Nicole Ramsdell

About Nicole Ramsdell

I am a business minded leader with a broad range of corporate, commercial, transactional, and litigation experience. As a tactical problem solver with excellent communication skills, I strive to be a collaborative relationship builder. A seasoned leader in the retail business, with experience in both public and private equity owned companies, I have a proven ability to analyze and simplify complex legal issues to drive competitive advantages for the business. Leading the legal department at Belk, I oversee corporate governance, complex commercial contracts, intellectual property, litigation, labor/employment, and regulatory compliance.

Experience

1. Gvp- Legal Counsel

   Belk

   Mar 2022 — Present · Charlotte, NC, US

   As leader of the Belk legal team, I represent the Company, a private equity owned department store retail company with almost 300 stores in 16 states and employer of approximately employees across the country with annual sales of approximately $3 billion. • Deliver strategic counsel to C-Suite executives, internal business clients, and leaders in the field.• Manage Belk\'s legal team, priorities, and budget. • Recently supported a debt restructure removing almost $1B of Belk\'s debt. • Provide oversight of crisis management and public treatment of sensitive brand reputation issues.• Responsible for the Company’s commercial contracting, real estate, IP, privacy, and compliance. • Handle Employment law matters including those under the FLSA, FLMA, FCRA, Title VII, and ADEA. • Oversee compliance of Company benefit plans (retirement, pension, and health/welfare) and have managed related DOL and DOJ investigations. • Handle attorney demands, charges, litigation (in state and federal courts) and arbitration (including class and collective actions). • Engage and supervise outside counsel prudently and cost effectively. • Drive favorable resolutions through negotiations and mediations.• Oversee Company policies and procedures and direct high-level internal investigations. • Partner across the business to anticipate and mitigate legal exposure while driving business priorities.