NAR names political law attorney as new general counsel 

The National Association of Realtors has a new top lawyer, and he's a familiar face at the trade organization.

Jonathan Waclawski announced his position via LinkedIn on Feb. 28, and the appointment was first reported by Bloomberg Law News.

Waclawski, the association's new general counsel and senior vice president of legal, will lead the division previously headed by Katie Johnson, who stepped down from her role as chief legal officer in October after 17 years with NAR. 

Another longtime member of the NAR legal team, Lesley Muchow, served as general counsel until March 1. The association declined to comment on Muchow's departure, but Inman reported that her exit had been shared internally by NAR CEO Nykia Wright in mid-February. Muchow first joined NAR in 2010, becoming general counsel in March of 2023.

Also in mid-February, Cooley, LLP, the law firm that NAR has engaged to fight antitrust lawsuits, withdrew from Batton, a commissions case brought by homebuyers. NAR declined comment on this change. Cooley is still the attorney of record in Sitzer/Burnett, a similar case brought by sellers.

Rising in the ranks at NAR: According to his NAR bio, Waclawski joined the organization in 2017, first serving as a political law attorney and later as vice president of political advocacy, leading strategy for NAR's federal, state and local political programs.

The National Association of Realtors confirmed on Mar. 3 that Waclawski had taken on the general counsel role. "This promotion reflects Jon's exceptional leadership and deep legal expertise, and it demonstrates NAR's ongoing commitment to strengthening our organization and showing value to our members," an NAR spokesperson told Real Estate News.

A political focus: In addition to his advocacy work at NAR, Waclawski has served in several other politically oriented legal roles. He was general counsel for former Wisconsin governor Scott Walker's presidential campaign in 2016, associate counsel for the Republican National Committee for three years in the mid-2010s, and legal counsel for the Republican Party of Wisconsin at various times.

Picking up the legal pieces: Waclawski's appointment comes after a tumultuous time for the organization, including years of commissions-related litigation that culminated in a $418 million settlement, major changes to policies around agent fees and representation, sexual harassment and discrimination lawsuits, and related allegations that put a spotlight on NAR's culture.

Following Johnson's departure, NAR said its priority was to ensure "business continuity and remaining laser focused on shepherding NAR through this time of significant industry change."

Correction: An earlier version of this story stated that Waclawski previously worked at NAR from 2017-2022. He has been with the organization from 2017 through the present.