RILA Names New General Counsel and Retail Litigation Center President
The Retail Litigation Center (RLC) and Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA) has revealed that Monica Welt will become the next general counsel of RILA and president of the RLC. Welt will succeed Deborah White, who will retire at the end of the year after 12 years in the role.
The seasoned retail attorney joins RILA and the RLC after nine years with the Columbus, Ohio-based Big Lots. While at the retailer, Welt built its first compliance department and eventually rose to the position of deputy general counsel in 2021. In that role, Welt was Big Lots’ top compliance leader and assistant corporate secretary, heading legal, compliance and corporate governance strategies for the $6 billion public company. Her responsibilities included supporting the retailer’s omnichannel strategy, establishing oversight for sourcing operations abroad and co-leading the company’s national response to COVID-19. Also during her time at Big Lots, Welt actively participated in various RILA peer communities.
Before coming to Big Lots, Welt specialized in product liability litigation and risk management as an attorney with Crowell & Moring LLP, in Washington, D.C. She began her career as a trade attorney at Dewey Ballantine LLP and later as a litigator at Wallace King Domike & Branson.
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“We are thrilled to welcome Monica to the team,” noted RILA president and CEO Brian Dodge. “The knowledge and relationships that she brings to this position after more than two decades in retail and in private practice are truly unique. The team and I look forward to working with her to build on RILA and the RLC’s long record of success.”
“I’m honored to be RILA’s next general counsel and RLC president at such a pivotal time for retail,” said Welt. “Over the past 15 years, as both outside and in-house counsel, I’ve benefited from the outstanding value RILA delivers to its members, and I’m excited to continue that work. I want to sincerely thank Deborah White for her exceptional leadership and dedication — her legacy has set a strong foundation for our path forward.”
“I’m incredibly excited that Brian and the RLC Board have chosen Monica to be the next RILA general counsel and RLC president,” added White. “I have been fortunate to work with Monica over the years, and I have been thoroughly impressed with her deep understanding of the transformative role that trade associations can play. I know the in-house insights that she brings from her previous experiences will provide outstanding value to the RILA and RLC legal communities.”
Welt will join RILA on Aug. 6 and work closely with White to ensure a smooth and successful transition after RILA’s Retail Law Conference in October. White will stay on as an advisor to RILA and the RLC through the end of the year.
Washington, D.C.-based RILA is the U.S. trade association for leading retailers. Through collaboration and thought leadership, the organization unites top retail executives to network, share best practices, advance ideas and act to effect change.
Directed by the chief legal officers of the biggest retail companies in the United States, the RLC is the trade association established by RILA 2010 to help leading retailers solve complex, common litigation issues through collaboration among in-house litigators and their outside counsel defenders.
