LOPD News:

ALBUQUERQUE — Attorney Zach Cook of Ruidoso and community advocate Yvonne Gallegos-Schobel of Albuquerque took their seats Friday on the New Mexico Public Defender Commission, which provides guidance on the administration of the New Mexico Law Offices of the Public Defender and selects the state’s chief public defender.

The LOPD employs more than 400 New Mexicans in the service of providing legal representation to indigent people charged with a crime in the state’s courts. The independent state agency most recently received an $82.1 million budget to operate 13 offices across the state and to coordinate a network of about 100 contract attorneys.

Cook, a Clovis native and University of New Mexico School of Law alumnus, has practiced law in New Mexico for 21 years. He served in the NM House of Representatives from 2009-2022, holding key roles as chairman of the House Judiciary Committee and member of the House Agriculture and Water Committee and House Government and Indian Affairs Committee. His private practice in Ruidoso focuses on local government law and civil litigation, serving clients with bilingual proficiency in English and Spanish.

“The state and federal constitutional guarantees of liberty demand that this office run well and that people are defended when their government accuses them of a crime,” Cook said. “It’s important that public defenders around the state, particularly in rural areas, have the support they need.”

Gallegos-Schobel, an Albuquerque native, joins the commission after years of community advocacy work for youth. She worked at Albuquerque Public Schools to remove barriers for unhoused families and for students with disabilities. In her current role at New Mexico Child Advocacy Networks, she provides direction for compliance and programming, partnering with young people who have experienced foster care, juvenile justice involvement, and homelessness.

“Growing up here shaped my deep commitment to ensuring that everyone has the support and opportunities they need to thrive,” Gallegos-Schobel said. “I’m looking forward to bringing that same community-centered perspective to the Public Defender Commission and working alongside others to strengthen systems, advance fairness, and ensure that every New Mexican has access to compassionate and equitable representation.”

The two were sworn into their positions at the commission’s Oct. 10 meeting.