Longtime Tucson attorney Bob Hirsh is Pima County’s new public defender.
Pima County Administrator Chuck Huckelberry appointed Hirsh to assume the spot left vacant by Robert Hooker’s death April 1 in a street-racing crash.
Hirsh, 72, has been second-in-command of the Pima County Public Defender’s Office since Hooker took over the position in January 2005.
“Over the last three years and three months I have been honored to work in this office,” Hirsh said. “We have great lawyers here and a great staff and I can’t think of a better place to be at this point in my life,”Hirsh said this afternoon.
He accepted the job on Wednesday and held his first staff meeting today, Hirsh said.
He loved and admired Hooker and assuming his position is “bittersweet,” Hirsh said.
“I don’t do this with any bit of happiness,” Hirsh said.
