Meet Rori Ridley
Rori Ridley is the founder of Ridley Legal, a Professional Corporation and law firm focused on advising small businesses and growth companies.
Ms. Ridley received her Juris Doctor (law) degree in 1998 from Pepperdine University School of Law, where she was a member of both the competitive trial team and appellate team. Ms. Ridley obtained her B.A. from California State University at Fullerton, graduating with honors in Political Science, and receiving a Minor in Criminal Justice.
Ms. Ridley began her career as a prosecutor with the California Department of Justice and the Ventura County District Attorney's Office. In these roles, Ms. Ridley gained significant trial and appellate experience. In addition to prosecuting violent crime, Ms. Ridley also lead a white-collar crime unit and fraud division in Ventura County, and gained a deep knowledge of regulatory compliance and prosecution.
After leaving the government, Ms. Ridley served as the Director of Corporation Compliance for The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated, (NASDAQ:CAKE) where she oversaw regulatory compliance for corporate and nationwide restaurant operations. Next, Ms. Ridley served as Corporate Counsel and Chief Litigation Officer for Superior Industries, Inc. (NYSE:SUP), a multi-national Fortune 500 Tier 1 automotive part manufacturer. Next, Ms. Ridley served as General Counsel and Corporate Secretary to Clean Diesel Technologies, Inc., a multi-national clean technology manufacturer. Ms. Ridley has also served as Chief Legal Officer for Genesis Auctions, a real estate auction service.
Now, Rori specializes in outsourced General Counsel services. In this role Rori is part of the business team, helping businesses think strategically as well as legally. Rori's clients range from new small businesses to established and growing companies. Rori guides her clients through all aspects of the business cycle, from incorporating and hiring employees, to reviewing contracts and implementing policies, to growth such as buy-sell agreements, accepting investors, and public company filings. Many of Rori's services are provided on a flat-fee basis, so there are no unpleasant surprises in the budget.
Rori has strong expertise in regulatory compliance. Every business, small or large, is regulated by at least one government agency. Often the various government agencies intersect, making it confusing and expensive to comply. However, the penalties for a lapse can ruin a business. Rori specializes in reviewing your business to see where the compliance risk is, coordinating business processes to meet that risk, and coordinating agency communication if there is a problem. Because of her prosecution and regulatory background, Rori can "talk cop" with government regulators, and smooth out a stressful and confusing process for businesses.
In addition to practicing law, Rori is a seasoned public speaker, and regularly speaks to community and professional groups and provides training to businesses on compliance issues as well as issues relating to security, whistleblower protection, corporate culture, insider trading, and effective communication.
Bar Admissions