Christine Castro’s practice in family law is shaped by her passion and ability to meet people where they are and assist them through some of the most challenging times of their lives. Ms. Castro has skillfully represented her clients through a wide range of family law matters involving divorce, contentious custody and timesharing disputes, complex equitable distribution at all economic strata, including high net-worth individuals, child and spousal support, modifications, and enforcement matters.
Ms. Castro approaches each case with compassion and zealous advocacy to achieve the best outcome possible considering the unique circumstances and dynamics of each family situation. Whether a case needs to proceed to trial, or her client’s goal is an amicable resolution, Ms. Castro’s negotiation prowess and legal acumen make her a fierce advocate. Having personal knowledge of the trauma and long-term effects children experience in high conflict divorce proceedings, Ms. Castro generally believes that reaching an agreement in cases involving children gives the parties the best opportunity to move forward in their lives in a healthy manner, preserve positive parent-child relationships, and cultivate an environment that promotes cooperative coparenting.
Ms. Castro brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to her practice of family law garnered from her years of work, first in real estate financing, then in the federal government in support of U.S. foreign policy, national security, and diplomacy on multiple continents, while raising two children as a military spouse. Her multi-cultural and federal service experience provides her with particular understanding of the unique challenges facing military and foreign service families.
Ms. Castro also has knowledge and experience in the intersection of domestic relations and mental health challenges. She has taken a Master’s-level course in psychopathology and maladaptive behaviors, and has years of experience assisting others with a wide range of behavioral and mental health challenges. She has handled numerous cases requiring psychological evaluations and custody evaluations.
Before focusing her career in family law, Ms. Castro served as a judicial law clerk for judges Richard E. Gardiner and Randy I. Bellows at the Fairfax Circuit Court of Virginia. During her clerkship she reviewed hundreds of divorce and support cases involving spousal support, child support, child custody, complex property division and marital/property settlement agreements. She also wrote and edited many judicial opinions.
Ms. Castro graduated magna cum laude from Hawaii Pacific University with a B.A. in Business Administration in 2003. She received her J.D., with cum laude honors in 2015, along with a certificate in Human Rights and Global Justice Studies, from Florida A&M College of Law. Ms. Castro was admitted to practice law by the District of Columbia Bar in 2016 and the Virginia State Bar in 2022.
Ms. Castro is a member of the Family Law Sections of the District of Columbia Bar; the Virginia State Bar, and the Fairfax Bar Association, as well as the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts, an interdisciplinary and international association of professionals, including judges, attorneys and mental health providers, working to improve the lives of children and families through the resolution of family conflict.
If you would like to schedule a consultation with Christine Castro, please contact our office at (571) 328-5020.
