About

bienvenu232

John C. Bienvenu is an attorney whose legal practice is dedicated to impact litigation in the areas of complex civil litigation in class actions, civil rights, constitutional law, discrimination, sexual harassment, first amendment violations, consumer law, and business torts. Mr. Bienvenu received his J.D. from Stanford Law School in 1988 and formerly practiced as a partner in the law firm of Rothstein, Donatelli, Hughes, Dahlstrom, Schoenburg and Bienvenu and with the California law firm Brobeck, Phleger & Harrison.  He has been listed in The Best Lawyers in America in Mass Torts Litigation/Class Actions, Employment Law, and Litigation-Labor and Employment continuously since 2007; listed in Southwest Super Lawyers in Employment Law continuously since 2008; was named 2024 “Lawyer of the Year,” 2021 “Lawyer of the Year,” 2018 “Lawyer of the Year,” 2015 “Lawyer of the Year” and 2013 “Lawyer of the Year” (Litigation-Labor and Employment) (Employment Law-Individuals) by Best Lawyers in America; and is a Fellow, Litigation Counsel of America. He has served as lead counsel in numerous class actions and other complex civil disputes in state and federal courts throughout New Mexico and nationwide and has also represented municipalities in constitutional litigation.

EDUCATION

  • Stanford Law School, J.D. (with distinction) (1988)
  • University of New Mexico, B.A. (summa cum laude, with distinction) (1985)
  • University of California at Berkeley (1978-1980)

RECOGNITION

  • Named in The Best Lawyers in America in Mass Torts Litigation/Class Actions, Employment Law, and Litigation-Labor and Employment (2007-2024)
  • Named in Southwest Super Lawyers in Employment Law (2008-2024)
  • Best Law Firms Metro Tier 1, U.S. News-Best Lawyers (2019-2024)
  • Named 2024 “Lawyer of the Year” (Employment Law-Individuals, Santa Fe) by Best Lawyers in America
  • Named 2021 “Lawyer of the Year” (Employment Law-Individuals, Santa Fe) by Best Lawyers in America
  • Named 2018 “Lawyer of the Year” (Employment Law-Individuals, Santa Fe) by Best Lawyers in America
  • Named 2015 “Lawyer of the Year” (Employment Law-Individuals, Santa Fe) by Best Lawyers in America
  • Named 2013 “Lawyer of the Year” (Litigation-Labor and Employment, Santa Fe) by Best Lawyers in America
  • Elected Fellow, Litigation Counsel of America
  • AV-Rated Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory

POSITIONS

  • Principal, Bienvenu Law Office (2016 – Present)
  • Partner, Rothstein, Donatelli, Hughes, Dahlstrom, Schoenburg & Bienvenu (2003-2016)
  • Principal, Law Offices of John C. Bienvenu (1993-2003)
  • Associate Attorney, Rothstein, Bennett, Daley, Donatelli & Hughes (1990-1993)
  • Associate Attorney, Brobeck, Phleger & Harrrison (1988-1990)

PROFESSIONAL AND CIVIC ACTIVITIES

  • Chairman, Board of Directors, Beard Land Improvement Co., Modesto, CA
  • Chairman, Board of Directors, Modesto and Empire Traction Co., Modesto, CA
  • Chairman, Board of Directors, Center for Contemporary Arts, Santa Fe, NM
  • Member, City of Santa Fe Historic Districts Review Board
  • Director, Bienvenidos Outreach Inc., Santa Fe, NM
  • Commissioner, Acequia Cerro Gordo
  • Member, City of Santa Fe Public Campaign Finance Advisory Committee
  • Member, New Mexico Supreme Court Rules of Evidence Committee
  • Master of the Bench, Oliver Seth Inn of Court

