Morris J. Chavez - Albuquerque, NM
Attorney at Saucedo Harrigan Apodaca Griesmeyer Apodaca PC
Lawyers in Albuquerque, NM
800 Lomas Boulevard North West Suite 200 Albuquerque, NM 87102 - 3476
Updated: 03/10/2026
Attorney Information
Overview
Morris J. (Mo) Chavez is an AV® Peer Review Rated Attorney that possesses a unique combination of administrative, insurance regulatory and legal experience. In 2006, he was appointed as the Superintendent of Insurance for the State of New Mexico serving from 2006 through 2010. As the youngest Commissioner in the country, he quickly ascended through the national leadership ranks of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC). He served on the NAIC Executive Committee and become the Vice-Chair of the Western Zone within months of his appointment. Mo was also appointed by NAIC Officers to serve as the Chairman for two national committees on Title Insurance and Consumer Affairs.
Mo is currently a shareholder in the SaucedoChavez, P.C. law firm based in Albuquerque, NM which specializes in insurance defense and regulatory matters, complex commercial litigation, and government affairs/lobbying. His practice focuses on multiple insurance related issues and regulatory matters in New Mexico and throughout the country.
In 2005, Mo was named the State Bar of New Mexico's Young Lawyer of the Year by his peers. Furthermore, he is a past-President of the Young Lawyers Division and the New Mexico Hispanic Bar Association, one of the most active minority bar associations in the country. Mo has presented both locally and nationally on topics such as health care reform, ethics, diversity and insurance law for entities such as the American Bar Association, the University of New Mexico School of Law, and the S.E. Insurance Regulator's Association.
Awards and Honors
Honors
- AV® Peer Review Rated Attorney
- Young Lawyer of the Year, State Bar of New Mexico
- Kiwanis Club of Albuquerque, Applause Award Recipient, 2010 - Present
- New Mexico Business Weekly Top 40 under 40 Business Professionals, 2006 - Present
- State Bar of New Mexico Outstanding Young Lawyer of the Year Award, 2005 - Present
Education
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Legal Education
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University of New Mexico School of Law,
Albuquerque,
New Mexico, May, 1998
Juris Doctor
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University of New Mexico School of Law,
Albuquerque,
New Mexico, May, 1998
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Non Legal Education
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University of San Diego,
San Diego,
California, May, 1995
B.A., Bachelor of Arts
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University of San Diego,
San Diego,
California, May, 1995
Past Positions
- Chavez & Associates, LLC, Shareholder
- New Mexico Public Regulation Commission, Superintendent of Insurance
- New Mexico Gaming Control Board, State Gaming Representative
- National Guaranty Insurance Company, V.P. Operations
Classes and Seminars
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Accepting Representation, NM Woman's Bar Association, Albuquerque, NM, 2012 - Present
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Client Selection, New Mexico YLD Bridge-the-Gap, Albuquerque, NM, 2011 - Present
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Credit-Based Insurance Scores, IRES Career Development Seminar, Albuquerque, NM, 2010 - Present
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Health Legislative Update, SBNM Health Law Symposium, Albuquerque, NM, 2009 - Present
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National P&C/Title Insurance Update, SE Regulators Assoc. Conf., Orlando, FL, 2008 - Present
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Insurance 101 for Lawyers, ABA/GP Solo Fall Meeting, Santa Fe, NM, 2008 - Present
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The Basics of the New Mexico Insurance Code, State Bar Annual Meeting, Scottsdale, AZ, 2008 - Present
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Insurance Law, UNM School of Law, Albuquerque, NM, 2008 - 2009
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Diversity in Your Organization, ABA/YLD Fall Conference, Baltimore, MD, 2006 - Present
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New Mexico Gaming Law, New Mexico YLD Ski-LE, Ruidoso, NM, 2005 - Present
- Ethics, New Mexico YLD Bridge-the-Gap, Albuquerque, NM, 2004 - Present
Bar Admissions
- New Mexico, 1999
- U.S. District Court District of New Mexico, 2010
- U.S. District Court Western District of Texas, 2012
Other Affiliations
- Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, 2013 - Present (Director)
- UNM School of Law Alumni Association Board of Directors, 2013 - Present (Director)
- State Bar of New Mexico Committee on Diversity, 2004 - Present (Member)
- New Mexico Hispanic Bar Association Board, 2006 - 2010 (Member)
- New Mexico Hispanic Bar Association Board, 2008 - 2009 (President)
- American Bar Association/Young Lawyers Division Leadership Advisory Board, 2005 - 2007
- State Bar of New Mexico Young Lawyers Division, 2001 - 2006 (Member)
- State Bar of New Mexico Young Lawyers Division, 2004 - Present (Chair)
- American Bar Association/Young Lawyers Division, 2004 - 2005 (Dist. 23 Representative NM/AZ)
- Independent Insurance Agents of New Mexico Young Agents, 2004 - 2005 (Member)
- Independent Insurance Agents of New Mexico Young Agents, 2004 - Present (President)
- City of Albuquerque/Bernalillo County Water Resource Advisory Committee, 2004 - 2006 (Member)
- Council on Legal Education, 1995 - Present (Fellow)
- Gonzaga University School of Law, 1994 - Present (Fellow)
- Young Lawyers Division (Past President)
- New Mexico Hispanic Bar Association (Past President)
Photo
Contact
800 Lomas Boulevard North West
Suite 200
Albuquerque, NM 87102 - 3476
Phone: 505-633-8955
Fax: 505-338-3950
Email: Send a message
Website: https://www.shalawnm.com/
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