A graduate of Albany Law School and a Poughkeepsie native, Mr. Rappleyea joined the firm in 1974. His practice is concentrated in the drafting of wills and estate planning, tax law, banking law, municipal law, real estate and education law. He has served as counsel to several municipalities and the Hyde Park Board of Education.

Mr. Rappleyea served in the Judge Advocate's Section of the United States Army (1953-55). He is past Counsel to the New York State Senate Committee of Ethics and Guidance and past Corporation Counsel to the City of Poughkeepsie. Mr. Rappleyea served as Chairman of the Dutchess County Republican Committee; President of the Dutchess County Agricultural Society which runs the Dutchess County Fair, and has been a member of the Board of Directors. He has served as a Trustee and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Dutchess Community College (1989-2005).

Mr. Rappleyea organized the Tri Municipal Sewer Improvement Area for the Town of Wappinger, Town of Poughkeepsie and Village of Wappingers Falls.  He is a Director of the Stissing National Bank of Pine Plains where he has served on the Board for more than thirty years.

Mr. Rappleyea served as President of the Dutchess County Cerebral Palsy Society, a Trustee of St. Mary's Church of Poughkeepsie, New York, a Trustee of Cardinal Hayes Home, Millbrook, New York, a Trustee of Our Lady of Lourdes Fund, a Trustee of the Poughkeepsie Area Fund and a member of the Advisory Board of Our Lady of Lourdes High School.