John-Raphael Pichardo

I was born in Westchester County, NY, and raised throughout the Hudson Valley to Puerto Rican and Dominican parents, knew I wanted to be an attorney at a young age. ​

I attended the University At Albany, SUNY (UAlbany) where I received my Bachelor's of Arts in Political Science in 2012. While in college, I interned for Judge Susan Capeci in Westchester County Court, then subsequently interned for the Westchester County District Attorney's Office. Upon graduation, I worked as a Session Assistant for State Liz Krueger where I worked on many issues including the NY State Budget, funding the New Tappan Zee Bridge construction, Pension reform, and Higher Education.

For my hard work and dedication to my school and community, I was inducted into the UAlbany Circle of Omicron Delta Kappa and the Epsilon Gamma Chapter of Pi Sigma Alpha, Political Science Honors Society. In 2012, I was selected as a 40 Under 40 Rising Latino Stars of New York by the Hispanic Coalition of New York.

I graduated from Quinnipiac University School of Law with a concentration in Tax Law. While in law school, I was a teaching assistant and a research assistant, founded the local chapter of Latino American Law Students Association, and served as Regional Treasurer (2013-2014) and Regional Chair of (2014-2015) for the Northeast Region of the National Black Law Students Association.

Upon graduation, I was awarded the Service to the Law School Award, Service to the Community, and the Thurgood Marshall Scholarship for his advocacy of enhancing diversity in the legal profession and law school.

After law school I served as a Court Attorney in New York City Housing Court, New York County, under Supervisory Judge Cheryl Gonzales and as an Attorney/Law Clerk, in Counsel's Office at the New York State Department of Labor.