Biography
Cynthia Castillo represents clients in a wide range of complex litigation matters, including contract disputes, fraud and tort litigation, and consumer class actions. She has experience with all phases of litigation, including achieving early resolutions of disputes through pre-litigation negotiations, drafting dispositive motions, managing complex e-discovery, and representing clients at trial. Cynthia is the co-chair of Farella’s Cannabis Litigation Initiative, and she has experience in representing clients in disputes relating to the cannabis industry.
Her experience includes:
- Successfully defending a private equity management firm at trial in an employment and breach of contract suit brought by one of its former officers;
- Representing a cannabis technology company in a putative Telephone Consumer Protection Act class action;
- Representing a major technology company in a consumer class action;
- Representing a private equity firm in a fraud case;
- Defending a major energy company in a fraud action, in which the court granted the company’s motion to compel arbitration; and
- Representing a major cancer services provider and its affiliates in their Chapter 11 bankruptcy cases, which included obtaining a favorable settlement related to potential liability for a consumer data breach.
Cynthia maintains an active pro bono practice, which has included assisting a victim of domestic violence from Honduras to obtain asylum in the United States.
Cynthia served as a law clerk for the Honorable Philip Martinez of the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas. Before attending law school, she taught 4th and 6th grade with Teach for America.
Distinctions
- Best Lawyers in America: Ones to Watch, Commercial Litigation (2024)
Memberships and Affiliations
- Member, Executive Committee, Litigation Section, Barristers Club of the Bar Association of San Francisco
- Member, Edward J. McFetridge American Inn of Court (2021)
- Board of Directors, San Francisco La Raza Lawyers Association; co-chair Latina Committee, which serves as a network for Latina lawyers practicing in the Bay Area.