We are a local legal firm with expertise in personal injury. Our firm serves clients throughout New Mexico. Prince, Schmidt, Baca & Woods, LLP is privileged to represent our fellow New Mexicans who live in and around Santa Fe, Espanola, Chimayo, Cordova, Truchas, Penasco, Taos, Las Vegas, Los Alamos, Albuquerque, Rio Rancho, Questa, Mora, Raton, Villanueva and surrounding areas.
Prince, Schmidt, Baca & Woods, LLP has been serving New Mexico since 1954. Bert Prince, a native New Mexican, founded the firm shortly after World War II. Though his great-grandfather, L. Bradford Prince, was the 14th Governor of New Mexico Territory (1889 to 1893), Bert was born into relatively modest means on a cattle and fruit ranch near Espanola. He worked his way through college supporting himself as a furnace stoker. Over the years, he rose to distinguish himself as one of the best criminal attorneys in New Mexico. It seemed that everyone in Northern New Mexico knew Bert and considered themselves to be his good friend because of the warm and sincere way he treated them.
In 1975 Steve Schmidt joined the firm. He was the first Public Defender in the State of New Mexico and practiced with Bert, trying many jury cases with him until 1980. After Bert retired, Steve took over the firm, and continued to represent clients in Northern New Mexico. Bert Prince’s memory and spirit survive through the passion our firm has for helping our fellow New Mexicans.
Steve Schmidt has lived in Santa Fe since 1973. After practicing criminal defense in the Public Defender's Office for several years, he joined forces with Bert Prince, trying many jury cases with him. Steve has spent his legal career building his expertise in personal injury. Currently, Steve also volunteers as general counsel for a very large charitable nonprofit corporation.
D. Maria Schmidt, daughter of Steve Schmidt, and a New Mexico Native has lived in Santa Fe for most of her life. She graduated from the University of Oregon School of Law in 2002 returning home to join the firm that same year. Maria’s expertise encompasses a wide range of cases involving personal injury, including motor vehicle accidents, medical malpractice, premise liability/slip and fall, and bicycle accidents.
Vitalia Sena-Baca grew up in Villanueva, New Mexico. She graduated from the Capital University Law School in 2001. Vitalia joined Prince, Schmidt, Baca & Woods in 2003. Her areas of expertise include motor vehicle accidents, accidents caused by drunk drivers, slip and fall, medical malpractice and pedestrian cases.
Jonathan D. Woods is a native New Mexican from Santa Fe. He graduated from the University of New Mexico School of Law in 2015. After graduation, Jonathan rapidly established himself as an experienced litigator and trial attorney, successfully advocating for clients in a variety of cases in both state and federal courts. His expertise spans a broad spectrum of practice areas, including: personal injury; motor vehicle and trucking accidents; medical malpractice; premises liability; nursing home negligence; civil rights violations; products liability; employment law; Title IX gender discrimination; consumer protection; and insurance company bad faith.
Megan B. Montoya was born and raised in Santa Fe, New Mexico. She returned to Santa Fe to practice law after attending law school in San Diego, California and completing her undergraduate studies in Phoenix, Arizona. Megan graduated law school in December of 2021 and joined Prince, Schmidt, Baca & Woods, LLP in April of 2022. Megan’s areas of interest include Title IX gender discrimination, civil rights violations, medical malpractice, personal injury, nursing home negligence, and mental health advocacy.
Supporting your attorney is a team of dedicated legal professionals at Prince, Schmidt, Baca & Woods. You will be assigned one attorney and one legal assistant to work with you directly, but there will be many people behind the scenes working your claim. Many on our team have spent decades in the insurance industry adjusting claims.
This invaluable experience uniquely qualifies them to assist clients in preparing and presenting claims for settlement, mediation or litigation. Each team member has outstanding qualities that translates to superior service for you. We all enjoy the work that we do and believe in what we do — fighting on your behalf.
PSBW is committed to giving back to the community, and what better way than to support non-profits that deal in wheels, among other worthy causes we support.
Are you or do you know someone who is a crazy off-road bike racing enthusiast? Well there’s a place for you! CORE CREW (Crazy Off-road Racing Enthusiast Crew) is a safety oriented, non-profit based in Santa Fe, NM. CORE produces off-road sporting events in New Mexico. Core has raised and donated more than $115,000 to local, state and national organizations since 2006, and recipients include Santa Fe Conservation Trust, St. Vincent Hospital Foundation, and the FORE Kids Foundation among others. PSBW proudly donates to CORE’s causes.
New Mexico Spokettes Racing Team is a women’s bicycle and triathlon racing team. Members with diverse backgrounds and ages compete at state, regional, national, and international levels. Women of all ages are encouraged to take up cycling for competition, fun, and fitness. Spokettes believes it is their responsibility to help create safe places to ride and to improve the physical and environmental health of Santa Fe communities. PSBW is pleased to sponsor Spokettes.
Newspapers in Education (NIE) is a national private/public collaboration that provides local schools with local newspapers and educational materials. NIE is sponsored by the Santa Fe New Mexican. PSBW supports NIE and the Santa Fe New Mexican in the distribution of newspaper and accompanying lesson plans to 51 area classrooms.