Angel Antonio Castro III

Angel Castro, Esq. currently acts as a private academic advisor and counselor, providing effective consulting and/or counseling related to academic progression advocacy, grade appeals, and professional student disciplinary action; as well as, protecting students' due process rights throughout administrative proceedings at Universities and other Professional Institutions across the United States and Internationally.

Mr. Castro has represented clients in the Courts of New York State and Federal Courts in both the trial courts and on appeal as the owner of a boutique complex litigation and appeals general practice serving all of New York State and clients abroad. Mr. Castro is now dedicating 100% of his time to Youth Development programs focused on advocacy and promoting social justice, as well as consulting students and professionals facing disputes with their respective institutions or when opposing serious allegations of misconduct and ethics or academic integrity violations. As an adviser, Mr. Castro can help students and professionals navigate procedural hurdles; protect due process interests; make convincing arguments based on facts and/or applicable laws or opinions; and gather appropriate evidence to support those arguments.

Mr. Castro is very passionate about social justice and access to justice issues with a focus on uniting all people towards the ends of bettering society and criminal justice reform to dismantle disproportionate effects and eliminate recidivism in juvenile offenders. Mr. Castro is still available to take on very select Post Conviction Criminal Defense matters including: NYS 440 motions, Federal Appeals, 2255 Habeas Petitions and motions for compassionate release or to reduce excessive sentences.

As a criminal defense attorney, Mr. Castro has represented clients facing serious felony charges, including but not limited to Felony Rape, Narcotics, and Conspiracy charges. Beyond negotiating favorable plea bargains and taking matters to trial, Mr. Castro has also represented clients in post-conviction case asserting actual innocence claims, 440 motions, and consulting clients seeking to appeal convictions after trial. This experience has proven invaluable when Mr. Castro consults students and professionals facing ethics, code of conduct violations, academic dishonesty allegations or when facing Title IX charges.

As an employment attorney, Mr. Castro has represented small (1-10 employee) and large (500+ employees) businesses in creating effective agreements, consulting on employee disputes, and defending against enforcement of government regulations. On the other hand, Mr. Castro has also represented employees in bringing claims for discrimination, sexual harassment, and hostile work environments. This experience has proven invaluable when Mr. Castro consults students on discrimination claims related to Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964; Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (20 U.S.C. §§ 1681-1688), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act (29 U.S.C. §794), the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (20 U.S.C. § 1232); and/or the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008.

As an appellate attorney, practicing before the New State Court of Appeals, Supreme Court Appellate Division Departments; the United States Court of Appeals of the Second Circuit, and administrative proceedings, Mr. Castro has had to interpret the procedural requirements in different venues; researching and briefing arguments surrounding employment law, contract, and civil rights issues; and orally arguing points of law and/or fact before panels of judges or administrative committees. This experience has proven invaluable when Mr. Castro consults students and professionals on administrative procedures of various institutions, protecting their due process rights, and assisting them in navigating appeals processes.

As an education lawyer, Mr. Castro has represented students of all ages (Special Ed., General Ed. and Higher Ed.) including in matters in the NYS and Federal Courts, as well as administrative matters surrounding educational placement, related services, accommodations, discrimination, grade appeals, discipline/suspension/expulsion, and other cases related to education institutions, discipline, or grievance procedures. This experience has enabled Mr. Castro to effectively advise students and professionals in disputes that go beyond administrative proceedings and appeals to local state and federal courts.