Raggio, Thomas L

Steven W. Raffa is a highly skilled legal research analyst, legislative affairs expert and public policy development attorney, most recently employed as Legal Counsel with the Rhode Island Department of Revenue prior to joining PLDW. He is a member of the firm's Special Mastership in Prison Monitoring Team for the U.S. District Court, Eastern District of California, responsible for monitoring prison reform compliance and progress in the implementation of mandatory mental health screening, diagnosis and treatment of prisoner throughout the California prison system.

Mr. Raffa is a passionate advocate for education and co-founded (1994) what became known as the Textron Chamber of Commerce Charter School in Providence, RI. The school was the state's first charter school. Mr. Raffa established and operated its Student Employment Program, a Providence-based professional employment and internship project for students to provide them with direct experience in the 'world of work'. He also led the school's grant writing and fund development effort for 14 years (1994-2008). Prior to his employment in education, Mr. Raffa worked in private practice.

Mr. Raffa earned his J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania Law School and was a Phi Beta Kappa, magna cum laude of Georgetown University's Edmund Walsh School of Foreign Service, where he earned a B.S.F.S. in International Politics. At Georgetown, he was awarded the Edmund Walsh Medal for Excellence in International Politics, and was inducted into the Phi Alpha Theta (history), Pi Sigma Alpha (government) and Alpha Sigma Nu (Jesuit) honor societies. He is proficient in Spanish, studied at the University of Valencia, Spain, while in college, and spent a year volunteering in Central America prior to attending law school. He is admitted to practice law in the State of Rhode Island and is a member of the Rhode Island Bar Association.