agreements and other corporate documents, asset purchase and sale agreements, employment contracts, indemnity agreements, security agreements, lease agreements, professional services contracts, and equipment leases.

Ms. Griffith has represented a broad spectrum of clients in commercial and construction disputes in state and federal court, as well as in arbitration proceedings and administrative adjudications. Those disputes have included lender liability issues, insurance coverage, the Uniform Commercial Code, lien disputes, public procurement, licensing, performance and payment bond actions, and partnership and shareholder disputes. Her construction law experience and knowledge has been greatly enhanced by her role as co-editor of Timothy M. Sheehan's two treatises on construction law, New Mexico Construction Law (published in 1987 by Butterworth Legal Publishers) and Construction Law in New Mexico (published by the New Mexico Law Institute in 1996).

After her graduation from the University of New Mexico School of Law in 1983 and prior to joining the firm, Ms. Griffith served as a law clerk to the Honorable Juan G. Burciaga of the U.S. District Court for the District of New Mexico from 1983 to 1985. Her decision to obtain her law degree was the culmination of many years of paralegal work. She worked as a program analyst for the Office of Field Services at the Legal Services Corporation in Washington, D.C. from 1975 to 1978. In the summer of 1975, she was a paralegal assistant in the international law division of Rubens, Weil & Gampbell, a firm of solicitors in London, England, where she worked on commercial transactions. From 1968 to 1971, and again in 1974 and the summer of 1981, she worked as a paralegal for the law firm of Hillman, Baxter & Hammond in Grand Rapids, Michigan.