Patrick Schaefer practices law in Santa Fe, focusing on regional structures of governance. In particular, his practice works to bridge jurisdictional divisions between state, tribal, federal, and Mexican entities. He currently serves as Chief General Council for the New Mexico Department of Finance Administration (NM DFA).
Prior to his current role with NM DFA, he was the founding Executive Director of the Hunt Institute for Global Competitiveness, a pioneering and innovative research platform located at the University of Texas at El Paso that produces detailed economic and legal analysis of the various market, regulatory, and law enforcement mechanisms that converge in New Mexico, Chihuahua, and Texas. Patrick began his legal career in international development finance at the World Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank in Washington, D.C.