About Rafael
Rafael Echemendia built a steady path into the law, starting with undergraduate work at the University of Florida and completing a J.D. at The Ohio State University–Columbus. He earned a B.A. in Pre-Law in 1994 and took his law degree in 1997. Those years bookend a period of study that set up a professional trajectory alternating between public service and private practice.
His early career began in public defense. In 1998 he served as a lawyer in the 10th Circuit Public Defender’s office. That job put him in courtrooms frequently and gave him hands-on experience in trial matters. In 1999 he moved into private practice as an associate. A year later he became senior partner at what the firm records list as Echemendia Law Office, a position he has held since 2000. Over time the practice appears under the name Echemendia Law Group among local office listings.
Those shifts give a clear throughline: courtroom work followed by private representation. He is admitted to practice in Florida and to the Federal Circuit. That combination has allowed him to handle matters at both state and federal levels. The public defender role informs his trial approach. The private-practice years brought experience managing client matters, supervising associates and handling a range of procedural filings.
Colleagues describe Echemendia as a lawyer who prefers direct work over publicity. He spent the early years of his career litigating in trial courts and then carried that case-driven approach into private practice. His record includes hands-on trial preparation, client counseling and appellate filings where jurisdiction required it. He moved into firm leadership in 2000 and has overseen a small office structure that includes a branch satellite office and the main Echemendia Law Group location.
Today he maintains a practice based out of Echemendia Law Group. His caseload reflects the arc of his career: courtroom litigation, client representation in state and federal settings, and appellate work when cases proceed beyond trial courts. He currently practices at Echemendia Law Group, handling trial and appellate matters.
