Jan Gilman-Tepper
Shareholder
Native New Mexican Jan Gilman-Tepper was born in Artesia and raised in Las Cruces, New Mexico. After high school graduation and before she enrolled in college, Jan spent a year in Brazil where she learned to speak Portuguese. Upon her return to New Mexico, she enrolled in New Mexico State University and received her Bachelor of Arts in 1974. She then went on to attend the University of New Mexico Law School and received her law degree in 1977. She was admitted to the State Bar of New Mexico that same year and began her career in Family Law at the Albuquerque law firm of Atkinson & Kelsey, P.A.
While at Atkinson & Kelsey, P.A., Jan worked in all aspects of Family Law from guardianship issues to child custody disputes and property division. A seasoned trial attorney, Jan has appealed several cases including Spingola v. Spingola, 91 N.M. 737, 580 P.2d 958 (1978), Belosky v. Belosky, 97 N.M. 365, 640 P.2d 471 (1982), Fox v. Fox, 103 N.M. 155,703 P.2d 932 (1985), Gomez v. Gomez, 119 N.M. 755, 895 P.2d 277 (1995) which involved child custody and jurisdiction issues. In addition to meeting the requirements to become a New Mexico Board Certified Family Law Specialist, Jan has received an AV from Martindale-Hubbell ®, ranking her at the highest level of professional excellence.
After practicing with Atkinson & Kelsey, P.A. for nearly sixteen years, she and colleague, Sandra Morgan Little, formed their own firm, Little and Gilman, P.A., now Little, Gilman-Tepper & Batley, P.A. The Firm was formed in 1993 and has grown into a well respected and established law firm focused solely on complex family law. Jan handles multi-layered cases involving business valuation, celebrity and professional goodwill, multi-state businesses, prenuptial agreements and tax issues. Her practice focuses on providing sound legal advice along with the privacy and compassion her clients need.
Jan has been a Fellow of the prestigious American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers since 1984. She authored, COBRA – How it works and How it May Impact Spouses Upon Divorce which was published in the Journal of America Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers. Jan received the Award for Exceptional Article from the Academy in 1991.
A trained Collaborative attorney, Jan is very active in several Collaborative Divorce associations such as the International Academy of Collaborative Professionals, Albuquerque Collaborative Practice Group and the Rio Grande Collaborative Practice Group. She frequently lectures on Collaborative Divorce topics for Continuing Legal Education Seminars in New Mexico for attorneys, financial and mental health experts.
Jan has also actively participated in many local and statewide bar associations. She has served as Chair of the Supreme Court of the State of New Mexico’s Mandatory Continuing Legal Education Board and Board of Legal Specialization. She received the Outstanding Service Award from the Supreme Court of the State of New Mexico for her service on both committees.
Jan has been a member of the Albuquerque Bar Association since 1977 and has served on its Board of Directors. Currently, Jan is the Albuquerque Bar Association’s President. She has been a member of the New Mexico Women’s Bar Association since 1993.
In addition to serving on numerous committees, over her thirty year career, Jan has freely given her time to the New Mexico Bar Association by serving as a speaker, lecturer and author of materials for Continuing Legal Education seminars held across the state. Jan has lectured on such topics as custody and visitation, adoption, domestic violence, COBRA, financial forensics, business valuation and professionalism. She has been rewarded for this service many times by receiving such awards as the Distinguished Bar Service Award in 2002, the Award for Dedication and Mentorship from the Minimum Continuing Legal Education Board in 2005 and the award for Meritorious Effort and Contributions from the New Mexico Bar Association Section of Family Law in 1984.
On a national level, Jan is a member of the American Bar Association Family Law Section and has served as a Family Law Section Liaison to the ABA Standing Committee for Lawyer Certification. Jan also served as a member of the National Board of Trial Advocacy’s Family Law Advisory Committee in 1994.
Jan has been recognized nationally for her accomplishments as a Family Law attorney as reflected by her listing in the Martindale-Hubbell’s Bar Register of Pre-eminent Lawyers from 1997 to the present. She has been listed in the Best Lawyers in America for twenty plus years from 1987 – 2008 and was listed in the premier edition of Southwest Super Lawyers from 2007 to 2011. In 2010 Jan was listed in New Mexico Business Weekly’s “Best of the Bar” for family law. In 2011 Jan is listed in Best Lawyers in America © as the Albuquerque Family Lawyer of the Year 2011.
Jan has served the Albuquerque community by serving on the Opera Southwest Board and supporting the Albuquerque Civic Light Opera Association.
