Ricardo Cestero represents a diverse group of clients in entertainment, real estate and business disputes. Mr. Cestero has particular expertise in First Amendment issues, such as defamation and restraint of speech, as well as extensive experience handling motion picture and television production and distribution disputes and profit participation cases.

• Currently representing the heirs of Bob Marley in a claim for unpaid royalties against Universal Music Group
• Represented the internationally known dancer and entertainer, Michael Flatley, in a defamation and civil extortion lawsuit in which Mr. Flatley was awarded an $11 million judgment against one defendant and obtained a significant monetary settlement against the other
• Represented an independent film distribution company in a two week breach of contract arbitration, in which the distributor was awarded a total of more than $3 million in damages and attorneys fees
• Represented heirs of J. R. R. Tolkien in lawsuit against New Line Cinema arising out of New Line's failure to pay any profit participation resulting from the three Lord of the Rings films
• Successfully represented homeowner's association in enforcing CC&Rs against a homeowner who had installed solar panels next to a public sidewalk. The homeowner was ordered to remove the panels in a case with significant implications on green energy measures. The verdict was recognized by the Los Angeles Daily Journal as one of the top 10 impact verdicts of 2009
• Represented the producers of “Alpha Dog,” a major motion picture starring Justin Timberlake, in defeating a lawsuit which attempted to stop the release of the film less than a month before the scheduled premiere
• Represented a homeowner in fraud and insurance bad faith cases arising out of her purchase of a defective house; the cases resulted in settlements totalling more than $1 million
• Represented Wind-Up Records in defeating a lawsuit which attempted to prevent Wind-Up from releasing an album by Bob Guiney, one of the original contestants on “The Bachelor”
• Assisted famous artist in recovering millions of dollars worth of art from gallery that had agreed to sell the work on consignment and then failed to pay for work sold
• Represented Renan Almendarez Coello, a nationally known Spanish language radio show host, in a defamation suit against a newspaper that accused Mr. Almendarez Coello of defrauding a charitable organization out of donations to hurricane victims in Honduras; the case resulted in a high six-figure judgment for Mr. Almendarez Coello

• Co-Author, "Entertainment Disputes Require Efficient, Non-Glamourous Fixes," Los Angeles Daily Journal, May 28, 2008
• Regular Contributor, Law Law Land blog

• Listed, Southern California Rising Stars, 2005-2007, 2009
• Top 10 Impact Verdicts of 2009, Los Angeles Daily Journal

• "Jury orders Disney to pay about $270 million to 'Millionaire' Creator," Los Angeles Times, July 8, 2010
• "Homeowners Lose Solar Panel Battle," Los Angeles Daily Journal, November 18, 2009
• "Flatley Accuser Ordered to Pay $11 Million," The Associated Press, December 19, 2007