Kathryn Terry practices family law with a passion for the welfare of children.  Although she has handled all types of family law cases, Kathryn is at her best when she gives a voice to children – ensuring their best interests are fully considered during family law proceedings. She does this not only through the representation of parents in contested custody cases but in her role as Guardian ad Litem, where she is appointed to be the child’s attorney. She has been appointed in high conflict custody cases in Bernalillo, Sandoval, Valencia, and Doña Ana Counties. In addition to high conflict custody cases, Kathryn represents children in abuse and neglect proceedings.

Kathryn’s broad family law practice includes cases involving complex property division, custody, child support, spousal support, guardianship, and adoption. She has been appointed to serve as a Settlement Facilitator in various cases.  Kathryn is an adjunct professor at the University of New Mexico School of Law, where she teaches Community Property.  Kathryn was recognized by the New Mexico Board of Legal Specialization as a Certified Specialist in Family Law through 2017 when the board was discontinued. Kathryn is licensed to practice in both district and federal courts in New Mexico.

Kathryn feels strongly about protecting the integrity and dignity of divorcing couples and has included Collaborative Practice as a part of her family law work. She has been the President of the New Mexico Collaborative Practice Group and is an active member on the Symposium Planning Committee. She is also a member of the Albuquerque Collaborative Practice Group.

In addition to her family and children’s law work, Kathryn leads a charge to improve the Children’s Court system. In 2008 she was named to the Children’s Court Rules Committee by the New Mexico Supreme Court and in January 2013, accepted the Court’s appointment as Chair of the Committee, which was a two-year term. She served on the Children’s Law Section board of the New Mexico State Bar for eight years.  She also served on the boards of Healing Addiction in our Community, a non-profit organization educating youth about the dangers of opiate addiction and developing the first youth-oriented transitional living center in New Mexico, and Pegasus Legal Services for Children. Kathryn mentors new law school graduates through the State Bar Bridge the Gap program.

In 2013 Kathryn received the Forty Under Forty award, highlighting professionals under forty years of age who make significant contributions to their community.  Kathryn was awarded the Super Lawyers Rising Star Award in 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018.  Kathryn takes great pride in her work and strives to give back to her community.

Jennifer deGraauw is an Albuquerque Family Law attorney. She represents a range of individuals with family law issues involving complex property division, child custody, business valuations, support, and asset tracing. Her attention to detail and thoroughness is what her clients appreciate most about her representation.

Jennifer was named a “Top Three Family Law Attorney” award by the Albuquerque Journal from 2018 to the present. Jennifer was named a SuperLawyer’s “Rising Star” in 2017. She received the SuperLawyers distinction starting in 2019 to the present. She earned the Best Lawyers distinction for Family Law for 2020. She was named “Attorney of the Year” for 2022 in Family Law Mediation and Collaborative Divorce and “Lawyer of the Year” in 2023 for Family Law in Albuquerque.

The New Mexico Board of Legal Specialization as a Certified Specialist in Family Law recognized Jennifer. Ms. deGraauw was appointed by the Supreme Court of New Mexico to serve on the New Mexico Domestic Relations Rules Committee. During her time on the committee, she helped author various Domestic Relations rules, including drafting the New Mexico Collaborative Law Act.

While Jennifer has extensive trial and litigation experience, she is also a skilled negotiator and trained collaborative law practitioner. She is a Past-President of the New Mexico Collaborative Practice Group. She previously served as a board member of the Albuquerque Bar Association and State Family Law Section board. Ms. deGraauw has lectured at continuing legal education courses for attorneys in the areas of child support, paternity, spousal support, business valuations, and complex property division.

Jensen Wallace practices family law in New Mexico with a tailored approach to each and every case.  Her practice spans a variety of family issues including divorce or custody matters, guardianship, gestational carrier agreements and other assisted reproductive technology agreements.  Her passion for families is the driving force behind her practice and her jealous advocacy for her clients.  Her well-rounded approach goes hand-in-hand with her involvement in the family law community of New Mexico.  Jensen is the co-chair of the New Mexico State Bar Committee for Women in the Legal Profession.  She also co-hosts the #LawMoms initiative and is active on the Supreme Court Commission for Equity and Justice.

Jensen attended Northern Arizona University to obtain her bachelor’s degree in Criminology and accepted a teaching assignment in Guatemala shortly thereafter.  As a native New Mexican, she returned to study at the University of New Mexico School of Law to pursue her long-term goal to help people through challenging circumstances.  While in school, she worked in the Southwest Indian Law Clinic and earned her certificate in Indian Law.  Jensen has also been trained as a Peace Circles Facilitator.

Jensen works to help her clients find resolution while protecting the interests of the family in post-separation life.  Although she is an experienced trial attorney, she believes in working toward amicable solutions to avoid litigation and protect the long-term interests of her clients.

