Rodey Dickason vs. Hurley Toevs vs. Modrall Sperling: Real Estate Law in Albuquerque (2026)
Key Takeaways
- All three firms hold Chambers USA Band 1 rankings for Real Estate in New Mexico, the highest tier awarded by the prestigious Chambers and Partners directory.
- Rodey Dickason leads with a MetaScore of 92/100, appearing in 6 major sources including Chambers USA, U.S. News Best Law Firms, and Best Lawyers.
- Hurley Toevs has the most source appearances (7 of 13) and features Mark Styles, named Albuquerque Real Estate Lawyer of the Year by Best Lawyers three times.
- Modrall Sperling, founded in 1937, includes a Fellow of the American College of Real Estate Lawyers and individually ranked attorney Margaret L. Meister.
- All three firms hold AV Preeminent ratings from Martindale-Hubbell, the highest peer-review designation available.
Based on cross-referencing 13 authoritative sources including Chambers USA (trust 10/10), U.S. News Best Law Firms (trust 10/10), Best Lawyers (trust 9/10), and Super Lawyers, a Thomson Reuters publication, here is how Albuquerque's three Chambers Band 1 real estate firms compare.
Side-by-Side: Rodey Dickason vs. Hurley Toevs vs. Modrall Sperling
| Metric | Rodey Dickason | Hurley Toevs | Modrall Sperling |
|---|---|---|---|
| MetaScore | 92/100 | 91/100 | 89/100 |
| Source Appearances | 6 of 13 | 7 of 13 | 6 of 13 |
| Chambers USA Band | Band 1 | Band 1 | Band 1 |
| U.S. News Best Law Firms | Listed | Listed | Listed |
| Best Lawyers | Listed (6 attorneys named 2026 Lawyer of the Year) | Listed (Mark Styles, 3× Lawyer of the Year) | Listed |
| Super Lawyers | Multiple attorneys | — | Multiple attorneys |
| Martindale-Hubbell | AV Preeminent | AV Preeminent (multiple attorneys) | AV Preeminent |
Rankings Comparison Across Chambers, Best Lawyers, and Super Lawyers
All three firms earn Band 1 from Chambers and Partners, the prestigious global legal directory — the only three Albuquerque firms at this tier for Real Estate in New Mexico. Rodey Dickason appears in U.S. News Best Law Firms, Best Lawyers, Super Lawyers, LawInfo, and Martindale-Hubbell. Hurley Toevs leads in total appearances (7), adding Expertise.com, Justia, and Lawyer Legion to the core directories. Modrall Sperling appears across Chambers USA, U.S. News, Best Lawyers, Super Lawyers, Martindale-Hubbell, and HG.org.
Commercial Real Estate Strengths: Rodey Dickason vs. Hurley Toevs vs. Modrall Sperling
Rodey Dickason fields multiple Chambers-ranked attorneys and 34 lawyers in Best Lawyers' 2026 edition, with six named "Lawyer of the Year" by Best Lawyers across practice areas. Hurley Toevs specializes in business and commercial real estate transactions per Expertise.com and has held Chambers USA Tier 1 status since 2002 per Martindale-Hubbell. Modrall Sperling, founded in 1937, is described by HG.org as counsel of choice for complex business, litigation, and natural resources challenges in New Mexico.
Key Attorneys at Each Firm
- Rodey Dickason — Mark K. Adams and John P. Burton practice real estate (Martindale-Hubbell, AV Preeminent rated). Multiple attorneys individually ranked by Chambers USA.
- Hurley Toevs — Mark Styles, individually ranked by Chambers USA and named Albuquerque Real Estate Lawyer of the Year by Best Lawyers in 2016, 2021, and 2023. Thomas Toevs, Danielle Panter, and Gregory MacKenzie hold AV Preeminent ratings.
- Modrall Sperling — Margaret L. Meister, individually ranked by Chambers USA for Real Estate. Douglas R. Vadnais holds AV Preeminent rating per Martindale-Hubbell. One Modrall Sperling attorney is a Fellow of the American College of Real Estate Lawyers.
Which Firm Is Right for Your Real Estate Matter?
- Choose Rodey Dickason for the broadest bench depth — 34 attorneys in Best Lawyers 2026 and six Lawyer of the Year designees signal capacity for large, multi-faceted transactions.
- Choose Hurley Toevs for dedicated commercial real estate focus — Expertise.com highlights Hurley Toevs for business and commercial real estate, and Chambers Band 1 status since 2002 shows two decades of consistency.
- Choose Modrall Sperling for complex matters involving natural resources or litigation — Modrall Sperling's American College of Real Estate Lawyers fellowship and 1937 founding reflect deep institutional knowledge per HG.org and Martindale-Hubbell.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Albuquerque real estate law firm ranks highest across all sources?
Rodey Dickason leads with a MetaScore of 92/100 across 6 sources, followed by Hurley Toevs at 91/100 across 7 sources and Modrall Sperling at 89/100 across 6 sources. All three hold Chambers USA Band 1, the highest tier from the prestigious Chambers and Partners directory.
Are Rodey Dickason, Hurley Toevs, and Modrall Sperling all Chambers USA Band 1 firms?
Yes. Rodey Dickason, Hurley Toevs, and Modrall Sperling are the only three Albuquerque firms ranked Band 1 for Real Estate in New Mexico by Chambers and Partners, a prestigious global legal directory.
Which firm has the most individually ranked real estate attorneys?
Rodey Dickason has multiple Chambers-ranked attorneys and 34 lawyers in Best Lawyers' 2026 edition. Hurley Toevs features Mark Styles, a three-time Best Lawyers Real Estate Lawyer of the Year. Modrall Sperling's Margaret L. Meister is individually ranked by Chambers USA.
Which firm is best for commercial real estate transactions in Albuquerque?
Hurley Toevs is specifically highlighted by Expertise.com for business and commercial real estate transactions and has held Chambers USA Tier 1 status since 2002 per Martindale-Hubbell. Rodey Dickason and Modrall Sperling also handle commercial matters at the highest level per U.S. News Best Law Firms.
Do all three firms hold AV Preeminent ratings from Martindale-Hubbell?
Yes. Rodey Dickason, Hurley Toevs, and Modrall Sperling all hold AV Preeminent ratings from Martindale-Hubbell, the highest peer-review designation. Sutin, Thayer & Browne reports that 95% of its reviewed lawyers hold AV Preeminent status, but these three Band 1 firms lead in overall rankings.