Rafe Schwimmer

Rafe Schwimmer graduated Phi Beta Kappa from City College of the City University of New York in 1973 (B.A. American History). He attended the College of Law, University of Iowa (J.D. 1976). Rafe is a member of the Washington State Bar Association, and the Iowa (inactive) and Illinois Bar (inactive). He is also a member of the Washington State Bar Association's Family Law and Criminal Law Sections; Washington Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers; and Snohomish County Bar Association Family Law section.

He has practiced in Iowa from 1976 - 1977, Illinois 1977 - 1980, and in Everett, Washington from 1980 to present. His practice has focused on trial litigation - family law, criminal defense, and personal injury. His practice includes District Court, Superior Court, and Appeals. He is an arbitrator for the Snohomish County Superior Court and a member of the Snohomish County Library Board.

Rafe has served as a Judge Pro Tempore in Snohomish County Juvenile Court. In addition, he is a volunteer with the family law clinic and legal aid program.

Cynthia R. First

Cynthia R. First graduated cum laude from Seattle University School of Law (formerly University of Puget Sound School of Law) and was on the Law Review Editorial Board. She has a Master of Environmental Science (M.En.S., Urban and Regional Planning) and a Bachelor of Philosophy (B. Phil. Interdisciplinary Studies) from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. Ms. First is a member of the bars for the Supreme Court of the United States, United States Federal District Court (Western and Eastern Washington), and the State of Washington.

As an experienced litigator, Ms. First's practice focuses on all aspects of civil litigation, with an emphasis on domestic matters. She has several notable and reported cases, in both federal court (see, e.g. In re Western Processing, 133 F.R.D. 157 (W.D. Wash. 1990)) and state court (see, e.g. In re Baird, 131 Wn.2d 514 (1997)).

After spending six years as an elected Commissioner for the Snohomish County Public Utility District, Ms. First has more recently centered her domestic practice in the collaborative law method. With extensive training and background in alternative dispute resolution, she finds that the collaborative model provides a more durable, respectful solution to domestic problems her clients face.

Ms. First is an elected member of Washington State Bar Association Family Law Executive Committee and a long time member of the Snohomish County Bar Association Family Law Section and the King County Family Law and Collaborative Law Sections. She is also a member of the International Association of Collaborative Professionals (IACP) and and a founding Executive Board member of the North Sound Collaborative Law Group. She has served as a volunteer for the King County Prosecutor's Office, Special Drug Unit and the Snohomish County Legal Clinic. She has also served as a parttime prosecutor for the cities of Marysville and Snohomish.

Ms. First shares her time between Snohomish and Skagit Counties. Her favorite pastime is identifying and sharing the humor in everyday situations, regardless of how stressful they seem at the onset.