Practice areas: Personal Injury, Civil Litigation, Civil Rights; view more
Licensed in New Mexico since: 2006
Education: Baylor University School of Law
Selected to Super Lawyers: 2019 - 2026 
Selected to Rising Stars: 2013 - 2016 Call today:
575-523-4321
Free Consultation McGraw & Associates, LLC
165 West Lucero AvenueLas Cruces, NM 88005 Visit website
Mollie McGraw is an experienced trial attorney in the pursuit of justice and accountability. She represents plaintiffs in civil litigation in state and federal courts in New Mexico, including personal injury, civil rights, medical malpractice, victims of crime and inadequate security cases, insurance bad faith and pharmaceutical negligence. McGraw is an experienced trial attorney with a passion for giving voice to those who have been harmed or killed.
Over the course of her career, McGraw has obtained substantial verdicts and settlements for her clients and is one of only a select few New Mexico attorneys to receive multiple eight-figure verdicts.
In 2024, McGraw obtained a $44 million verdict from a federal jury in U.S. District Court for the District of New Mexico in T.R. v. Patrick Howard on behalf of her female client who was sexually groomed and sexually abused by her high school teacher and Future Farmers of America (FFA) advisor when she was his student. In 2023, McGraw and her co-counsel obtained a $52.8 Million verdict in an insurance bad faith case against PULIC, a subsidiary of The Doctors Company, in Albuquerque, New Mexico. In 2019, McGraw obtained a verdict and attorney fees for an insured against her own insurer, USAA. In 2017, McGraw received a $1.6 Million verdict in federal court in an excessive force / police misconduct civil rights case. In 2015, McGraw and her co-counsel received a $12 Million verdict against a property management company and condo association for the wrongful death of her client in an inadequate security / premises liability case.
In April 2025, following McGraw's oral argument on behalf of the wrongful death estate of a 16-year-old who died from heat stroke, the New Mexico Supreme Court issued a unanimous decision in Ferlic (Brealey Rood) v. Mesilla Valley Regional Dispatch Auth. et al, No. S-1-SC-40162, 2025 N.M. LEXIS 79 (Apr. 21, 2025) holding that 911 dispatchers are subject to suit under the New Mexico Tort Claim Act, as confirmed by the Emergency Medical Services Act, and that the immunity provision in the Enhanced 911 Act does not apply to the liability of 911 dispatchers for mishandled emergency medical calls.
McGraw was a partner in McGraw & Strickland, LLC for 10 years, until 2021, when her former law partner was nominated by President Biden to serve as an Article III U.S. federal district judge. Following Strickland's departure, McGraw rebuilt the law firm. Under her leadership, the firm has successfully litigated multiple complex civil cases on behalf of those harmed or killed by the wrongdoing of insurance companies, the government, doctors and hospitals, and others.
Outside of her practice, McGraw is active in the legal community. She serves on the Board of Directors for Emerge New Mexico. She served as the President of the New Mexico Trial Lawyers Association (NMTLA) in 2020-2021, and is an active member of NMTLA's Board of Directors. McGraw also serves on the Editorial Advisory Board for Trial Guides, a publishing company that publishes books and educational materials to help civil plaintiff's lawyers win.
McGraw holds bachelor’s degrees in Journalism and History from Northwestern University. She earned her Juris Doctorate from Baylor Law School.
Practice areas
Personal Injury - General: Plaintiff, Civil Litigation: Plaintiff, Civil Rights, Insurance Coverage, Personal Injury - Medical Malpractice: PlaintiffFocus areas
Brain Injury, Dram Shop Laws, Insurance, Motor Vehicle Accidents, Personal Injury - Plaintiff, Police Misconduct, Premises Liability - Plaintiff, Slip and Fall, Trucking Accidents, Wrongful Death
- 20% Personal Injury - General: Plaintiff
- 20% Civil Litigation: Plaintiff
- 20% Civil Rights
- 20% Insurance Coverage
- 20% Personal Injury - Medical Malpractice: Plaintiff
First Admitted: 2006, New Mexico
Professional Webpage: https://lawfirmnm.com/about/mollie-c-mcgraw/
Bar / Professional Activity
- President, New Mexico Trial Lawyers Association (NMTLA)
- Board of Directors, New Mexico Trial Lawyers Association (NMTLA)
- American Association of Justice (AAJ), Council of Presidents
- Trial Guides Editorial Advisory Board
- New Mexico Trial Lawyers Association, Member
- State Bar of New Mexico
Verdicts / Settlements (Case Results)
- Unanimous New Mexico Supreme Court Opinion in Ferlic v. Mesilla Valley Reg'l Dispatch Auth., No. S-1-SC-40162, 2025 N.M. LEXIS 79 (Apr. 21, 2025) on behalf of the wrongful death estate of 16-year-old Isaac Brealey-Rood, holding that 911 dispatchers are not immune from suit under the Enhanced 911 Act; instead, 911 dispatchers may be sued under the New Mexico Tort Claim Act, as set forth in the Emergency Medical Services Act., 2025
