Biographies

Mary W. Rosner, Attorney at Law

I graduated from the University of New Mexico School of Law in Albuquerque, New Mexico in 1978.  I went to Washington, D. C. right after graduation, where I worked as a labor lawyer on the union side and for a law firm which specialized in First Amendment rights.  I loved Washington, D. C., but my husband died in 1983 and I wanted to return to my home in Albuquerque to be near my family.

I left Albuquerque in 1992 and permanently relocated to Las Cruces, New Mexico.  I became a Board Recognized Specialist in Family Law in 1991 and have remained exclusively in the area of family law.

For more than 20 years, I have always been self-employed, having owned and operated Mary W. Rosner, sole proprietor; Rosner & Chavez, LLC, and now, the Rosner Family Law Center, LLC.  I have had no employees and as many as 10 employees at one time.  Due to ill health, I retired in July, 2009.  It took nearly a year and a good deal of medical intervention, but I am now feeling well and enjoy coming to work every day.

At this stage of my legal career, I am committed to a mediation practice.  As your mediator, I can offer excellent insight into how to be fair to both sides, because I can predict what would happen in a court of law should the matter be litigated.

I play the piano and never miss a chance to play mah jongg with my lady friends.  I belong to a wonderful book club; I love to garden, and have been happily married to my husband, Frank N. Chavez, since 1997.

DeAnna L. Steinman, Certified Paralegal

I have been a paralegal since 1975.   I have experience in the field of civil rights, real estate law, business, estate planning and family law.  I became certified by the National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA) in January 2001.  I am proud to have worked as Mary Rosner’s paralegal since 1998 and am enjoying this mediation practice we have established.

I am president of the board of directors of First Christian Church in Las Cruces.  I have a Master of Science Degree in Nutrition from the Clayton College of Natural Health.  I love to read, swim, hike in the mountains, go on long walks with my husband and black lab, and to spend time with my children and grandchildren.