When Shammara Henderson graduated from the University of New Mexico School of Law in May 2007, she was excited about the prospect of practicing law and making a difference in the world. She had to decide what path to take and weigh the possibilities. She had already served as an Extern with the United States Attorney's Office for the District of New Mexico in the Violent Crimes Department, as a Summer Law Clerk for the City of Albuquerque helping with administrative hearings and she had worked as a legal research assistant under the guidance of Professor Alfred Mathewson.
In November 2007, just six months after graduating from law school, Justice Charles W. Daniels selected Shammara for the prestigious position as a judicial clerk working with the New Mexico Supreme Court. There had been only one other African American to precede Shammara as a judicial clerk in the Supreme Court in the 107-year history of the state. Shammara is truly excited about her new position. She states, "being a judicial clerk is one of the few jobs where an attorney has the opportunity to learn what happens in chambers…that type of insight can only make you a better attorney."
Governor Bill Richardson appointed Charles W. Daniels to the New Mexico Supreme Court to complete the term of Justice Pamela Minzer, following her untimely death. Justice Daniels in turn selected Shammara as one of two judicial clerks to assist him. Considering his background and empathy for all cultural diversity, it seems only fitting that Justice Daniels, who grew up in Little Rock, Arkansas, would select an African American as one of his judicial clerks.
Justice Daniels grew up in a family that literally survived on the grace of God. His family picked cotton, next to Black families in the Arkansas fields. Somehow, the Daniels family was able to break away from the depths of poverty and move to New Mexico where the family resided in the South Valley. Justice Daniels received his undergraduate degree from the University of Arkansas, his law degree from the University of New Mexico and his Masters of Law degree from the Georgetown University Law Center in Washington, DC. He was the first in his family to attend college.
Justice Daniels excelled in the practice of law and became an exemplary legal technician who consistently demonstrated the skill and poise necessary to try a case effectively. He genuinely loved the practice of law, and he shared his passion for the law with law students at Georgetown, Howard and the University of New Mexico Schools of Law.
While Justice Daniels was excelling in his legal career, Shammara Henderson was beginning hers. She started her journey at American University in Washington, DC where she graduated in 2004 with a double major in political science and philosophy. Like Justice Daniels, she too was the first in her family to attend college. It had been a well-kept secret that Shammara was a talented ballet and jazz dancer. She danced professionally prior to law school.
While in college, Shammara maintained high academic standards. She became active in student government and developed a strong interest in politics. After graduating from college, Shammara attended law school at the University of New Mexico where she was President of the Black Law Student Association, on the law school Honor Roll and a recipient of the Regional Best Brief Award from the National Appellate Advocacy Division of the American Bar Association Law Student Division. She authored a paper entitled Brown Fifty Years and beyond: Promise and Progress Advocacy Report for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.
Shammara is looking forward to sharing her experiences as a judicial clerk with other African American law students. She hopes that her experiences will provide the impetus for other African Americans to seek judicial clerkships. She describes her position as a judicial clerk as an incredible opportunity to learn. She describes Justice Daniels as an extremely intelligent man who is an amazing lawyer. Shammara plans to develop a practice as a civil rights lawyer after her term as a judicial clerk ends.
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