Vanessa Castello

Overview

Ms. Castello focuses her practice on labor and employment law, fidelity and crime matters, and intellectual property disputes. She represents employers in a broad range of matters alleging wage and hour violations, discrimination, and wrongful termination. Vanessa provides counsel to employers and management to assist in mitigating potential liability and navigating complex employment issues, before State & Federal Courts, the United States Equal Opportunity Commission, the New York State Division of Human Rights, the New York City Commission on Human Rights, and other local entities.

Ms. Castello defends accounting firms and accountants on behalf of their insurance carriers in tax matter claims including alleged unreported taxable income. Additionally, Ms. Castello handles fidelity and commercial crime claims, utilizing her prior experience from working with the New York City District Attorney’s office. She investigates losses ranging funds theft in non-profit organizations to allegations of self-dealing against multinational corporations and financial institutions. 

Prior to joining Kaufman Dolowich, Ms. Castello was an Assistant District Attorney in Manhattan, NY, where she worked in criminal law. She presented matters to grand juries, conducted hearings and trials, managed investigations, and drafted search warrants. Her experience included all matters of preparation for cases including making charging decisions, negotiating pleas, and interviewing law enforcement officials.

During law school, Ms. Castello served as a legal intern at Kings County District Attorney’s Office on criminal matters, and at the Waterfront Commission of New York where she worked on matters related to port corporations and worker violations. Ms. Castello received the Archibald Murray Public Service Award, and was liaison chair of the Latin American Law Students Association, and Vice President of Internal Affairs for the New York City Metro Latin American Law Students Association.