Winston & Strawn LLP

International Arbitration/Commercial Litigation & Disputes

Former chair of Winston’s International Arbitration Practice, Ricardo applies his multilingual capabilities to advise clients in international arbitrations and lawsuits filed across the world, including in the U.S., Asia, Latin America, the Middle East, and Europe.

Ricardo has nearly 30 years of litigation and international arbitration experience. His practice is focused on high-stakes international commercial arbitration as well as investment treaty arbitration for clients in a wide variety of industries, including oil and gas, renewable energy, mining/metals, telecommunications, pharmaceutical, and transportation. Ricardo is a fluent Spanish speaker and conversant in French and Italian.

Ricardo has a global disputes practice, having spent a significant portion of his career working in Winston’s European offices in Geneva and London. Ricardo is currently based in the firm’s Chicago office. During the course of his practice, Ricardo has represented clients in disputes filed in the United States, Asia, Latin America, the Middle East, and numerous jurisdictions in Europe (including England, France, The Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland). Clients recognize Ricardo as a “superb” “standout partner” that “leads the firm’s [International Arbitration] group in a very astute way.” “His ability to handle a wide array of arbitration matters is what sets him apart.”

He has tried high-profile arbitrations, some with stakes well in excess of US$1B, and has appeared as counsel in UNCITRAL, ICC, ICSID, AAA-ICDR, and SCC arbitrations. He has represented clients in several areas of law, such as contract and commercial law, fraud, product liability, insurance coverage, and issues of criminal law that arise in civil disputes, as well as international law.

In light of his investment treaty experience, Ricardo was elected to serve on the ICC’s Task Force on Investor-State Arbitrations.

Ricardo is regularly recognized in the field of international arbitration by various publications. Most recently, he is ranked in Chambers USA, Chambers Global and The Legal 500 US for International Arbitration. He is recognized for his work in Arbitration in the 2024 edition of Latin Lawyer 250 and Lawdragon’s “500 Leading Global Litigators” guide for International Arbitration & Litigation. He has been recognized in The Best Lawyers in America©for International Arbitration since 2012 and was honored as “Lawyer of the Year in International Arbitration” in Chicago in 2019, 2022, and 2024. Ricardo was ranked by Who’s Who Legal: Arbitration (2022–2024) and Lexology Index: Arbitration in 2025 for International Arbitration. The Legal 500 US praised him in its 2020 edition as “extremely hard working and always effective.” The Legal 500 Latin America – International Firms recognized him for International Arbitration in 2022 and 2024. Ricardo was listed under “Most Influential Minority Lawyers in Chicago” by Crain’s Custom Media and included on the National Law Journal’s ADR Champions list in 2017.

In addition, he served as lead counsel in an international arbitration that was recognized as one of the “Biggest Defense Wins, 2011–2013” by The American Lawyer.

English, Spanish, French, Italian

Admissions

Ricardo received a B.A., with general and special honors, from the University of Chicago in 1990 and a J.D. from Northwestern University School of Law in 1993.