RONALD W. BEALS is the Chief Counsel of the Caltrans Legal Division, managing a staff of 140 attorneys and 100 investigators, paralegals, secretaries, claims officers and administrative personnel.

Caltrans Legal was formed by a Governor’s Order in 1911, and is the only state office that handles all its own legal affairs including all litigation and transactional work.  The office is regarded as the nation’s premier government transportation legal office.

Ron has an extensive background both at Caltrans and in the private sector.  Beginning as a “junior attorney” fresh out of law school, he spent over 5 years with the Department, primarily handling eminent domain, outdoor advertising, and airspace lease matters.  After handling over 200 outdoor advertising matters, he was hired by Gannett Outdoor Advertising, eventually being appointed Vice President/Legal Counsel for Gannett Outdoor of California.  After Gannett sold its outdoor advertising division, he returned to Caltrans, where he played a major role in developing the state’s successful telecommunication facility license program and handled eminent domain and personnel actions.

In 2002 he was promoted to Assistant Chief Counsel for Transportation and Personnel Law, heading the Legal’s Division’s efforts in legislation, personnel, outdoor advertising, aeronautics, mass transportation, and railroad matters.  He was appointed to his present position in January, 2009.

A nationally recognized expert in outdoor advertising regulation and valuation, he has spoken at numerous national conferences and seminars and is the attorney of record in numerous published appellate decisions.

Ron graduated from the College of San Mateo (A. A.), the University of California at Santa Barbara (B. A. History, Phi Beta Kappa) and the University of California at Berkeley (J. D., John Woodward Ayer Fellowship).  He and his wife Shelley live in Sacramento.