for more than twenty-SEVEN years paul has represented some of the largest and most successful real estate companies in the pacific northwest.
Paul’s practice emphasizes real estate and business transactions, representing buyers, sellers, landlords, tenants, property owners, real estate brokers and firms, lenders, title companies, and more. He drafts and reviews residential and commercial purchase and sale agreements, leases, easements, covenants, title insurance and other transaction documents.
Paul also represents businesses in the formation and maintenance of corporations, LLCs and other entities, and advises business clients in contract negotiation and drafting, employment law, and other operational issues. Paul represents buyers and sellers in business stock and asset transactions, and serves as outside general counsel for business clients.
Prior Experience
General Counsel
Windermere Services Co.
2007 – 2018
Worked eleven years in-house for the franchisor entity of Windermere Real Estate. Deep experience handling real estate brokerage licensing and franchise matters across ten states. Drafted franchise disclosure documents, franchise agreements, and oversaw compliance for a system of 300+ franchised offices. Vendor contracts, employment law, trademark registrations and enforcement, formation and maintenance of business entities, regulatory compliance, mergers and acquisitions, consumer lending, RESPA. Assisted outside counsel in successfully defending a jury trial in federal court, obtaining $2.4M judgment on our counterclaims.
Shareholder
Paul Stephen Drayna, P.S.
2001 – 2007
Solo practice focused on real estate transactions and litigation. Represented buyers, sellers, landlords, tenants, property owners, real estate brokerage firms and other businesses. Represented property owners in defending against contractor liens, having liens removed, and obtaining judgments against contractors for defective work. Helped numerous businesses with entity formation, licensing and regulatory compliance issues. Served as adjunct faculty at North Seattle Community College for two years teaching real-estate law at the college level. Served four years as an officer of the King County Bar Association’s Real Property, Probate and Trust Section, two years as its co-chair. Represented companies and individuals in administrative proceedings.
Associate Attorney
Demco Law Firm, P.S.
1996 – 2001
Litigation associate at a boutique real estate firm. Advised real estate brokers and firms in routine transactional matters, and defended them against professional negligence claims. Handled a wide array of other real estate disputes involving purchase and sale agreements, earnest money, boundaries and adverse possession, partition actions, and more. Experience in civil litigation including bench trials, mediation, arbitration hearings, and administrative law proceedings before government agencies. Certified by the Washington Dept. of Licensing to teach continuing education courses to real estate licensees, and taught hundreds of hours on real-estate law, agency law, real-estate licensing law, and more. Also presented at CLE seminars for other attorneys on similar subjects.
EDUCATION
University of Wisconsin Law School
Juris Doctor, 1996
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Bachelor of Arts, 1993
AWARDS & HONORS
Pro Bono Service Commendation - 2020
Washington State Bar Association
Corporate Counsel Awards Finalist - 2013
Puget Sound Business Journal
Rising Star - 2005
Super Lawyers
Rising Star - 2004
Super Lawyers
ADMITTED TO PRACTICE
Washington State Bar Association
United States District Court - Western District of Washington
Professional Affiliations
Washington State Bar Association
American Bar Association
QLaw (LGBTQ Bar Association of Washington)