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A NOTE TO READERS. This profile was researched and written independently by Awesome Attorneys’ editorial team. This article does not name a single firm because available sources describe Terry L. Rakow’s practice without a consistent current firm affiliation; readers should confirm his current firm directly before contacting him. Placement on Awesome Attorneys’ editorial pages cannot be purchased. Nothing in this article is legal advice, and reading it does not create an attorney–client relationship. Past results do not guarantee, warrant, or predict the outcome of any future case.
At a Glance
| Attorney | Terry L. Rakow |
| Office | Phoenix, AZ |
| Focus | Commercial litigation, real estate litigation, and business litigation and partnership disputes |
| Education | J.D. (1973) |
| Recognition | The Best Lawyers in America®, Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Real Estate, and Real Estate Law (recognized since 2006) |
Sources: Best Lawyers, Justia Lawyer Directory. Compiled August 2026.
Origin
Two Decades of Peer Recognition in Commercial Litigation
Terry Rakow earned his J.D. in 1973 and has spent his career practicing commercial and real estate litigation in the Phoenix market. He has been recognized by The Best Lawyers in America® since 2006 — nearly two decades of continuous peer recognition in a field where that list turns over regularly.
Practice
Where Business Disputes and Real Estate Litigation Overlap
Rakow’s practice spans business contracts, business dissolution, business formation and finance, franchising, mergers and acquisitions, and partnership and shareholder disputes on the commercial side, paired with real estate litigation covering commercial real estate, easements, eminent domain, homeowners association disputes, land use and zoning, mortgages, and neighbor disputes. According to Justia, he has more than 30 years of experience in business litigation and partnership disputes specifically.
Track Record
Commercial and real estate litigation outcomes vary widely by matter and are not typically compiled into a public results table, and no such compilation was located in the sources reviewed for this profile.
Past-Results Disclaimer: Every case is different, and no past result guarantees a similar outcome in any future matter.
Client Voice
No attributed, independently sourced client reviews were located in the sources reviewed for this profile; that reflects the available public record, not a claim of a flawless history.
Community
No independently verifiable community or civic involvement was located in the sources reviewed for this profile.
Recognition
Rakow has been recognized by The Best Lawyers in America® in Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Real Estate, and Real Estate Law since 2006, based on Best Lawyers’ peer-review survey process. No Arizona board certification in commercial litigation was located for Rakow in the sources reviewed — the State Bar of Arizona does not currently certify a general commercial litigation specialty — so this profile does not use the word “specialist” to describe him.
The Arizona Legal Backdrop
What follows is general legal information, not legal advice.
Commercial litigation in Arizona generally proceeds under the Arizona Rules of Civil Procedure, with many business contracts routing disputes to arbitration first under Arizona’s version of the Uniform Arbitration Act. Real estate disputes touching land use or zoning typically require exhausting administrative remedies before a municipal board before a court will hear the case, and eminent domain matters are shaped by the property-rights protections Arizona voters added through Proposition 207 in 2006.
The Awesome Attorneys Assessment
Terry Rakow’s differentiator is sustained peer recognition across two related fields — commercial litigation and real estate litigation — over nearly 20 years of Best Lawyers listings, suggesting a durable, not one-time, reputation in the Phoenix legal community. The honest limitation of this profile: available public sources did not yield a clear, current firm affiliation, which is unusual for an attorney with this level of continuous recognition, and prospective clients should independently confirm where and how to reach him before relying on any contact information found elsewhere.
Methodology & Sourcing
This profile was researched in August 2026 from Best Lawyers and the Justia Lawyer Directory. No firm commissioned, reviewed, or paid for this profile.
Publisher Disclosure & Independence Notice
This profile is an independent editorial article published by Awesome Attorneys. Awesome Attorneys does not endorse, recommend, or warrant any lawyer or law firm profiled on this site, and inclusion in this series is not paid placement.