I was born in Texas and went to law school in New York. I now live in Lima, Ohio. I love to travel internationally – meeting new people, finding projects we can work on together, and experiencing different cultures. I often tell people that I love to travel because I love to eat. I will try anything onceand I especially enjoy food that is hot and spicy!

Professionally, I am a faculty member at Ohio Northern University Law School where I teach a wide variety of labor and dispute resolution courses. I have published more than 100 scholarly articles and authored or co-authored 10 books (many of which are in multiple editions) on a variety of topics related to labor and dispute resolution.

Here is a link to my complete bio and resume. https://www.onu.edu/directory/rick-bales

My current research focus is a book that Jill Gross and I are co- editing. The book, The Federal Arbitration Act: Successes, Failures, and a Roadmap for Reform, will be published in 2024 by Cambridge University Press.

In addition to teaching and writing, I am a part-time arbitrator. I am a member of the National Academy of Arbitrators and the College of Labor and Employment Lawyers, and the American Law Institute. and I serve on panels for the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, American Arbitration Association, State Employee Relations Board (Ohio), Michigan Employee Relations Commission, Minnesota Bureau of Mediation Services, Houston Police Department, City of Columbus & Fraternal Order of Police, Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. (AK Steel)/IAM, Lockheed Martin/IAM (Fort Worth), and PERG-U.S. Virgin Islands.