NMLL News:

ALBUQUERQUE — The latest episode of the New Mexico Legal Lowdown podcast, hosted by attorney Feliz Rael, features a deep dive into the transformative power of the civil justice system with trial lawyer Kathy Love, partner at McGinn, Montoya, Love, Curry, and Sievers PA. The episode, titled “How Lawsuits Trigger Change in the World,” explores why trial lawyers pursue high-stakes litigation and how these cases protect the public by forcing shifts in corporate and institutional policy.

Kathy Love, a veteran trial lawyer specializing in catastrophic injury and wrongful death, shared her desire for “transformative justice.” While many view lawsuits through the lens of financial compensation, Love emphasizes that for most families who have suffered a loss, the primary goal is ensuring no one else suffers a similar fate.

“Justice matters, and we fight for it,” Love said during the interview. “Most people come to us saying, ‘I don’t want this to happen to another family.’ Our job is to find the catalyst for that change.”

The episode highlights several landmark cases handled by Love and her firm that resulted in significant industry shifts:

• Medical Fraud & Kickbacks: Love detailed a major case against Biotronic, a medical device manufacturer, and a local physician. The litigation revealed a kickback scheme where a doctor convinced 34 patients – including a healthy woman in her 30s – to have unnecessary pacemakers and defibrillators implanted. The trial sought not only compensation but punitive damages to signal to corporate headquarters that preying on patients is not a “cost of doing business.”
• Campus Safety: Love discussed her partners’ 2022 case involving a freshman at New Mexico State University who was assaulted in her dorm. Through the bravery of the survivor and the persistence of the legal team, the settlement mandated that all incoming freshmen must complete sexual assault safety and awareness training before they can register for classes.
• Trucking and Healthcare: The firm frequently targets “policy failures” rather than simple human error, pushing for stricter driver-screening processes in the trucking industry and patient safety protocols and training in hospitals.

During the conversation, Love addressed her “pet peeve”: when people focus on “liability” of companies rather than “harm” to people. She argues that the legal system is often the only “great equalizer” capable of forcing multi-billion-dollar corporations and government entities to prioritize human safety over profit margins.

Focusing on “liability is a divorce from humanity,” Love explained. “We should be talking about whether a cabinet is going to fall and cause brain damage to a child, or whether a hospital policy keeps a patient safe. It’s about people, not spreadsheets.” Companies should focus on preventing harm, not avoiding accountability.

About New Mexico Legal Lowdown

Produced by LawPods and sponsored by the New Mexico Trial Lawyers Association, New Mexico Legal Lowdown is dedicated to demystifying the civil legal process. Hosted by Feliz Rael, the podcast features real conversations with trial lawyers to uncover the truth about how the law works for – and sometimes against – New Mexicans.

New episodes of New Mexico Legal Lowdown will spotlight legal issues that affect New Mexicans every day, offering listeners clear explanations, candid conversations, and insight into the legal battles shaping the state.

The podcast is available at NMTLA.org, and on major podcast platforms including (add Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, etc.).