Rachael Aryn Racine

Rachael Aryn Racine, 37, of New York City, passed away peacefully on March 5, 2026, following a courageous 5-year battle with breast cancer. She died peacefully, surrounded by family and loved ones.
Rachael was born in Orange, California on April 27, 1988, the second of three children of Mary and Peter Racine. She grew up a southern California girl with a love for the sun, ocean, beaches, music and sports. After graduating from San Diego State University with a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice, she studied law at the University of California, Berkeley, graduating in 2015. She then moved to New York City to pursue a law career. She joined the respected law firm of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher and Flom, before serving as a law clerk to the Honorable Laura Taylor Swain, Chief Judge of the U. S. District Court, Southern District of New York. It was during this time that she met Zharna Shah, who later became her partner in life. After completing her clerkship, Rachael joined the nationally recognized antitrust practice at Wilson, Sonsini, Goodrich and Rosati, serving critical roles in high-profile litigation, including the landmark U.S. v. Google trial. Based on her leadership and outstanding accomplishments she became a partner in the firm in 2024 at the young age of 35.
Beyond her professional accomplishments, Rachael was a great friend and an extraordinary human. She was intelligent, fiercely independent, a tenacious fighter, effortlessly funny and sincerely humble. She had a true gift for being able to connect with others, whether a small child, someone she just met, or a seasoned senior executive. She loved music and sports and was a steadfast supporter of the baseball team of her childhood, the Los Angeles Dodgers. Although New York was her adopted home, she loved the wardrobe staples of her native California including t-shirts and flip-flops, which she wore even in winter weather.
Rachael was a precious gift to all who knew her. She loved with her whole heart and was loved by many. The world is a better place because she was in it, and she will be greatly missed.
Rachael is survived by her partner Zharna, her parents Mary and Peter, her brother Tim and his wife Bebe, her sister Megan and her husband Chase, her three nephews Jack, Henry and Finley, her grandfather Leo, fifteen aunts and uncles, and seventeen cousins. She was preceded in death by her grandparents Mary Ellen, Conrad and Mary, and her cousins Rachel and David.
A memorial service for Rachael will be held at 10:00am on April 10, 2026 at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, 1047 Amsterdam Ave., New York, NY 10025.
In lieu of flowers, please join the fight against metastatic triple negative breast cancer by donating in Rachael’s honor to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Your generosity can make a difference against a highly aggressive disease with limited current treatment options. To give, please scan the accompanying QR code or go to http://mskcc.convio.net/goto/honoringrachael. Checks, if preferred, should be made payable to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and mailed to:
Attn: Megan Berry
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Office of Development
PO Box 27106
New York, NY 10087
Please indicate on the check memo line that the gift is in memory of Rachael Racine.