University Counsel Patrick Apodaca has announced he has accepted the position of senior vice president and general counsel for PNM Resources, Inc. He has headed up UNM’s legal team since 2006.
“This has been an extremely difficult decision for me, as serving UNM as its University Counsel has been professionally and personally fulfilling,” said Apodaca. "I will sincerely miss my colleagues at this great institution, and especially working with our talented legal staff. It has been an honor and a joy to serve with the University's leadership and so many other dedicated individuals throughout the University community."
Apodaca adds that the position at PNM is a career advancement that will allow him to utilize his skills in the state and federal regulatory arena as well as with transactional work.
UNM President David J. Schmidly credits Apodaca with organizing a highly professional legal office for the university. “A large public research university with a health sciences component is truly a complex enterprise, and our attorneys are called upon to assist in a wide range of issues and transactions. Patrick has built an office with great expertise in a remarkable range of disciplines.”
Apodaca will remain at UNM through the end of 2009. Schmidly said an interim University Counsel will be named shortly.