Edward Ricco
Director
Phone: (505) 768-7314
Email: ericco@rodey.com
- Professional Experience
- Professional Memberships and Activities
- Education
- Professional Recognition
- Representative Matters
Mr. Ricco is a director in the Albuquerque office. He has practiced with Rodey since completing a judicial clerkship in 1981.
Mr. Ricco concentrates his practice in appellate law. He has handled appeals in the state and federal courts in a wide variety of legal areas, including civil rights, constitutional law, antitrust, commercial law, torts, administrative law, intellectual property, utility regulation, workers’ compensation and other subjects. Mr. Ricco has briefed more than 185 appeals and presented oral argument more than 40 times in the New Mexico appellate courts and the Tenth Circuit. Since 2004, Mr. Ricco has been a fellow of the American Academy of Appellate Lawyers.
Mr. Ricco’s practice also includes complex litigation at the trial court level and the representation of hospitals and other institutional health care providers. He has achieved the highest Martindale-Hubbell rating.
Mr. Ricco is a co-author of the New Mexico practice chapter of the Appellate Practice Compendium, published by the American Bar Association Council of Appellate Lawyers, 2012, and of Q&A on Civil Appeals in New Mexico, published on-line by Practical Law, 2017.
- University of New Mexico (J.D., magna cum laude, 1980
- Columbia University (M.A. 1973)
- Stevens Institute of Technology (B.S., magna cum laude, 1971)
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Mr. Ricco is a Fellow in the American Academy of Appellate Lawyers. Membership in AAAL is by invitation only based on rigorous vetting by the organization.
- Mr. Ricco is a recipient of the University of New Mexico School of Law Distinguished Achievement Award (2014).
- Mr. Ricco is listed in Chambers-USA – America’s Leading Lawyers for Business for his experience and expertise in General Commercial Litigation.
- Mr. Ricco is listed in The Best Lawyers in America for his experience and expertise in Appellate Law, Commercial Litigation, and Health Care Law.
- Mr. Ricco was named Albuquerque Health Care Law Lawyer of the Year-2025 by Best Lawyers in America.
- Mr. Ricco was named Albuquerque Health Care Law Lawyer of the Year-2014 by Best Lawyers in America.
- Mr. Ricco was named Albuquerque Appellate Practice Lawyer of the Year-2012 by Best Lawyers in America.
- Mr. Ricco has been listed annually in Southwest Super Lawyers since 2007 for his expertise and experience in appellate practice. In 2007, 2009 and 2010 and 2014 – 2025, he is listed as one of the Top 25 Lawyers in New Mexico.
- Mr. Ricco is listed in Benchmark Litigation – The Definitive Guide to America’s Leading Litigation Firms & Attorneys for his expertise and experience in appellate law.
- Reversed $700,000 of a $1 million punitive damage award for defamation, on the ground that the punitive damages were unconstitutionally excessive. Aken v. Plains Electric Generation & Transmission Cooperative, Inc., 2002-NMSC-021, 132 N.M. 401, 49 P.3d 662.
- Upheld a defense verdict on a claim of infringement of a copyright in architectural drawings and related Lanham Act and state law violations. La Resolana Architects, PA v. Reno, Inc., 555 F.3d 1171 (10th Cir. 2009).
- Upheld a defense summary judgment in a multiple wrongful death case on the ground that a property owner had no duty to the victims of a drive-by shooting. Romero v. Giant Stop-N-Go of New Mexico, Inc., 2009-NMCA-059, 146 N.M. 520, 212 P.3d 408.
- Upheld a wrongful death verdict against a hospital for the family of a law enforcement officer killed in a helicopter crash, based on the hospital’s negligent selection of a helicopter air ambulance service provider. Talbott v. Roswell Hospital Corp., 2008-NMCA-114, 144 N.M. 753, 192 P.3d 267.
- Upheld a district court’s refusal to confirm an award for a labor union in an interest arbitration proceeding, on the ground that the arbitrator’s mediation-like process did not comply with a statutory requirement of binding final-offer arbitration. National Union of Hospital & Health Care Employees Dist. No. 1199 v. Regents of University of New Mexico, 2010-NMCA-102, 149 N.M. 107, 245 P.3d 51.
- Obtained an emergency writ of mandamus against the New Mexico Secretary of State on the threshold of a national election, requiring the Secretary of State to comply with the statutory procedure for counting improperly marked paper ballots. State ex rel. League of Women Voters of New Mexico v. Herrera, 2009-NMSC-003, 145 N.M. 563, 203 P.3d 94.
- Obtained opinion clarifying and enforcing statutory duty of Children, Youth and Families Department under New Mexico Children’s Code to make reasonable efforts to identify and locate relatives who could serve as potential placements for child before placing child for adoption by non-relatives, allowing child’s relative to seek placement. State ex rel. Children, Youth & Families Dep’t v. Laura J. (In re Elijah J.), 2013-NMCA-057, 301 P.3d 860.
- Reversed plaintiffs’ judgment in medical malpractice case based on patient’s suicide on ground that jury should have been instructed on suicide as independent intervening cause; also reversed denial of directed verdict for defendants on claims for loss of consortium by decedent’s parents and siblings. Silva v. Lovelace Health System, Inc., 2014-NMCA-086, 331 P.3d 958
- Affirmed district court decision vacating preliminary injunction against state regulators and holding that state’s authority to regulate in-state activity of non-Indian vendors who serviced gaming operations of Indian pueblo was not preempted by federal Indian Gaming Regulatory Act. Pueblo of Pojoaque v. New Mexico, 863 F.3d 1226 (10th Cir. 2017).
- Obtained opinion enlarging factors that may be considered in determining commencement of operations under joint operating agreement for oil and gas exploration and production, allowing party to agreement to pursue claim that it had timely commenced drilling operations and was entitled to share in proceeds. Enduro Operating LLC v. Echo Production, Inc., 2018-NMSC-016, 413 P.3d 866.
- Reversed $1.5 million compensatory and punitive damages verdict against retailer on claims of malicious abuse of process, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and spoliation of evidence brought by customer who was arrested and prosecuted for, shoplifting and trespass. Mendoza v. Wal-Mart Stores East, L.P., No. A-1-CA-39997 (N.M. Ct. App. May 13, 2025) (unpublished).
