Career
While in law school Rayfield worked as a clerk with the Benton County District Attorney's Office,gaining trial experience prosecuting misdemeanors and DUIs. [5]
After law school,Rayfield began his legal career working for the Weatherford Thompson law firm in Albany,Oregon. His practice initially focused on general civil litigation. [5] In 2007,Rayfield served as a plaintiff's attorney in a high-profile case involving a police officer that wrongfully arrested several individuals under false DUII accusations. [6] [7]
Following a successful resolution to the case,Rayfield worked to help pass HB 2318 during the 2009 legislative session of the Oregon Legislative Assembly. HB 2318 allowed people who were falsely accused of driving under the influence to remove the false charge from their record. [8] The bill passed unanimously in the Oregon House and Senate and was signed into law by the governor on June 18,2009. [9]
In May 2009 Rayfield joined the law firm of Nelson &MacNeil. His practice focused on representing individuals with claims against corporations,and insurance companies. In 2014,Rayfield became a partner with the law firm changing the firm’s name to Nelson MacNeil Rayfield Trial Attorneys PC. [5]
Oregon House of Representatives
Rayfield was sworn in as a state representative from House District 16 on January 12,2015. [10]
During the 2015 legislative session,Rayfield served on the House Committee on Rules,the Joint Committee on Ways and Means,as co-chair of the Joint Ways and Means Subcommittee on Natural Resources,and as vice chairman of the House Committee on Consumer Protection and Government Effectiveness. During the session Rayfield acted as a key facilitator,successfully negotiating a bipartisan solution to shore-up a $30 million shortfall with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife budget.
Following the 2015 legislative session,Rayfield was elected by his colleagues to serve as House majority whip. [11] During the interim in 2015 Rayfield was also appointed Co-Chair of the Joint Committee on Ways and Means Subcommittee on Public Safety. [12]
In the 2016 legislative session,Rayfield sponsored several key bills that were eventually signed into law. In particular,he successfully shepherded legislation extending unemployment insurance benefits for up to an additional six months to locked-out workers,which immediately impacted 180 Steelworkers locked-out of the Allegheny Technologies plant in Albany,Oregon. [13]
Rayfield was named a "Rising Star" by the Oregon League of Conservation Voters (OLCV) in its 2015 Environmental Scorecard. He was recognized by OLCV for his work as co-chair of the Ways and Means Subcommittee on Natural Resources,and specifically his efforts to forge compromise to address a $30 million budget shortfall for the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. [14]
In 2015,Rayfield was also chosen by the Council of State Governments West (CSG West),a nonpartisan,nonprofit organization serving state legislators of both parties in 13 Western states,as a participant in its training institute for lawmakers in their first four years of service. [15]
On February 1,2022,Rayfield was sworn in as the Speaker of Oregon House of Representatives. [16] He stepped down as Speaker of the House following the conclusion of the 2024 legislative session to run for Attorney General. [17]
2024 Oregon Attorney General campaign
On October 11, 2023, Rayfield announced his campaign for Oregon Attorney General in the 2024 election. [18] [19] He won the Democratic primary in the May 2024 primary election. [20] On November 5, 2024, Rayfield defeated Republican Will Lathrup in the general election. [3]
Personal life
Rayfield lives in Corvallis with his wife Amanda and their son.
In the community, Rayfield has served numerous roles including commissioner on the Linn-Benton Housing Authority, member of the New Roots Housing Board, Past-President of the Linn-Benton Bar Association, past chair of the Linn and Benton Judicial Screening Committee, past president of the Majestic Theater Management Board, former Linn County Peer Court Judge, and former coach of the Oregon State University Mock Trial Team. [5]
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