Before joining Calcagni & Kanefsky, Ralph served as Senior Vice President of Legal and Governmental Affairs for the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority. As the Authority’s General Counsel, he oversaw the privatization of the state’s two racetracks; negotiated a $1.1 billion bond issue and related deal documents for the American Dream development; handled complex commercial contracting and all labor relations matters; and served as principal negotiator and litigation supervisor for the resolution of multi-million dollar claims for and against the Authority.

As the Acting United States Attorney for the District of New Jersey in 2008 and 2009, Ralph led the Office’s 140 lawyers, directing a wide-range of critical matters involving healthcare fraud; corporate, securities, and bank fraud; political corruption; the FCPA; tax evasion; money laundering; environmental crimes; and national security. His service as Acting U.S. Attorney capped a 25-year career as a federal prosecutor in New Jersey, during which he served in additional key leadership roles including First Assistant U.S. Attorney, Executive Assistant U.S. Attorney, and Senior Litigation Counsel.

Before his government service, Ralph was in private practice for 7 years handling an array of major litigations involving constitutional issues, products liability, contract disputes, labor, and land use.

Criminal and Regulatory Defense

• Successfully represented a healthcare company executive in a federal grand jury investigation conducted by the U.S. Department of Labor and the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
• Successfully defended a corporate officer of a manufacturing company in an environmental crimes investigation conducted by the New Jersey Attorney General, Division of Criminal Justice, resulting in no charges against client.

Internal Investigations & Legal Compliance

• Serve as hearing officer for major public university in employment and Title IX matters.
• Discretely conducted major, multi-year internal investigation for a Fortune 500 global commercial real estate company facing federal and state scrutiny and potential billion dollar exposure for false claims. Successfully navigated matter and avoided liability for the company and its employees.
• Conducted a highly-sensitive, internal investigation into allegations of public corruption within the municipal court system for a major governmental entity.

• Successfully represented Fortune 20 company executive in corporate investigation for misappropriation and conversion of company funds. Investigation closed with no discipline or criminal referral.
• Conducted a confidential investigation into anonymous threats received by a public authority.

Litigation

• Serve as local counsel for ship-building subsidiary of a Fortune 100 global aerospace and defense company, in sprawling CERCLA action pending in the U.S. District Court, District of New Jersey.
• Defending national helicopter tour and aerial production company in a contract dispute in the Superior Court of New Jersey.
• Served as principal negotiator and litigation supervisor for the resolution of multi-million dollar claims for and against the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority.

During his government service, Ralph received top honors from the United States Department of Justice for excellence in trial and investigative work. Those honors include the prestigious DOJ Director’s Award, the Attorney General’s John Marshal Award, and numerous DOJ Special Achievement Awards. In recognition of his successes in environmental matters, he was appointed to the DOJ National Environmental Crimes Policy Committee and lectured internationally on environmental prosecutions. Ralph also lectured at the FBI Academy, teaching investigative skills to Special Agents.

A dedicated volunteer in his community, Ralph serves as a member of the Overlook Medical Center Advisory Board. He is the Trustee Emeritus for the Cranford Historical Society and served as the Assistant Scoutmaster to Boy Scout Troop 178.