John B Raftery

I am a member of Offit Kurman's Management Committee and a Regional Practice Group Director—a role which oversees many of the firm's legal service teams. Leveraging years of experience in real estate litigation, fair housing defense and business law, I serve as a trusted advisor to closely held businesses and organizations and local and regional management companies.  I help my clients negotiate or litigate through legal obstacles and difficulties – without ever losing focus of cost benefit parameters. My clients have included property management industry leaders, managers and owners of residential and commercial real estate, C-level officers of small and mid-sized corporations, directors of not-for-profit organizations and individual clients seeking cost effective representation. Currently, I serve as General Counsel for Property Management Association, as well as the USA Bobsled & Skeleton Federation, where I also serve on the board of directors.

I am a trusted advisor to business leaders on all matters involving real estate, leases, construction, landlord–tenant disputes, fair housing investigations and litigation, mold and pest-infestation claims, business torts, defense of discrimination claims and business transactions. With a focus on building partnerships with the individuals and organizations with whom I work, I seek to advocate on my clients’ behalf through cost-effective representation, including offensive litigation when necessary. My experience as a litigator spans most trial courts in Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia. Earlier in my legal career, I served as a special trial attorney for the U.S. Department of Justice.

A recognized authority on fair housing and landlord-tenant matters (commercial and residential), I lecture to local and national industry associations.  I have partnered with industry leaders, such as Shari Solomon of CleanHealth Environmental, and Matt Paxton of Clutter Cleaner, to present seminars on mold and hoarding.  Audiences for my speaking engagements have included Property Management Association (PMA), Apartment and Office Building Association (AOBA), the Institute of Real Estate Management (IREM), and the Mid-Atlantic Affordable Housing Management Association.