Rodolfo Rivera
REAL ESTATE COMMITTEE CHAIR
Rodolfo Rivera has a BA from Ohio Northern University and a JD from St. Louis University School of Law. In the summer of 1979, he studied at The Hague Academy of International Law. From 1980 until 2006 he was a solo practitioner. In March 2006, Fidelity recruited him to spearhead the expansion of its international operations. Fidelity National Financial is the leading provider of title insurance, technology and transaction services to the real estate and mortgage industries.
He recently became a part-time adjunct professor at Washington University St. Louis School of Law where he teaches International Business Transactions.
What interested you in the in-house practice of law and how did you come to be an attorney at Fidelity National Financial, Inc.?
I never gave much thought to working in-house. In 2006 I was approached by the general counsel for Fidelity about spearheading the expansion of the company’s international footprint. The job was a combined legal and business development role. The prospect of building an international operation was exciting. I made the decision quickly and never looked back. In June of 2012 I became the chief international counsel.
What is the single greatest challenge that your law department is facing today, and how are you dealing with it?
Fidelity has an extensive amount of litigation in the United States and other parts of the world. The greatest challenge is managing legal cost without sacrificing quality. Being organized and actively involved with outside counsel on a weekly basis is the only way to stay on top of litigation.
In October 2014, you were elected as chair of the Real Estate Committee? Tell me how you got involved initially?
My first leadership role was program chair. I had an interest in developing international real estate topics. I also enjoyed attending conferences and organizing presentations. My vision and that of the current leadership for the Real Estate Committee is to provide a global focus. Real estate touches almost every business transaction throughout the world in some form or another.
What are some of the ways that the Real Estate Committee provides value to its members?
The Real Estate Committee provides numerous benefits to its members such as networking, access to templates and check lists, articles and much more. More important, the committee is a tool where members can reach out to others and seek help on matters affecting the member’s company.
What substantive practice issues does your committee address?
The committee addresses the day-to-day issues ACC members, both real estate and non-real estate members face in their day-to-day operations. The committee’s database provides practical guides on such things as real estate acquisition, title insurance, complicated lease transactions and much more.
