Dennis was born in Santa Fe, New Mexico in 1950. His mother, Ercilia Martinez, hailed from Questa, New Mexico but now resides in Santa Fe. His father, Fermin Manzanares, was a life-long resident of Tierra Amarilla, New Mexico and passed away several years ago.
During his elementary school days, Dennis attended the 1st and 2nd grades at St. Joseph's Elementary School in Washington, DC, 3rd and 4th grades at St. Francis Elementary School in Santa Fe, NM, 5th grade at St. Peter's Elementary School in Washington, DC, and the 6th, 7th and 8th grades at the Cathedral of the Madeline Elementary School in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Dennis attended St. Michael's High School in Santa Fe and graduated in 1968. He was active in the Student Council, Speech and Science Clubs, lettered in Tennis and attended N.M. Boy's State in 1967.
Dennis then attended the College of Santa Fe, where he was was active in the Associated Student Government (serving as Vice President in 1969-70) and the Student National Education Association, where he served as the CSF President of the Student NEA, as well as New Mexico state president and National Vice President. He received his B.A. degree in 1973 (Magna Cum Laude), majoring in Teaching of the Social Sciences and minoring in Political Science. He earned admission to the National Social Science honorary, Pi Gamma Mu.
After graduating from College, Dennis opted to attend Georgetown University ( What is a Hoya Anyway? click here to find out) Law Center in Washington, DC, with an elective concentration in litigation. He served as a student recruiter for GULC in the Southwest states and was active in the Law Student Division (of the American Bar Association), being elected as the 11th Circuit Governor for 1975-76 and was employed by the D.C. Bail Agency.
Upon his graduation from Georgetown Law School in 1976, Dennis returned home to New Mexico, where he was employed by the N.M. Public Defender Department as an intern while he studied for the Summer '76 bar exam and, upon receiving notification of passing the exam, was sworn in as an Attorney-at-Law in October, 1976 and became an Assistant Public Defender in the Albuquerque office. During his two and one-half years with the Department, he tried over forty major felony cases.
In 1979, Dennis left the Public Defender's Office to become General Counsel to the New Mexico State Auditor (Hon. Alvino Castillo), serving as an independent counsel (i.e., not regularly assigned to the N.M. Attorney General's Office). In the landmark case of Alvino Castillo v. N.M. Legislative Finance Committee, Dennis helped established the independence of the Office of the State Auditor in performing the constitutional and statutory duties of this elected office.
In 1990, Dennis became the first, full-time, in-house Town Attorney for the Town of Taos, New Mexico. During his four year tenure, he established the Town Attorney's Office as a legal department for the Town. As a municipal attorney, he was active in the Municipal Attorneys Association and served as President of the NM-MAA during 1993 and 1994.
In 1994, Dennis left the Town to re-establish the Manzanares Law Office, doing general practice. Because of his continued interested in local government law, he also served as the contract town attorney for Springer and Wagon Mound. In late 1995, the Taos County Manager asked Dennis to become the first full-time, in-house County Attorney, where he served until November, 1998, when he again reopened the Manzanares Law Office. At the end of 1999, Dennis & Menice began Manzanares Enterprises, dba e-Comm Professional Services - helping people establish their own home-based internet business.
(Updated 7 Aug 2002)
Manzanares Law Office
A General Practice law office, offering services
in: Mediation/Arbitration, Aviation Law, Business/Commercial
Law, Local Government Law, Employment/Labor Law, Real
Estate/Property Law, Regulatory/Administrative Law, Emergency
Services/Volunteer Liability Law
Civil Air Patrol
The official auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force, providing missions
for America in: Emergency Services, Cadet Programs, and Aerospace
Education. For tips on middle school and high school teacher aid
programs available, contact me.
Training Tips
Providing specialized training for employers, groups and organizations.
Get your weekly tip(s) here on how to improve your presentation skills
to adult learners.
Univ of New Mexico at Taos Courses
For courses being offered by Professor Manzanares at UNM-Taos, click
on this link. Student notices, assignments, etc., can also be found
here.