REPRESENTATIVE CASES

  • Kelley, et al. v. Regents of the University of California, et al., No. SF 96-2430 (co-lead counsel) ($10.4 million recovered for families of decedents whose bodies were subjected to secret research during Cold War, in addition to disclosure of classified documents and formal apology)
  • Barber, et al. v. Regents of the University of California, et al., No. CIV-03-1404 WPJ/RLP (co-lead counsel) ($16.4 million recovered for pay discrimination against female and Hispanic employees at national laboratory, in addition to changes in personnel policies preventing wage discrimination)
  • Lu et al. v. OppenheimerFunds, Inc., No. CIV 14-618 JB/RHS (co-lead counsel) and Lu et al. v. Education Trust Board of New Mexico, et al., No. D-0101-CV-2009 (co-lead counsel) ($3.8 million recovered on behalf of account holders who suffered investment losses in college savings accounts)
  • Leyba, et al. v. Santa Fe County Board of Commissioners, et al., No. CIV 05-0036 BB/ACT (lead counsel) ($8.5 million recovered for unlawfully searched jail detainees, in addition to changes to unconstitutional search policy)
  • Lira, et al. v. Doña Ana County Board of Commissioners, et al., No. CIV 06-0179 WPJ/WPL (lead counsel) ($5.3 million recovered for unlawfully searched detainees, in addition to changes to unconstitutional search policy)
  • Shannon, et al. v. Hidalgo County Board of County Commissioners, et al., No. CIV-08-0369 JH/LFG (lead counsel) ($1 million recovered on behalf of class of pretrial detainees)
  • Torres, et al. v. Valencia County Board of Commissioners, et al., No. CIV 07-00328 MCA/WDS (lead counsel) ($3.3 million recovered on behalf of class of pretrial detainees)
  • In re Ocwen Federal Bank FSB Mortgage Servicing Litigation, MDL No. 1604 (counsel for the New Mexico class; $6 million recovery)
  • Sherwood v. Santa Fe County Board of Commissioners, et al. ($1.8 million settlement on behalf of detainee for failure to provide appropriate psychiatric care and supervision)
  • Carviso v. City of Gallup, et al., No. 1:14-cv-00858-JAP-SYC (action for unconstitutional towing policies; resolved through revision of policies and damages)      
  • Palacios, et al. v. San Juan County Board of Commissioners, et al., No. 1:14-cv-01050-WJ-KBM (class action for unconstitutional immigration detentions; settlement approved changing policies for handling ICE detainers and creating $724,000 common benefit fund for wrongful detentions)
  • Haksal, et al. v. Santa Fe Natural Tobacco, et al., No. 1:15-cv-01163-JB-LF (class action for false advertising of “natural” cigarettes; pending);
  • Mavis, et al. v. Santa Fe Board of County Commissioners, et al., No. D-101-CV-2016-00671 (class action on behalf of jail detainees; pending)
  • Alto Eldorado Partnership v. City of Santa Fe, et al., No. 6:08-cv-00175 JB/ACT (counsel for Defendant City of Santa Fe in action to invalidate affordable housing ordinances; successfully obtained case dismissal)
  • Las Soleras v. City of Santa Fe, et al., No. 1:06-cv-00935 WJ/WDS (counsel for Defendant City of Santa Fe in action to enjoin annexation and seeking damages for violations of civil rights; successfully obtained case dismissal)
  • Tierra Contenta v. City of Santa Fe, et al., No. 1:06-cv-00766 LH/RLP (counsel for Defendant City of Santa Fe in action to invalidate water rights transfer ordinance; successfully obtained case dismissal)

BAR ADMISSIONS

  • State Bar of New Mexico (1990)
  • State Bar of California (1988) (inactive)
  • United States Courts of Appeal for the Ninth and Tenth Circuits
  • United States District Courts for the Districts of New Mexico, California and Arizona
  • United States Court of Federal Claims

MEMBERSHIPS AND AFFILIATIONS

  • Litigation Counsel of America (LCA)
  • American Association for Justice
  • New Mexico Trial Lawyers Association
  • American Bar Association
  • National Employment Lawyers Association
  • Cooperating Attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

PRACTICE AREAS

  • Class actions and complex civil litigation
  • Civil rights
  • Constitutional law
  • Labor and employment
  • Consumer law
  • Business torts and commercial disputes