- McGraw and her co-cousnsel obtained a $44 million federal jury verdict in T.R. v. Patrick Howard, on behalf of a single female Plaintiff who was sexually groomed and sexually abused her high school teacher and Future Farmers of America advisor, Patrick Howard, when she was his student at Las Cruces High School., 2024
- McGraw and co-counsel obtained a $52.8 Million Verdict in an assigned insurance bad faith claim against PULIC, a subsidiary of The Doctors Company. New Mexico State Court’s Second Judicial District (Albuquerque), 2023
- Plaintiffs verdict and attorney fee award for first party insurance and bad faith claims, Jeanette McElmurry v. USAA, D-307-2017-03687. State of New Mexico’s Third Judicial District Court. , 2019
- $1.6 Million Verdict in federal civil rights trial, Beck v. Baker, et al., 14-cv-00067-KG-WPL. U.S. District Court, District of New Mexico. , 2017
- $12 Million Verdict in wrongful death inadequate security case, Dennis Murphy et al v. The Eagle's Nest Condominium Association and Roger Cox & Assoc. Property Management, D-101-CV-2012-00980. State of New Mexico’s First Judicial District Court. , 2015
Pro bono / Community Service
- Emerge New Mexico, Committee Member
- Trial Guides' Editorial Advisory Board McGraw serves on the Editorial Advisory Board for Trial Guides, a publishing company that publishes books and educational materials for civil plaintiff’s lawyers.
- New Mexico Wilderness Alliance
- American Constitutional Society
- American Civil Liberties Union
Educational Background
- Baylor Law School, Juris Doctorate, 2006
- Northwestern University, B.S., Major: Journalism and American History, 2001
Other Outstanding Achievements
- Ms. McGraw served as President of the New Mexico Trial Lawyers Association (NMTLA) from 2020-2021. During her presidency, the New Mexico legislature substantially modified the New Mexico Medical Malpractice Act to protect patients harmed by medical negligence and provide for greater accountability. In addition, the New Mexico Civil Rights Act was passed granting victims the right to pursue the civil rights granted in New Mexico’s State Constitution in its state courts, without the defense of qualified immunity.
- Ms. McGraw has been recognized for four years as a Rising Star (2013-2016) and four years as a Southwest Super Lawyers (2019-2022).
- Ms. McGraw was awarded the State Public Defender of the Year award in 2007., 2007
Honors
- Super Lawyer, Southwest Super Lawyers, 2022
- Super Lawyer, Southwest Super Lawyers, 2021
- Super Lawyer, Southwest Super Lawyers, 2020
- This is an honor reserved for lawyers who exhibit excellence in practice. Only 5% of attorneys in the Southwest receive this distinction., Super Lawyer, Southwest Super Lawyers, 2019
- Recognized by Best Lawyers since 2018., Best Lawyers, The Best Lawyers in America©, 2021
- Recognized by Best Lawyers since 2018, Best Lawyers, The Best Lawyers in America©, 2020
- Peer Review Nomination, Best Lawyers, The Best Lawyers in America©, 2019
- Nominated by peers as Personal Injury Litigation Lawyer of the Year , Personal Injury Litigation Lawyer of the Year - Las Cruces, The Best Lawyers in America©, 2019
- Recognized by Best Lawyers each year since 2018. , Best Lawyers, The Best Lawyers in America©, 2018
- No more than 2.5 percent of lawyers in the Southwest are named to the Rising Stars list., Super Lawyers' "Rising Star" Award, Southwest Super Lawyers, 2015
- No more than 2.5 percent of lawyers in the Southwest are named to the Rising Stars list., Super Lawyers' "Rising Star" Award, Southwest Super Lawyers, 2016
- No more than 2.5 percent of lawyers in the Southwest are named to the Rising Stars list., Super Lawyers' "Rising Star" Award, Southwest Super Lawyers, 2014
- No more than 2.5 percent of lawyers in the Southwest are named to the Rising Stars list., Super Lawyers' "Rising Star" Award, Southwest Super Lawyers, 2013
- Outstanding Young Lawyer Award, New Mexico State Public Defender Department, 2007
- Top 40 Under 40, The National Trial Lawyers, 2014
- Top 40 Under 40, The National Trial Lawyers, 2013
- Top 40 under 40, The National Trial Lawyers:, 2012
- Top 40 under 40, The National Trial Lawyers, 2015
These comments were made by fellow attorneys during the annual nomination process.
“Mollie is aggressive, smart, and passionate.”
“Mollie is an incredible lawyer. I have tried several cases with her and she knows personal injury cases inside and out.”
“Mollie is a vibrant, driven, smart, resourceful and extremely successful attorney representing clients throughout NM harmed by fault of others. She and her partner, Margaret, have built one of the best personal injury practices that exist in southern NM.”
Selections
- Super Lawyers: 2019 - 2026
- Rising Stars: 2013 - 2016
