Michael Cafarelli

Michael has nearly two decades of experience building businesses and advising entrepreneurs, artists, nonprofit leaders, family businesses, and campaign leaders.

He co-founded a hospitality and entertainment company and has helped open a dozen venues across North America. He's developed and produced thousands of live shows and television episodes earning 27 regional Emmy nominations, and four wins. Michael has negotiated restaurant leases, television distribution deals, managed contractor and investor disputes, and owned P&Ls. When a client describes a business problem, Michael has usually lived some version of it.

He began his legal career at Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, working on corporate governance and financings, film fund and flow-of-funds structures, co-production and co-distribution deals, commercial leases, and platform terms and privacy. Today he practices with a boutique entertainment and intellectual property firm on a range of commercial matters from artist and producer agreements, to trademark and copyright enforcement, publishing and royalty disputes, and the range of fractional general counsel matters.

Michael is also a trained mediator, through Loyola Law School's Center for Conflict Resolution and California Lawyers for the Arts, with fifteen years of nonprofit and youth leadership behind it at the YMCA, the SeriousFun Children’s Network, and the Hole in the Wall Gang Camp, plus an MS in Nonprofit Management.

Founders, artists, restaurateurs, families, and small business owners who want a lawyer who reads the people, the deal, and the P&L should get in touch.