Rafael J. Betancourt was born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico. He graduated from Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree cum laude with Honors in Political Science. He also graduated from the University of Puerto Rico Law School with a Juris Doctor Degree. He is admitted to practice in State and Federal Courts in Puerto Rico, New York and New Jersey. He is also admitted to practice before the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York and the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, as well as the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit.

Betancourt served as a Special Agent of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) from 1983-1987. During his tenure at the FBI, Betancourt focused on Foreign Counterintelligence matters and was trained at the United States Department of State- Foreign Service Institute in Arlington, Virginia. Betancourt also served as Assistant Union County Prosecutor until 1988. Since joining the firm in 1988, Betancourt has represented various municipal clients, including Union County and Towns of Roselle, Roselle Park and Westfield. He served as a member and Chair of the District XII Ethics and Fee Arbitration Committees. He also served as Municipal Prosecutor for the Borough of Roselle Park in 1990, Municipal Defender for the Town of Westfield from 1991-1992, and Municipal Prosecutor for the Town of Westfield from 1993-2000.

Betancourt is a former two-term Councilman and Acting Mayor for the Town of Westfield. He served as Chair of the Union County Bar Association Real Estate Committee and for five years as an Adjunct Professor teaching Criminal Law at UCNJ, Union College of Union County New Jersey. In 2017 Betancourt was sworn in as member of the Board of Governors of UCNJ and, in 2020, he was nominated to serve as Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees.

Betancourt has extensive civil and criminal trial experience. In 2018, he was selected by New Jersey Family Magazine as one of New Jersey’s Best Lawyer’s for Families in Real Estate Law. He serves as a commentator for NBC Telemundo 47 New York in matters involving legal, criminal, and civil proceedings in the New York Metropolitan area. Betancourt is an avid golfer and a Rutgers University Cooperative Extension Program trained Master Gardener.

Betancourt’s current area of practice includes Commercial and Residential Real Estate and Transactional Law, Contract matters, Commercial Negotiations, Business and Acquisitions/Sales, White Collar Criminal Defense and Estate Administration matters. Betancourt became the Managing Partner of the firm in January 2020.