Rayna Brachmann, Family Law Attorney

I am an associate practicing in Marilyn York’s office. Prior to joining Marilyn's office, I was a law clerk for the Honorable Deborah Schumacher at the Second Judicial District Court, Family Court, in Reno, Nevada and practiced law with a local law firm focused primarily on real estate, development and construction law. Before law school, I was a legal researcher at the Nevada Attorney General’s Office assigned to the Antitrust Division of the Bureau of Consumer Protection.

I chose to be an attorney because the court system can be intimidating with challenges that sometimes seem insurmountable. The court system has tremendous power over the lives of individuals and entities and lawyers can help de-mystify a complex and intricate process for litigants. I recognize that when people call a family lawyer’s office, they are often in stressful and emotionally charged situations. The role of a family lawyer is to help diffuse emotions and guide people through the process with honest, thoughtful and realistic advice. I think a good lawyer can make a very difficult time easier by responding to the client’s needs and focusing energy on possible resolutions rather than the issues which resulted in the breakdown of the family. I will advocate on behalf of my client but I also believe there are many issues which can be reasonably resolved with minimal conflict in order to minimize psychological and actual expense to a client. One of my strengths as an attorney is my honest and straight-forward approach to life. I call things as I see them and people always know where they stand with me. I will never tell someone what they want to hear rather than giving a truthful, clear assessment of the situation.

I graduated from Lewis & Clark School of Law, in Portland, Oregon, where I was a member of the Cornelius Honor Society. I am a University of Nevada, Reno graduate with a B.A. in political science and attended high school locally at Sparks High School. I am a member of the Nevada State Bar, the Washoe County Bar Association and Northern Nevada Women Lawyers. I was appointed to the Community Selection Committee for the Washoe County Public Defender in 2005. I am also a member of the Board of the CASA Foundation which supports the work of CASA volunteers who speak on behalf of abused and neglected children who are part of the Family Court System.