In her free time, you can find Jensen at home with her three kiddos, baking something together in the kitchen.

Chelsey Pelzman is an Associate Attorney with Terry & deGraauw, P.C. with a passion for helping others during trying times of life. She enjoys practicing family law as it allows opportunity to advocate for both adults and children under sensitive circumstances. Chelsey strives to provide zealous representation that is both effective and beneficial to the family unit.

Chelsey was born and raised in Albuquerque and continues to adore the Land of Enchantment. She received her undergraduate degree from Texas Tech University and then moved back home to work. She has experience as a Case Manager for a foster care agency, a Discharge Planner for the Sandoval County Detention Center, a Client Advocate for a youth home, and a Legal Assistant for the Child Support Enforcement Division. She believes in a holistic approach to any problem as everyone’s story is unique and deserves both attention and compassion.

Chelsey is a University of New Mexico School of Law Alumni. Throughout law school she was a member of the Child and Family Justice Initiative, served as the Secretary for the Children’s Law Section of the New Mexico State Bar, represented UNM in a national Client Counseling Competition, completed training in the Theory and Practice of Mediation, and was given the Excellence in Alternative Dispute Resolution award by the faculty of the law school. Chelsey believes in the practice of mediation and negotiation to achieve resolution and alleviate stress from individuals and families during their most challenging times.

Chelsey loves spending time with her husband, friends, and family as well as her two sweet fur babies. She loves board games, good movies, and sunset hikes.

Kelly has been with Terry & deGraauw, P.C. since 2014, when she received her Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from the Anderson School of Management at the University of New Mexico.  She graduated with honors and was a recipient of the Presidential Scholarship while at UNM.  Kelly is passionate about ensuring all of the moving parts of our business come together to create a cohesive and harmonious environment that is centered around our client’s needs.  She is dedicated to making sure our staff is supported, and believes fostering a strong team approach is the best way we can support our clients.  It is her mission to make sure our firm operates as efficiently as possible, so our attorneys are able to focus on providing our clients with the highest quality of representation.  Emanating from her commitment to these goals, our firm has been recognized as one of the best law firms in the Albuquerque Metro area for Family Law and Family Law Mediation in 2021 by Best Lawyers.

Kelly is focused on the long-term goals of the firm and the impact we leave on our community.  She makes it a priority for our firm to donate time and resources to local organizations such as food banks and youth shelters.  Her highest goal is to better the lives of New Mexican families and the families we work with, so we are able to walk our clients through the most challenging times in their lives with compassion and professionalism.

Kelly is the proud mom of two rescue dogs, and she also enjoys drawing and painting, gardening, and experiencing the beauty of our state’s diverse landscape.

Lupe joined our team in 2017 and is a dedicated and compassionate liaison for our clients.  She is committed to walking our clients through their case while keeping them informed every step of the way.   Lupe assists our attorneys in case management, drafting legal documents, and helping our clients feel comfortable as they navigate through their domestic matter.  Outside of the office she enjoys spending quality time with her family and friends.  She is also originally from Santa Fe, New Mexico and is proud of her hometown.

Anne joined our team in 2021 and comes with over seven years of experience as a family law paralegal.  She understands that every case has unique needs and is dedicated to helping each client through the process with an understanding and empathetic approach.  Anne assists our attorneys with drafting legal documents and the daily management of each case. She helps our clients navigate through their case from inception to completion, communicating with professionalism and compassion. Outside of the office, Anne enjoys spending time with her husband and three children, traveling and practicing yoga.

Raesha brings her 24 years of experience and expertise working exclusively in family law to the firm. She previously worked with both Kathryn Terry and Jennifer deGraauw at prior law firms and finally made her way home to Terry & deGraauw, P.C. Her main focus is to provide excellent legal and emotional support for our clients. She aims to help our clients understand and cope with what can be an extremely difficult time. She prides herself on being efficient, detail oriented and results driven, while also appreciating the human interaction with clients. Raesha assists our attorneys in case management, drafting legal documents, organizing and interpreting financial disclosures and helping our clients navigate the New Mexico legal system with confidence. Outside of the office she enjoys spending quality time with her husband and daughter, her two dogs and cat, crafting, and volunteering with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, an organization close to her heart. Originally from Washington State, she has called New Mexico home since 1986.

Juan Diego joined Terry & deGraauw, P.C. in December 2019.  He is passionate to help clients of the firm by maintaining an excellent standard of customer service and professionalism while assisting them with the daily management of their case.  His 10+ years of legal and management experience compliments his client-centric practice.  Originally from Gallina, New Mexico, Juan Diego attended both the University of New Mexico and New Mexico Highlands University before returning to Albuquerque in 2012 to pursue his career in the legal field.  When away from the office, he is an avid board game hobbyist, and also enjoys sand and indoor volleyball.