Cesie C. Alvarez

Cesie C. Alvarez

Associate

Associate

Biography

Cesie Alvarez concentrates her practice on intellectual property and commercial litigation issues affecting the media, entertainment, and new technology sectors. She has represented clients in copyright, DMCA, trademark, trade dress, right of publicity, and defamation disputes. Her clients have included artists and creators, internet service providers, media and toy corporations, and art collectors in high-stakes disputes. Her experience and interest in representing entertainment and media clients extends to her podcast on pop culture and legal disputes which she produces outside of work. Cesie has extensive experience in all stages of litigation including managing every facet of complex discovery, briefing contested dispositive motions, working on dozens of depositions, and handling all aspects of trial including witness preparation and pre-trial briefing.

Cesie received her Bachelor of Arts from the University of California, Berkeley where she majored in Psychology and Legal Studies. She received her Juris Doctor from Cornell Law School.

Prior to joining Miller Barondess, Cesie worked in the intellectual property litigation group in the New York and San Francisco offices of a large, international law firm. She also worked as a Judicial Extern for the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in the chambers of the honorable Judge Alex Kozinski.

Notable Representations
  • Defended a large media company in a multi-billion dollar case that the New York Times said was “one of the most consequential First Amendment cases in a generation.”
  • Represented artists Clifford “T.I.” Harris, Tameka “Tiny” Harris, and the OMG Girlz in highly publicized trial on their trade dress and misappropriation claims against billion-dollar toy corporation, MGA Entertainment, Inc.
  • Secured the dismissal of key copyright and trademark infringement claims brought by Roblox Corporation on behalf of well-known toy and robotics company.
  • Defended four separate internet and media corporations against claims of secondary copyright infringement brought by the nation’s top record companies and music publishers.
  • Member of case team responsible for securing important wins for website that provided access to a large collection of historic concert recordings in a copyright infringement case brought by the nation’s top music publishers.
  • Represented a multinational toy and board game company and its subsidiary in a putative class action alleging breach of contract, breach of the duty of good faith and fair dealing, and negligence. Obtained dismissal of all claims on a motion to dismiss.
  • Assisted with successfully defending a copyright infringement summary judgment decision in the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit on behalf of a collector of concert memorabilia.
  • Secured favorable settlement on behalf of Texas real estate giant in their claims of direct copyright infringement against competing real estate company.
Honors and Awards
  • Best Lawyers in America: ONES TO WATCH
    Recognized in Communications Law, Entertainment and Sports Law, Intellectual Property Law, and Litigation – Intellectual Property (2021-2024)
  • Super Lawyers: New York Metro Rising Star (2020-2023)
  • Pro Bono Publico Award, Legal Aid Society (2017, 2021)
Professional Activities
  • 2022 Pathfinder in the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity
  • The Copyright Society