Contract counsel mckinley county

This procurement is a sole source contract award for legal services by the New Mexico Law Offices of the Public Defender (LOPD)/Contract Counsel Legal Services (CCLS) to provide contract counsel services in McKinley County's 11th Judicial District. The contracting jurisdiction is San Juan County, New Mexico, with the contract period running from March 15, 2026 through October 31, 2026. The services required include representation of indigent clients in misdemeanor, juvenile, felony, and murder cases, with particular emphasis on conflict-of-interest situations where the LOPD office experiences internal conflicts or lacks sufficient staffing capacity. The prospective contractor, Ramsey Younis, is an attorney with approximately 14 years of legal experience, including prior employment with the Defender Association of Philadelphia and the New Mexico Law Offices of the Public Defender. Key qualifications include criminal law expertise, jury and bench trial experience, compliance with LOPD performance standards and bar requirements, and demonstrated willingness and availability to serve the county's underserved conflict cases. The LOPD conducted an initial Request for Proposals in April 2025 that was advertised through the Albuquerque Journal, Las Cruces Sun, Santa Fe New Mexican, New Mexico State Bar Bulletin, social media, the LOPD website, and the New Mexico Criminal Defense Lawyers Association list service. The due date for this contract opportunity is March 18, 2026, following the required 30-day posting period that commenced on February 18, 2026.

This procurement is designated as a sole source contract, which restricts responses to a single identified contractor—Ramsey Younis—based on his unique qualifications and demonstrated availability to accept the volume of cases required at the negotiated rates in McKinley County. Younis currently holds two existing contracts with LOPD/CCLS, each valued at less than $60,000.00, demonstrating his established relationship with the contracting agency and proven performance history. The sole source determination was certified on February 6, 2026 and approved on February 9, 2026, pending the required 30-day posting period without challenge before final approval by the State Purchasing Agent. The total contract amount is $150,000.00 before tax, with an estimated tax of $12,937.50, bringing the total contract value to approximately $162,937.50. This contract represents LOPD's determination that Younis is the only available contractor willing and able to accept the volume and complexity of conflict cases required in McKinley County while meeting the agency's performance standards and legal compliance requirements.