Michelle Denise Raiford

Michelle D. Raiford is an experienced family law attorney practicing in Seattle/King County and Everett/Snohomish County since 2005. For almost 20 years, Michelle has successfully advocated for clients in complex and/or difficult divorce and parenting plan cases. In 2015, Michelle started her own practice, Raiford Law PLLC. Michelle loves all families and fight for the needs of her clients and their children.

Michelle is a Seattle native and grew up in Southeast Seattle. Prior to law school, Michelle worked as a Victim Advocate for three years in the Criminal Division of the King County Prosecutor's Office. While in law school, she completed a federal judicial externship with U.S. District Judge Marsha Pechman. Prior to starting Raiford Law PLLC, Michelle worked as an attorney for almost nine years in Snohomish County for the Northwest Justice Project (NJP). She handled numerous motions and trials in complex family law cases in Snohomish County Superior Court. She handled appellate family law cases in Division I of the Washington State Court of Appeals. She also successfully resolved several administrative and landlord-tenant cases. While at NJP, she helped begin Snohomish County's first sealing clinic that assisted young adults seal their completed juvenile criminal cases as a way to decrease unemployment in Snohomish County. Michelle also worked as a Managing Attorney for almost a year in King County for the Eastside Legal Assistance Program (ELAP). She managed family law attorneys and handled family law and domestic violence cases in King County Superior Court. She helped begin the ELAP Family Law Fellowship Program that expands delivery of legal services in King County while providing family law and business management training to new attorneys.

Michelle is a graduate of the Washington State Bar Association Leadership Institute. She was a presenter at the 2015 Gender Violence Symposium at Seattle University School of Law and has presented on family law, divorce, domestic violence, restraining orders, property division (community v. separate property), best practices for working with guardian ad litems (GALs), and landlord-tenant issues for various community agencies in both King and Snohomish Counties.

Michelle enjoys spending her free time with her son and their dog, and watching the Seattle Seahawks.