SOMMER KARNES & ASSOCIATES - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Member of the Attorneys & People Team
- PARALEGAL
Job Titles:
- ATTORNEY
- Member of the Attorneys & People Team
- of COUNSEL
- File Manager
- Office Manager Robbie Sommer
Job Titles:
- ATTORNEY
- MANAGING PARTNER
- Member of the Attorneys & People Team
- Partner
- File Manager
- Office Manager Robbie Sommer
Job Titles:
- Member of the Attorneys & People Team
- RECEPTIONIST
Juella Montoya is the receptionist at Sommer Karnes & Associates, LLP.
Juella has been a receptionist in the law field for 16 years. She is the first, to interact with clients & assists them with the upmost respect, personal & professional whether in person and over the phone. She also assists with preparation of hearings, depositions, mediations & arbitrations along with in house filing of legal documents and scheduling appointments for attorneys.
Prior to joining Sommer Karnes & Associates, LLP, Juella worked for Scheuer, Yost & Patterson for 13 years as the receptionist.
Juella is a local to Santa Fe with many generations. She raised her 3 beautiful daughters who are now grown and has 5 wonderful grandchildren who keep her very busy. She attended Culinary Arts at the Santa Fe Community College for 2 years in 1993 & 1994. She enjoys working out, riding her bicycle and baking delicious treats for everyone to enjoy.
Job Titles:
- ATTORNEY
- MANAGING PARTNER
- Member of the Attorneys & People Team
- Partner
- File Manager
- Office Manager Robbie Sommer
Karl H. Sommer has over thirty (30) years of real estate law, land use law, and litigation experience. He has particular interest in helping clients solve their legal problems and achieving the goals related to property.
Born and raised in Santa Fe, New Mexico, his family and professional roots run deep in Santa Fe and northern New Mexico. He graduated from University of New Mexico School of Law, and began practicing law 1986 with the family firm Sommer, Udall & Hardwick P. A., founded in 1953 by his father, Joseph A. Sommer (1926 - 2006). He practiced with his father, and two brothers Kurt A. Sommer and Eric M. Sommer (and other lawyers) for twenty (20) years. For over thirty (30) years, Karl has focused his practice on real property-related matters, including transactions, residential and commercial leasing, condominiums, construction matters, land use and development issues, finance, and entity formation related to the acquisition, ownership and development of land, and litigation related the areas of the law. In addition, he has practiced extensively in areas of general commercial law, including contract matters, business formation, business sales/acquisitions, and commercial litigation. He has represented clients before all of the state and federal courts in New Mexico, and has extensive experience before city and county councils, boards and commissions.
Karl H. Sommer and Joseph M. Karnes have worked together for over a decade in Santa Fe, and formed their partnership in 2010. Combined they have over fifty (50) years of legal experience. The firm has earned the reputation of effectively and efficiently helping people identify, assess and solve their legal issues.
Sommer Karnes focuses on real property issues of all types, including land use, zoning, probate, real estate, condominium, business formation and planning, finance, commercial litigation, construction defects litigation, contracts - and related litigation, mediation and arbitration. Our attorneys practice in both federal and state courts and before administrative agencies of the state and federal government.
Sommer Karnes & Associates has played a key role in many of the major Santa Fe development projects and real estate and land use issues in recent decades. Our 100+ years of collective experience as counselors and our knowledge of the law and the local area provide us with perspective to identify pathways to success, potential pitfalls along the way and strategies for managing risk and saving time. Minimizing delay is critical and realistic projections enable informed decisions to be made early in the process.
Santa Fe has earned its reputation as the "City Different." Navigating matters such as deeds, property boundaries and easements, legal lots of record, restrictive covenants, zoning, planning, the City of Santa Fe Code and its historic, escarpment, terrain management and green development ordinances, neighborhoods and politics, and the County approval process can prove complex in an area with over 400 years of "modern" history occupying an area where people have lived for thousands of years.
Our team of attorneys: Karl Sommer, Joseph Karnes, and John Fox supported by our staff including Certified Paralegal Mychal Delgado and Deb Tupler, Office Manager Robbie Sommer and Receptionist/File Manager Juella Montoya are prepared to address your needs in a timely manner.
Sommer Karnes has represented applicants for major City and County approvals in recent years including the 500 acre Las Soleras annexation, General Plan Amendment and rezoning, downtown projects including the Villas at the Lensic and First National Bank mixed use project, the High Summit subdivision along Hyde Park Road, the Town Center at Las Campanas and the Alameda Lofts residential rezoning and development project. Our land use litigation practice has both successfully defended and prosecuted appeals of local government zoning decisions. We regularly appear before all City and County of Santa Fe decision-making bodies as well as jurisdictions throughout northern New Mexico.
Sommer Karnes' transactional real estate practice has facilitated complex multi-party transactions for large affordable housing projects, multi-million dollar residential and commercial real estate deals as well as raw land and single family home sales.
Northern New Mexico is a unique, special and complex place. It is our home and we are passionate about helping people succeed. To schedule an appointment, please call (505) 989-3800.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Attorneys & People Team
- PARALEGAL
Job Titles:
- Member of the Attorneys & People Team
- OFFICE MANAGER