Raegen N. Rasnic is a Principal attorney in the firm. Her practice focuses on family law, including divorce/dissolution of marriage, domestic partnership, and non-marital relationships, complex financial issues, high net worth estates, division of closely-held businesses, child custody and parenting plans, child support, parentage actions, and prenuptial and postnuptial agreements. In addition, Raegen is a nationally recognized practitioner of adoption and assisted reproductive technology (ART) law and handles the negotiation and formation of donor and surrogacy agreements. She also advises and defends medical and mental health professionals on ethics and disciplinary issues. Raegen is admitted to practice in the federal and state courts of Washington.

Raegen is a member of the Washington State Bar Association and the King County Bar Association. She is a past Trustee of the King County Bar Association and is a member of KCBA’s Judicial Candidate Evaluation Committee and past chair of its Joint Bench-Bar Judicial Conferencing Committee. Raegen is also a Fellow and past Trustee of the Academy of Adoption and Assisted Reproduction Attorneys (AAAA). She regularly presents to legal, judicial, and mental health professionals and the public on legal issues, with particular emphasis on family law litigation and assisted reproduction law. Raegen has been named a Washington “Super Lawyer” every year since 2016, and was named a Washington Super Lawyers “Rising Star” every year from 2005-2015.

Raegen is a member of the National LGBT Bar Association’s Family Law Institute and the National Center for Lesbian Rights’ National Family Law Advisory Council. She volunteers her time as a member of Legal Voice’s Case Intake Committee and handles pro bono cases for the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project and National Center for Lesbian Rights.

Memberships & Affiliations:

Washington State Bar Association

King County Bar Association

Q-Law (LGBTQ+ Bar Association of Washington)

National LGBTQ+ Bar Association

Association of Family and Conciliation Courts

Academy of Adoption & Assisted Reproduction Attorneys

Education:

B.A., Law & Society, Oberlin College, 1990.

J.D., University of California Hastings College of the Law, 1995.

Production Editor, Hastings Women’s Law Journal, 1994-1995.

Legal Extern, Hon. Joan S. Brennan, United States District Court, Northern District of California, 1994-95.

 

Awards:

Recognized as a Washington State “Super Lawyer” in 2012 – Present.

Presentations:

Assisted Reproductive Technology Law in Washington: In a Nutshell, Seattle Tacoma Area Reproductive Society (May 2015) (with Rita L. Bender).

De Facto Parentage Claims, Northwest Justice Project Family Law Task Force (May 2015).

Parenting Plans: Complex Issues (Co-Chair), King County Bar Association (March 2015, September 2013, May 2012).

It Isn’t Over ‘Til It’s Over: How to Get Your Final Orders Entered After Settlement, Family Law Hot Topics, King County Bar Association (October 2013) (with Jerry Kimball).

Assisted Reproductive Technology in Washington State: What Adoption Practitioners Need to Know,Washington State Bar Association (October 2013).

The Indian Child Welfare Act and Assisted Reproductive Technology, American Bar Association Section of Family Law, 2013 Spring CLE Conference (April 2013).

We Are Family: LGBT Family Formation in Washington, Gonzaga University School of Law (November 2011).

Parenting Plans, King County Bar Association (April 2011).

Law and Liberty: Reproductive Freedom, American Civil Liberties Union of Washington (June 2010).

Domestic Partnership Update for Family Law Practitioners, Washington State Bar Association (August 2009) (with Janet M. Helson).

Adoption Practice & Pitfalls, WSBA Family Law Section Midyear Conference (June 2009) (with Mark M. Demaray).

The Changing Legal Landscape for Same-Sex Couples, American Academy of Adoption Attorneys Annual Conference, Portland, OR (May 2009).

Legal Issues of Embryo Donation, RESOLVE: The National Infertility Organization, Washington Statewide Conference (April 2009).

Establishing Parentage in Assisted Reproduction, American Academy of Adoption Attorneys Midyear, Chicago, IL (October 2008).

Adoption and Assisted Reproduction Case Law Update, American Academy of Adoption Attorneys Annual Meeting, Vancouver, BC (May 2006).

Maintaining a Healthy Professional Practice: Preventative Measures to Keep Your Livelihood out of Urgent Care, Washington State Psychological Association Fall Convention (October 2005) (with Peter Offenbecher).

 

Publications:

State’s Parentage Act Gets a Major Makeover, King County Bar Bulletin (February 2019)

Amendments Extend Reach of Uniform Parentage Act, King County Bar Bulletin (November 2011).

Newsletter: Washington Domestic Partnership: Update for Family Law Practitioners (August 2009) (with Janet M. Helson).

Adoption Law, King County Superior Court Family Law Benchbook (2005) (with Rita L. Bender).

FAQ: Surrogacy, Sperm Donation and Egg Donation in Washington for Prospective Gay and Lesbian Parents (with Rita L. Bender and Janet M. Helson).

Independent Adoption in Washington (May 2003) (with Rita L. Bender).

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Skellenger Bender, P.S.

520 Pike Street, Suite 1001
Seattle, WA 98101

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