Attorney Profiles

Since May 1990, Joe Kennedy has practiced law in Albuquerque, New Mexico. His practice focuses on the representation of plaintiffs in Section 1983 actions and in state tort actions. Mr. Kennedy also represents criminal defendants in state couts.

Mr. Kennedy graduated from Temple Law School in Phladelphia in 1985, where he was a member of the Temple Law Review. From 1985-1987 Mr. Kennedy worked at the law firm of Obernayer, Rebmann & Hippel in Philadelphia, where he did litigation work.  From 1987-1989, he worked at the law firm of Gross, Sklar, & Metzgar in Philadelphia, where I worked in the area of antitrust and securities class actions.
 
In 1989, Mr. Kennedy moved to New Mexico.  When first in New Mexico, Mr. Kennedy did legal research and writing, as an independent contractor, for attorney Paul Kennedy and the law firm of French & Walz.

In July, 1991, he tried his first plaintiff's civil rights case in federal district court in Albuquerque. Mr. Kennedy has since settled over 150 claims of civil rights violations in his career.

Some of his litigation has resulted in changes of Albuquerque Police Department police policy.  Both dog bite verdicts have caused APD to modify policies related to use of dogs in the apprehension of people.  Cozart v. City of Albuquerque, 95cv1351, resulted in APD written standard operating procedures being brought into compliance with Steagald v. United States, 451 U.S. 204 (1981), which prohibits warrantless searches of a host's home for the execution of an arrest warrant on a guest.  Gonzales v. City of Albuquerque, 03cv1150, has resulted in policy changes related to the seizure of cash during the execution of search warrants and the disposition of seized cash.

Mr. Kennedy has been licensed to practice law in the State of New Mexico since 1990.

Areas of Practice

• 50% Civil Rights
• Class Actions -- Plaintiff
• Criminal Law
• Medical Malpractice
• 20% Personal Injury -- Plaintiff
• Toxic Torts
• Sexual Abuse

Bar Admissions

• New Mexico, 1990

Education

• Temple University School of Law, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1985
  J.D.
  Law Review: Temple Law Review
  
  

Representative Cases

• Betts v. City of Albuquerque, 90 cv 779 ( )
• Aragon v. City of Albuquerque, 92 cv 821 ( )
• Goff v. Heatley, 95 cv 1508 ( )
• Davis v. City of Albuquerque, 01 cv 416 ( )
• Smith v. City of Albuquerque, 01 cv 1235 ( )
• Layman v. City of Albuquerquer, 04 cv 778 ( )
• Cozart v. City of Albuquerque, 95 cv 1351 ( )
• Steagald v. United States, 451 U.S. 204 (1981) ( )
• Gonzales v. City of Albuquerque, 03 cv 1150 ( )

Past Employment Positions

• Gross, Sklar & Metzgar, 1987 - 1989
• Obernayer, Rebmann & Hippel, 1985 - 1987