Meet The Team
Darlene Gomez, ESQ. Owner
Darlene T. Gomez is the owner of The Law Offices of Darlene Gomez, LLC and a lifelong native of Northern New Mexico. With more than 24 years of legal experience, she has built a respected career in Indian Law, complex family law, and advocacy for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Relatives (MMIWR). Known for her compassion, precision, and commitment to justice, Darlene has represented tribes, families, and underserved communities throughout New Mexico and Indian Country.
Darlene is nationally recognized for her pro bono work on behalf of MMIWR families and is widely regarded as a leading voice in the movement for justice, awareness, and systemic change. Her advocacy has earned her numerous honors, including 2022 New Mexico Pro Bono Attorney of the Year, the 2022 Justice Pamela B. Minzner Outstanding Advocacy for Women Award, the 2023 United States Attorney General’s Award for her MMIP work, the 2025 Kellogg Foundation Fellowship, 2025 USA Today Woman of the Year for New Mexico, and the 2025 and 2026 Elite Lawyer Award in Indian Law.
Beyond the courtroom, Darlene continues to amplify the voices of families through public education, media, documentary projects, and community advocacy. She is a founding member of the New Mexico MMIW Task Force and serves as general counsel for the 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization Medicine Wheel Ride. Widely considered a leading expert in MMIWR throughout the United States, her persistent efforts on behalf of victims have helped increase domestic and international media attention on the MMIWR public health crisis.
Noelle Link - Attorney
Noelle’s professional journey is unique, combining more than two decades of healthcare leadership with a passion for the law and helping individuals navigate some of life’s most difficult challenges. After completing a legal internship with the Law Offices of Darlene Gomez, LLC, she was invited to join the firm as a Part-Time Attorney. Prior to her legal practice, Noelle held senior leadership positions at nationally recognized healthcare institutions across the United States. Throughout her career, she has overseen complex healthcare operations, led multidisciplinary teams, and worked tirelessly to improve systems of care for patients and families.
Her experience in healthcare has strengthened her commitment to compassion, integrity, and service; qualities she brings to her legal practice every day. In addition to her work with Attorney Gomez, Noelle serves full-time as the Executive Director of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center.
As an attorney, Noelle is particularly passionate about advocacy and access to justice for underserved communities. She is honored to work alongside families and advocates in matters involving Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Relatives (MMIWR). She believes that every person deserves to be heard, treated with dignity, and supported during life’s most challenging moments.
Noelle earned her Juris Doctor and Master of Science degrees and is licensed to practice law in New Mexico and Washington State. She also holds several nationally recognized professional credentials and is known for her integrity, empathy, and ability to navigate complex situations with both professionalism and compassion.
Noelle finds her legal work to be deeply meaningful and rewarding. Whether serving clients or advocating for vulnerable populations, she is motivated by the opportunity to make a positive difference in people’s lives. She believes that listening, empathy, and perseverance are among the most important tools an advocate can possess.
In her spare time, Noelle enjoys cycling, hiking, and travel. Having overcome significant challenges early in life, she remains deeply committed to using her professional and legal experience to serve others and to help individuals and families during their times of greatest need.
Felicia L. Jojola -Legal Analyst
Felicia L. Jojola, a Pueblo of Isleta enrolled tribal member, comes to us with 8 years of judicial experience. She is a former Chief Judge of the Pueblo of Isleta Tribal Court, a former Associate Justice of the Pueblo of Isleta Appellate Court. As a five-time appointee she possesses substantial knowledge of tribal law and is dedicated to upholding customs and traditions within the justice system.
She is an Alumni of the National Judicial College (NJC) with specialized certification in Special Court Trial Skills, General Jurisdiction Trial Skills, and Tribal Judicial Skills. While serving in her duly appointed positions she has attended the NJC for 7 years and has gained substantial training and knowledge alongside Judges from all over the country, Indian Country and abroad. She possesses a unique set of skills as she is a non-attorney. She holds certificates in specialized training to include; General Jurisdiction, Decision making, Enhancing Judicial Bench skills, Judicial Writing, Fourth Amendment: Comprehensive Search & Seizure for Trial Judges, The Role of a Judge in Drug-Impaired Driving Cases, Animal Law, Artificial Intelligence as Evidence, Creating a Trauma-informed Courtroom, and Ethics and abuse of Prestige of Judicial Office.
Former Chief Judge Jojola was duly appointed in 2024, by the New Mexico Supreme Court to serve as one of fourteen members of the Tribal-State Judicial Consortium. The Consortium is an advisory committee of the New Mexico Supreme Court, that strengthens relationships and communications between Tribal and State Courts addressing issues of jurisdiction, sovereignty and issues pertaining to domestic violence, child custody, child support, child abuse/neglect, and juvenile justice.
While serving in the judiciary, as a former Associate Justice of the Isleta Appellate Court, she heard appeals, authored and co-authored judicial opinions and created new case law.
