Independent ski areas, outdoor recreation operators, outdoor retailers and equipment manufacturers deserve the same caliber of legal and risk expertise as the largest players in the industry — without the overhead of a full-time hire.
Eric Stein is a licensed attorney and resort risk professional who has spent his career at the intersection of mountain operations, law, and insurance — on the owner and operator side. He came up through the industry the right way: as a competitive ski racer, a World Cup race volunteer, a freeride coach, and eventually as in-house counsel for one of the industry's largest resort operators.
Eric came up through the ranks — seven years as a ski coach before transitioning into the legal department, where he spent eight years as in-house counsel for a five-resort, ski-culture-driven company that still operated with the intimacy and accountability of a family business. During that time, he drove consistency, accountability, and scalability across the company's entire legal function: standardizing contract practices across construction, lift purchases, vendor agreements, and special events; strengthening insurance requirements and risk transfer provisions company-wide; and helping grow the legal department as the operation expanded. He served as in-house expert on special event legal and risk management, including FIS World Cup events.
He later served as Vice President of Risk and Insurance at Intrawest — working across a portfolio of destination and independent resorts — where he managed multi-million dollar insurance programs, directed complex liability and workers' compensation claims, and negotiated risk-sensitive contracts spanning construction, special events, and four-season resort operations.
After time in construction law and risk management consulting, Eric worked as a specialty insurance producer serving independent ski areas, bike shops, ski manufacturers, and outdoor recreation operators across the West. He knows these operations from the inside — their exposures, their culture, and what it actually takes to protect them.
Ridgeline Legal + Risk was founded to give independent outdoor recreation businesses access to that depth of experience — on a flexible, right-sized basis that makes sense for their scale.
Ridgeline serves independent operators across the outdoor recreation industry — any business where the mountain, the trail, or the open air is the product, and where the legal and risk stakes are real.
Independent and destination ski areas. Our flagship expertise — from waivers and lift contracts to USFS permits and special event risk management.
Mountain bike parks, trail networks, and adventure facilities navigating participant liability, land use agreements, and seasonal operational risk.
Independent ski shops, bike shops, outdoor gear retailers, and equipment manufacturers dealing with vendor contracts, product liability, and employment matters.
Guiding operations, bike parks, water parks, adventure facilities, and special event operators where participant safety, waivers, and insurance adequacy are mission-critical.
Ridgeline provides fractional General Counsel services and operational risk management consulting — independently or together, depending on what your operation needs.
A lawyer's eye on every agreement that touches your operation — ensuring risk is transferred appropriately and no unfavorable terms go unnoticed.
Annual review of all participant releases to ensure they reflect current state law, incorporate recent case developments, and provide the broadest defensible protection available.
Comprehensive legal and risk planning for events of all sizes — races, festivals, competitions — so your team can focus on execution.
An independent review of your existing coverage to assess adequacy, identify gaps, and ensure policy terms align with your actual exposures. Distinct from placement — this is purely about protection.
Hands-on risk management support for mountain and outdoor operations — identifying exposures before they become claims and building the protocols that protect your business long-term.
Practical legal guidance on day-to-day matters — with referral to specialized counsel when a matter warrants it. Available by phone or email on short notice.
The goal is not to generate legal work for its own sake. It's to be genuinely useful when the need arises — and to be the kind of resource your team actually picks up the phone to call.
That means being available for a quick question at no charge. It means providing honest estimates upfront and holding to them. And it means understanding your operation well enough to give advice that is practical, not just technically correct.
Independent operators don't need a law firm on retainer. They need someone who knows the industry, understands the terrain, and can be a steady hand across legal, risk, and insurance — without the overhead.
Every engagement begins with a time estimate. Invoices never exceed what was discussed — if scope changes, that conversation happens before the work does.
No minimum commitments, no unused hours, no rollover complications. Billed monthly for services actually rendered the prior month.
Not every question warrants a formal engagement. Cost should never be the reason your team hesitates to pick up the phone.
Happy to begin with one specific matter to establish the working relationship before any broader arrangement is discussed.
Based in Bellingham, WA — available for on-site visits when seeing the operation in person adds value to the work.
Ridgeline operates on a flexible, non-banked retainer model — meaning you have access to senior legal and risk counsel as needed, with no minimum commitment and no unused hours. Services are billed monthly for work actually rendered, at a competitive hourly rate that will always be provided in advance of any engagement. Every matter begins with a clear estimate, and invoices never exceed what was discussed. If scope changes, that conversation happens before the work does — not after.
Engage for a single contract review, an annual waiver update, or an ongoing advisory relationship — whatever your operation needs, when it needs it.
Before any work begins, you'll receive a clear time estimate. Invoices never exceed what was discussed — scope changes are flagged before, not after.
Not every question needs a formal engagement. A quick phone call or email to talk something through is always free — cost should never be a reason to hesitate.
"My commitment is that you will never receive an invoice that exceeds what was discussed. If scope changes, that conversation happens before the work does, not after."
— Eric J. Stein, Attorney & Risk ConsultantDeep relationships with independent operators across the mountain West and beyond — built on trust, industry knowledge, and a long-term perspective over transactional service.
Independent ski areas, destination resorts, and mountain recreation operators of all sizes served across the Western U.S. and beyond.
The best first step is a conversation. Whether you have a specific contract that needs review, an upcoming renewal to think through, or just want to explore whether a fractional arrangement makes sense — reach out directly. The first call is always on me.
Based in Bellingham, WA and available by phone or email on short notice. On-site visits welcome when it's useful.
Independent operators carry unique exposures — on the mountain, on the trail, in their contracts, and in their insurance programs. Ridgeline exists to make senior-level legal and risk expertise accessible to the businesses that need it most.
No retainer required to start. No billing surprises. Just practical, experienced counsel from someone who understands your world.
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