Our Team

About 

Fully Bilingual: Spanish

Ricardo Catá practiced law as a civil litigator and trial lawyer in South Florida for 38 years. His mediation practice focuses on commercial, franchise and contractual disputes; trademark infringement; cross-border disputes (in litigation or arbitration); aviation and maritime and cruise passenger claims; construction and design defects; resort, product, premises, and general liability; medical and dental malpractice; legal malpractice; wrongful death; coverage disputes; bad faith claims; and ADA/FHA service animals disputes.

Ricardo is able to mediate in the Spanish language. He is certified to mediate civil cases by the U.S. District Court, Southern and Middle Districts of Florida, and is a past member of the American Arbitration Association’s Mediator Panel, a Florida Supreme Court Approved Arbitrator, and a member of the National Academy of Distinguished Neutrals (NADN). He is a Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution (CEDR) Accredited Mediator.

As a former member of the American Arbitration Association’s Roster of Neutrals (2016-2019), Ricardo served as arbitrator in AAA commercial disputes. He also was a member of the ICDR Cruise Line and Seafarer Arbitrator Panel (2015-2019) and the CPR Panels of Distinguished Neutrals (2016-2019). 

During his legal practice, Ricardo represented resorts and tour operators from Latin America in Florida’s circuit and federal courts. He also represented domestic and international manufacturers of products on claims of design and/or manufacturing defects, and U.S. and Latin American clients in commercial and contractual disputes. He represented clients in claims of design and construction defects, wrongful death suits, franchise litigation, maritime and aviation disputes, and medical and chiropractic malpractice suits. Ricardo represented insurance clients in coverage disputes and defended ADA claims in federal court.

A native of Cuba, Ricardo is bilingual in Spanish and English and has mediated 100 percent in Spanish.

Education

B.A. ~ Long Island University, 1972, summa cum laude
J.D. ~ St. John’s University School of Law, 1975
M.A. ~ University of Miami Graduate School of International Studies

• Florida Supreme Court Certified Circuit Civil Mediator
• American Arbitration Association Mediator Panel and Roster of Neutrals, 2015-2019 
• Certified Mediator, USDC, Southern and Middle Districts of Florida
• Florida Supreme Court Approved Arbitrator, 2015
• Martindale Hubbell AV® Preeminent™ rated
• International Institute for Conflict Prevention & Resolution’s (CPR) Panel of Distinguished Neutrals, 2016-2019
• ABA, Section of Dispute Resolution’s Advanced Mediation Training, 2013
• Arbitration Fundamentals and Best Practices for New AAA Arbitrators, 2015
• CIArb’s Introduction to International Arbitration, 2015
• Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution (CEDR) Accredited Mediator

Memberships

• Miami International Arbitration Society, 2013-2018
• The Florida Bar: Alternative Dispute Resolution and International Law Sections, 2014-2019
• ADR Section Executive Council Member, 2016-2018.
• AAA’s Mediator Panel, 2015-2019
• Chair, Mediation Committee, Florida Bar’s International Law Section, 2015-2018
• NADN Member
• CEDR Accredited Mediator

Ricardo’s profile in Spanish

Ricardo’s CV in English

Ricardo’s CV in Spanish

Areas Of Practice

• Aviation Claims
• Commercial Disputes
• Construction and Design Defects
• Cross-Border Disputes
• e-Discovery Disputes
• General Liability
• Franchise/Licensing Disputes
• Hotel and Resort Liability
• Insurance Coverage
• Maritime and Cruise Claims
• Medical and Dental Malpractice
• Premises Liability
• Product Liability
• Trademark Infringement
• Wrongful Death
• ADA/FHA Disputes