While serving in the judiciary as a former Chief Judge, she presided over cases of general jurisdiction, to include; Civil, Children’s Court, Juvenile Court, Criminal, and Probate. She presided over many criminal jury trials, held Healing to Wellness Court once a week during her lunch hour to accommodate rehabilitating defendants who had work and busy schedules as they were on the road to recovery.
Additionally, Former Chief Judge Jojola created policy, collaborated with the judiciary to create Rules of Civil Procedure, created resolution for the tribe adopting legislation to clarify use and possession of medical cannabis within the boundaries of the reservation, and appointed to serve on the Law & Order Subcommittee to re-write laws.
Felicia L. Jojola is our Legal Analyst, and Spokesperson here at the Law Offices of Darlene Gomez. In March of 2026, she was admitted to practice law in Isleta Tribal Court, as a Spokesperson.
She is married 17-years to a Marine, is a mother of five, her eldest son is also a Marine, she is a grandmother to three beautiful grandchildren.
She is ready to help you with your case!
Fatima ceballos - paralegal
Fatima Ceballos is fluent in Spanish and English with Spanish being her first language. She was raised in Cd. Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico until her family migrated to the United States in 1995 and settled in Albuquerque, New Mexico in 1997.
Before joining the Law Offices of Darlene Gomez, LLC, Fatima worked in the legal community since approximately 2006. Fatima has developed a focus on Family Law to include Divorce, Child Support, Paternity, Post Decree proceedings, Qualified Domestic Relations Orders, Kinship Guardianships, Child Custody and Visitation including the Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction Act, Uniform Interstate Child Support Act, New Mexico Children, Youth and Families Department, Guardian ad Litem, Pre-Nuptial and Post-Nuptial Agreements, Legal Separations, Probate, Wills, Guardianships, Conservatorships, Adoptions, Family Centered Meetings per the New Mexico Children, Youth and Families Department, Domestic Violence pursuant to the Family Violence Protection Act and New Mexico Criminal Law, to include Driving While Intoxicated and Driving Under the Influence, and is very knowledgeable in Administrative Law and the Rules of Federal and State Civil Procedure as well as the various other State and local rules utilized in New Mexico. Fatima has been invited to be a guest speaker at many Continuing Legal Education (CLE) symposiums given her vast expertise and knowledge as an experienced litigation paralegal. Fatima has served as a mentor for other legal assistants and paralegals throughout the State of New Mexico and Mexico.
As a paralegal Fatima is motivated by the fast-paced nature of our work, coupled with the diversity of cases and deciphering the extensive array of emotional circumstances clients undergo in our areas of law. Fatima finds her work as a paralegal to be quite humbling and rewarding. Working in family law provides Fatima a great deal of satisfaction to assist with the mending of and rebuilding of families during their most difficult times. Fatima prides herself upon her explementary organizational skills, attention to detail, and as an accomplished fact-finder.
Fatima is a mother of three active children, former President of her local Parent Teacher Association (PTA) and current By-laws Chair of the New Mexico Parent Teacher Association. Fatima has assisted several accomplished attorneys in many court trials, settlement facilitations and case-by-case meetings. She has developed a positive rapport with the courts, judges, and TCAA’s throughout her career. Fatima has been instrumental in the progress of not only the firms she has work to with but also within the educational realm. She enjoys reading in her rare spare time. Fatima’s children are enrolled members of the Pueblo of Isleta and continue to embrace the multi-cultural background and traditional customs in which they are included. Fatima is a recent activist for the Missing Murdered and Indigenous Women (MMIW). As a mother of a Native American daughter, this movement is especially important to her family.
annette archuleta - billing specialist
Annette Archuleta joined the Law Offices of Darlene Gomez in 2020 and brings with her over 30 years of experience in both the private and public sectors. Annette enjoys the challenges and rewards of working in a law office that is constantly changing in technology and innovations.
Annette’s background has led her to have a very knowledgeable background in finance, purchasing, and technology. Annette has the ability to offer a concise explanation of billing to a wide range of clients and is meticulous with her records.
Annette enjoys spending time with her daughters and her granddaughter.
Annette can be found helping elders in her community in helping them access services they may need.
Juan Escobar - Office Manager
Juan Escobar serves as the Office Manager for the Law Offices of Darlene Gomez, LLC, where he helps individuals and families navigate difficult circumstances with compassion, respect, and determination. Fluent in both English and Spanish, Juan is committed to ensuring that Spanish-speaking families feel heard, understood, and supported.
His passion for advocacy is deeply personal. After his son went missing, Juan spent years searching, raising awareness, working with law enforcement, connecting with the media, and refusing to give up hope. His perseverance ultimately led to the moment he had prayed for—the safe recovery of his son. That experience strengthened his commitment to stand beside other families who are searching for answers, justice, and hope.
As a father of two boys, a community leader, pastor, and advocate, Juan understands the importance of family, faith, and persistence. He is actively involved in community outreach and advocacy efforts, including work supporting families affected by missing and murdered Indigenous relatives.
Juan believes every person deserves to be heard, every family deserves support, and no one should have to face their most difficult moments alone.
