Rafferty Domnick Cunningham & Yaffa
and made money. But that wouldn't drive me.
ter for everyone.
The decision to join DCY came after careful consideration of multiple offers. afferty cited his 20-year friendship with Fred Cunningham and longstanding professional respect for the team as key factors in his choice.
"I want to build something new with likeminded people who have the same passion for what we do as I do," he shared. "Fred, Sean, Greg and the whole team over there, I've known and respected them for 0 years."
The Catalyst
An unexpected phone call from a client solidifed the catalyst for this major career shift.
"I was in a hotel room in NYC getting ready for a hearing, and the phone rang, and it was an unknown number. I never answered those, but for some reason, I answered it," aferty recounted. The caller was an elderly woman he had helped through legal difculties years before. "She said, 'I don't know what you're going to do or where you're headed. I just want you to promise me you'll keep doing what you do. We need you.'"
aferty described this call as "a God wink
nick and Yaffa, bringing afferty aboard represents a strategic diversification of their practice.
"We're trying to diversify our practice because I don't think anybody wants to be subject to the whims of the legislature or the appellate courts," Cunningham explained. "We have a very diversifed practice now. Sean, Troy, Greg and I have all done catastrophic injury cases for our entire careers, but I've developed a subspecialty in insurance bad faith. Sean has really developed a subspecialty in medical malpractice."
Fighting for Justice
aferty has taken a leadership role at the frm in mass tort litigation while maintaining the personal connection that he believes has been lost in many legal practices. He divides his time between South Florida and Pensacola, with fre uent travel for cases.
Among the cases driving afferty's passion at DCY is litigation concerning Depo-Provera, a contraceptive injection he alleges was marketed irresponsibly to vulnerable populations. The federal court appointed him to the Plaintiffs' Executive Committee in March.
The frm's approach represents aferty's philosophical pushback against what he sees as the commercialization of mass tort law. "I don't want to have meetings with lawyers about the number of names you have listed on a spreadsheet," he emphasized. "I've always followed Fred Levin's motto, 'Don't concentrate on the money; concentrate on the client, and the money will follow.'"
aferty's work with survivors of the Dozier School, a notorious Florida reform school with a history of abuse allegations, reinforced his commitment to meaningful legal work. "Dozier changed my life," he refected. "After the Governor signed the bill, we all just hugged—all of us. I want to fll people with that love that makes them want to give that hug. That's all I care about."
The newly expanded frm is now composed of approximately 1 attorneys and total staf members across two locations— Palm Beach Gardens and the recently opened Pensacola ofce. Despite the substantial investment in new ofces and the challenges of building a new practice, aferty remains enthusiastic about the future.
"Along with our ofces in Pensacola, we are building a new multimillion-dollar ofce
his term last July as president of the American Association for Justice."
These connections position DCY to collaborate with attorneys nationwide. "We have a lot of friends throughout the country, and I think people around the country know how dedicated we are to the preservation of the civil justice system and our clients' rights," Cunningham said. "We really look forward to working with lawyers across the country, handling cases all across the country, and trying cases all across the country."
During intensive planning sessions, DCY developed its mission statement: "Fighting for Justice to make the world a safer place."
While acknowledging this might sound idealistic, aferty's conviction is evident. "It may sound ambitious, but we believe in our ability to bring forward meaningful change. What I want to do, what brings me joy and happiness, is knowing that I've positively impacted people's lives."
For aferty, the decision to join DCY represents not just a career move but a continuation of the core values that drew him to law in the frst place. "I can't stop doing what I do. I've realized after 0 years that this isn't just my job; it's my life. It's what I do. It's who I am."
From Left to Right: Greg Yafa, Sean Domnick, Troy Raferty, Nicole Kruegal, Matt Christ and Fred Cunningham / Courtesy Photo
RafertyDomnickCunningham&Yafa PensacolaOfce:815S.PalafoxSt. (850)-208-0830 | bgla .com