Bell Nunnally mourns the passing of Ray Allen Balestri, who died on January 4, 2025, of natural causes at the age of 64.
Ray, the energetic leader of Bell Nunnally’s Transactional Section, was an integral part and a beloved partner of Bell Nunnally since 2009. He was widely known as a trusted advisor, strategist and advocate for his clients; a mentor to young attorneys and professionals; a passionate advocate and teacher of the law; and a valued colleague and friend.
A graduate of Harvard Law School (J.D., 1985) and the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign (B.S., 1982), Ray quickly became a titan in the corporate and M&A world. As one of the top dealmakers in the United States, Ray’s transactional highlights during his 40 years of experience ran the gamut from representing startup companies in seed, venture and private equity financings and recapitalizations to advising established companies on complex multi-billion-dollar M&A deals.
Ray dedicated significant time to mentoring young attorneys and other professionals. He was passionate about imparting his extensive knowledge and experience to help others realize their potential and attain success. Ray’s mentorship has fostered and strengthened many in the hallways of Bell Nunnally. Ray also inspired countless future business leaders and clients as an adjunct professor at SMU’s Cox School of Business for 25 years, teaching the MBA course “Startups to IPOs: Financial Transactions for Entrepreneurs.”