A seasoned trial lawyer and trusted advisor, Tony is the Managing Partner of Rafel Law Group. In over 35 years of successful practice, his case work has spanned a wide range of issues, including construction defect claims, product liability, commercial real estate litigation, insurance coverage for policyholders, contract enforcement, intellectual property, business torts, partnership disputes, and more. He is a tenacious lawyer deeply dedicated to achieving his client’s objectives. In his advising work, Tony brings decades of experience counseling and representing condominium and homeowner associations on association governance, governing document amendments, covenant and rule enforcement, dispute resolution, damage loss adjustments, and many other issues. Tony is a Fellow in the College of Community Association Lawyers and in the Litigation Counsel of America.
After graduating from law school, Tony clerked for United States District Judge Barbara J. Rothstein in Seattle, then joined the law firm of Culp Dwyer Guterson & Grader, where he became a partner and practiced until that firm dissolved in 1995. Tony became Of Counsel and a principal in the firm of Rohan Goldfarb Rafel & Shapiro, P.S. until joining Riddell Williams, a 60-lawyer firm, in 2000, where he was twice elected by his peers as Chair of the Litigation Department and founded the Condominium Owners’ Rights Enforcement (CORE) Group. In October 2005, Tony formed Rafel Law Group PLLC.
Education
- J.D., cum laude, Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law at Yeshiva University
- Managing Editor, Cardozo Law Review
- Samuel Belkin Scholar
- B.A., University of Rochester
Admitted to Practice
- Washington
- Oregon
- New York
- New Jersey
Memberships/Activities
- President, Washington State Community Associations Institute (WSCAI) (2020); Director (2017-2020), Vice President (2018), President-Elect (2019), Past Chair, Business Partners Committee
- Past President, Federal Bar Association of the Western District of Washington, and former Chair of Local Rules, Website/Communications and Nominations Committees
- Member, Oregon Chapter of Community Associations Institute (CAI) (ORCAI)
- Affiliate Member, Oregon and Washington Community Association Managers (OWCAM)
- Lawyer Representative (court appointed) to the Ninth Circuit Judicial Conference (1998-2001)
- Bar Examiner for the Washington State Bar Association Committee of Law Examiners (1993-1998); member, Attorneys Professional Insurance Committee (1989-1990); and member, Opportunities for Minorities in the Legal Profession Committee (1987)
- Member (court-appointed) of the Civil Justice Reform Act Advisory Group for the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington (2000-2004)
- Arbitrator, King County Superior Court Arbitration Program (1990-present)
- Member, Washington State and Oregon State Bar Associations, Federal Bar Association of the Western District of Washington
Recognitions
- America's Top 50 Lawyers - Litigation - Washington - 2023
- Fellow, College of Community Association Lawyers
- Member, Amicus Review Committee, College of Community Association Lawyers
- Fellow, Litigation Counsel of America
- Barrister, Order of Veritas, Order of Certus
- Member, Trial Law Institute and Diversity Law Institute
- Recipient, 2021 WSCAI Volunteer of the Year Award
- Named one of the “Best Lawyers in America” in Real Estate Law, 2021-2024
- Recipient, 2021 CAI National “Rising Star” Award
- Recipient, 2017 WSCAI President’s Award
- Recipient, 2017 CAI-Oregon Service Provider of the Year Award
- Washington Law & Politics Magazine “Super Lawyer™” 2001-2023
- Named one of “Top Attorneys in Washington” by SeattleMet Magazine (2016-2020)
- Named one of “Top Real Estate Lawyers” by The American Lawyer (2016)
- Named one of the “Top Lawyers in Washington” by Washington CEO Magazine June 2008
- “AV” rated by Martindale Hubbell (highest peer review rating for legal skill and ethical standards). To view an explanation of “AV” ratings by Martindale Hubbell, click here
- Named as one of Washington’s “Top 40” Real Estate Lawyers in Washington Law & Politics Magazine, 2007
- Named one of Seattle’s 152 “Top Lawyers” by Seattle Magazine 2005
Contact info:
arafel@rafellawgroup.com
206-838-2660