Bob Ritter

About Bob Ritter

General counsel and senior business leader driving corporate initiatives, providing proactive and steady leadership, and seamlessly navigating the regulatory landscape Recognized as one of the nation’s foremost experts in right-of-way and pole attachment issues at the federal, state, and local level with two decades of extensive government relations experience Provide strategic leadership and vision to regional government affairs team driving franchising and relationships across 1,500+ local government units Drove successful quest to adopt Texas small cell legislation (Local Government Code Chapter 284) by drafting baseline bill and negotiating an extended stakeholder process Extensive experience in FCC policy and compliance, including wireless, cable and telecommunications, rural broadband, spectrum policy, E-rate, E-911, and RF safetyLEGAL & BUSINESS COMPETENCIES: Complex Commercial Transactions | Mergers & Acquisitions | Regulatory Compliance | Real Estate | Zoning | Contract Negotiation & Drafting | Corporate Governance | Outside Counsel Management | Telecommunications | Rural Broadband | Cable Franchising

Experience

1. General Counsel

   DQE Communications

   Apr 2024 — Present · Pittsburgh, PA, US

   Leading legal, compliance, regulatory, government affairs and real estate functions and SLT member for established regional enterprise fiber network provider. DQE, the premier fiber provider based in Western Pennsylvania, is a portfolio company of GI Partners.* Responsible for leading all aspects of legal function, including contracts, regulatory, corporate governance, dispute resolution and labor & employment* Responsible for leading cross-functional compliance team, overseeing corporate and regulatory compliance, internal process and procedures, and USF, CPNI, SOC2.* Reviewing, updating and evolving processes and systems for scalability in high-growth environment.* Executive leadership and day-to-day management of network real estate, permitting and fleet services.

Education

• Bucknell University

  B.A., Political Science

  1988 — 1992

• Federation of Law Societies of Canada

  Certificate of Qualification, Law

  2012 — 2013

• University of Virginia School of Law

  J.D., Law

  1992 — 1995

• University of Virginia

  M.A., American Government

  1993 — 1996

Skills

• Canadian Law
• Wireless
• Telecommunications
• Das
• Business Transactions
• Right-of-Way Acquisition
• Real Estate Transactions
• Government
• Regulatory Affairs
• Strategy
• Management
• Corporate Governance
• Real Estate Project Management
• Leadership
• Site Acquisition
• Entrepreneurship
• Acquisitions
• Policy
• Strategic Partnerships
• Training
• Venture Capital
• Business Planning
• Mergers
• Zoning
• Cellular Communications
• Joint Ventures
• Cross-Functional Team Leadership
• 4g
• Legal Writing
• Sales