Isela Castaneda

Isela Castaneda received her law degree, JD, from the University of California, Berkeley School of Law (Boalt Hall) in 2002 and her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of California, Los Angeles (U.C.L.A.) in 1995.

After graduating from U.C. Berkeley School of Law (Boalt Hall), Ms. Castaneda clerked for the Honorable David Briones of the U.S. District Court, Western District of Texas for 2 years.

Ms. Castaneda's focus is immigration law.  She has experience in family based immigration, naturalization applications, hardship and criminal waivers, consular processing, asylum and representing victims of abuse. Ms. Castaneda has represented clients in removal proceedings before the Immigration Court and the Board of Immigration Appeals. Ms. Castaneda is a volunteer attorney with the International Institute of the Bay Area.

Prior to her immigration practice, Ms. Castaneda worked for 6 years for major international law firms, including DLA Piper LLP and Holme Roberts & Owen LLP (aka Bryan Cave HRO), as a member of their Commercial Litigation and Media Law practice groups. Her practice with these firms focused on complex commercial litigation, media law and intellectual property. Her commercial litigation experience includes participating at various stages of litigation, including initial and responsive pleadings, discovery, law and motion practice, and negotiation and settlement, and appeared on behalf of clients in both federal and state courts. Her experience also includes matters before the Trademark Trial and Appeals Board, and WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center proceedings.