Justia Legal Services & Lawyers Directory

Jim's first job (at 25 cents an hour) was working at Kentch's Rexall Drugstore for his father and grandfather in a small Pennsylvania town. At an early age he learned the importance of recognizing what the customer needs and how best to provide it.

Between college and law school, when the Shah still ruled, Jim taught English as a foreign language on an Army base in Iran.

The first year out of law school Jim worked for a nonprofit organization, The Center for Law and Health Care Policy, in Brooklyn, N.Y. He headed North to Alaska in 1980, where he practiced law for over 18 years as a VISTA lawyer for Legal Services, an Assistant Attorney General in Alaska for the Consumer Protection Division, an Assistant Public Defender, the Assistant Director of the Alaska Public Offices Commission, and in private practice. He taught advanced Constitutional Law for two years at the University of Alaska at Anchorage. For almost four years he stayed home fulltime with his two children, and he regards this as his best and most worthwhile job.

While in Alaska Jim was on a team of lawyers that settled an antitrust case against the North Slope Borough for over seven million dollars. With another lawyer Jim represented a 12 year old boy who unfortunately lost both legs when a train ran over him. This case against the Alaska Railroad and the Municipality of Anchorage settled for $500,000.

Jim settled in Santa Fe (23 Alaskan winters were enough!) in 2003. In 2007-2008 he worked for the New Mexico Environment Department helping to keep the Land of Enchantment clean. He opened his current law office in March 2009.

Personal

An avid outdoorsman, Jim hikes, snowboards, cross-country skis and bicycles regularly. He also enjoys reading. Languages are a special interest of Jim's, and he knows--to one degree or another--seven languages. He is especially proud and fond of his two sons. Gavin currently attends law school at the University of Michigan. Dylan is an elite wilderness racer, placing second in the 2002 Iditasport Classic while 17 years old.

Reported Cases

Alaska v. Planned Parenthood, 35 P.3d 30 (Alaska 2001); Cooperating Attorney, Alaska Civil Liberties Union Foundation

Alaska v. Beans, 965 P.2d 725 (Alaska 1998)

LaVigne v. State, 788 P.2d 52 (Alaska App. 1990)

A.B.M. v. M.H., 651 P.2d 1170 (Alaska 1982)

Collins & Collins, P.C. represents clients in the areas of personal injury, criminal defense, DWI/DUI, immigration, divorce and family law. Parrish Collins focuses his practice on criminal defense and personal injury. Alysan Boothe Collins focuses almost exclusively on personal injury. Sarah Armstrong focuses on immigration, family law and divorce.

Collins & Collins, P.C. was established in 2001 as Parrish Collins, Attorney at Law. In 2003, Alysan Boothe Collins joined the firm after practicing in insurance defense for 10 years. The firm became Collins & Collins, P.C. at that time and remains so today. Sarah Armstrong has been working with Collins & Collins, P.C. as Of Counsel since 2007.

Collins & Collins, P.C. handles personal injury matters throughout the State of New Mexico in both State and Federal Courts. Collins & Collins, P.C. handles a variety personal injury and negligence actions including auto accidents, trucking accidents, slip & fall, defective products, assault and battery, dog bites and animal attacks, medical malpractice, nursing home abuse, and wrongful death.

Collins & Collins, P.C. handles a variety of criminal defense matters. We handle both misdemeanor and felony cases in Federal, State, Magistrate and Metropolitan Courts. Our criminal defense practice includes domestic violence, drug related offenses including possession, trafficking and conspiracy, violent crime such as assault, battery, and murder, white collar crime such as embezzlement and fraud, and property crime including burglary and larceny. In addition, we handle a variety of DUI/DWI and Related Offenses such as reckless driving, careless driving, driving on a revoked license.

Collins & Collins, P.C. handles a variety of family law and divorce matters. Collins & Collins, P.C. handles both contested and uncontested divorces in the Albuquerque and Santa Fe area including the surrounding counties of Sandoval, Valencia, Cibola, Torrance and Socorro. We handle child custody and time-sharing, division of property and debt, alimony and spousal support, domestic violence and related criminal offenses, restraining orders, guardianships, child support and child support arrears, and other areas as they may arise. Naturally, we handle enforcement actions on all of the above.