Meet Richard D. Ballot, Esq.

---

Rich's career has been anchored in leading through complexity, litigating sophisticated (and often bleeding-edge) corporate disputes, accelerating growth, and cultivating world-class teams.

Rich practiced 10 years as a commercial litigator in private practice and 20 years in-house. He developed deep expertise as a trial and appellate attorney, with a specialty in franchise law, and expanded his skill set to front-line Merger & Acquisition (M&A) deal making and finance -- immersed in every aspect of due diligence and post-closing integration - - as part of a series of GMAC, Prudential, and Brookfield Asset Management companies that were predecessor entities to BGRS.

Rich's time with GMAC, Prudential, and Brookfield culminated in the role of General Counsel at BGRS, overseeing 40 companies across more than 10 countries, reporting directly to the CEO, and serving as one of four executives shaping global growth strategy. Rich's leadership extended well beyond a traditional Chief Legal Officer role, leading professionals across sustainability, compliance, government affairs, federal contract procurement, data privacy, education seminars for the company's real estate brokerage network, business continuity planning, and the automation of supplier due diligence and supply chain auditing. I spearheaded the establishment of new offices in Germany, Poland, and the UAE. 

Crisis leadership has also been a hallmark of Rich's career. He helped lead GMAC Home Services through the subprime mortgage crisis, the government's Troubled Asset Relief Program bailout, and its bankruptcy. Rich led BGRS's legal response to the COVID-19 pandemic (including the mandate for immunizations because of our status as a federal contractor), a ransomware incident, numerous high-profile lawsuits, whistleblower claims, and government audits, as well as navigating the company’s exit from Russia, through a maze of federal sanctions, following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine - - all while safeguarding continuity of operations and brand trust.

Rich flourishes in demanding situations where strategic vision, operational excellence, and resilience drive growth, manage organizational and business-model complexity, and deliver success.