After graduating from the UNM School of Law in 1982, Wendy York litigated both criminal and civil cases.  Shehas also taught torts, criminal law, criminal procedure and trial practice. From 1997 until 2005, she sat as a District Court Judge in the Civil Division. She received the Outstanding Judge of the Year from the Albuquerque Bar Association and the Power and Caring Award from the Women’s Bar Association. 

As a result of her judicial experience, she has a unique ability to help disputants appreciate the strengths and weaknesses of their positions and the vagaries that make going to trial so risky and unpredictable. She is also a sought after speaker and trainer both locally and nationally.  Ms. York has received advanced training in dispute resolution from Pepperdine University, and holds an AV® Preeminent™ rating from Martindale-Hubbell®.

For the last seventeen years, she has worked as a mediator, special master and arbitrator and has conducted over 3100 mediations.  She also conducts mock cross-examinations to help witnesses prepare for trial.  She has mediated appcases and has been named a SuperLawyer in the area of Alternative Dispute Resolution.  She has spoken nationally on mediation.

She is the recipient of the Distinguished Alumnus award from the University of New Mexico, Department of Economics and the Distinguished Achievement Award from the University of New Mexico Law School.  In 2017, she received the Henrietta Pettijohn award from the New Mexico Women’s Bar.  The New Mexico Supreme Court appointed her as chair of the Uniform Jury instruction Committee and as chair of the Adult Guardianship Study Commission.

Since the pandemic she has conducted numerous video conference mediations.  She is also available to conduct hybrid mediations.

• University of New Mexico School of Law, Albuquerque, New Mexico J.D., Magna Cum Laude – 1982 
Law Review: Natural Resources Journal, 1981 – 1982
• University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico B.A., Economics Magna Cum Laude – 1978
• McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada

• New Mexico District Judges Association, 1998 – 2005
• New Mexico District Judges Association, Board of Directors, 1998 – 2005
• Mid-State Women’s Bar Association, Member, 1995 – Present
• Albuquerque Bar Association, Board of Directors, 2005 – 2007
• UNM School of Law Distinguished Achievement Award Honoree, 2012
• Super Lawyers®, Alternative Dispute Resolution, 2009 – Present
• Distinguished Alumna, University of New Mexico, Department of Economics, 2006
• Outstanding Judge of the Year, Albuquerque Bar Association, 2002
• Recipient of the Power and Caring Award, New Mexico Women’s Bar Association, 2002
• Albuquerque Bar Association Survey of Judicial Performance: Highest Rated Judge, 2002