Washington Lawyer - September/October 2024 - 35

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT
ñeda says it was her mother's first time seeing
the ocean. " They were very impressed. How
could you not love something like that? It was
a dream for me. "
FRESH START, NEW CHALLENGES
In 2017 Castañeda met Stephen Murga Jones,
an American citizen born in Spain who was
deployed to Colombia as part of his military
service. Murga's initial deployment was just a
couple months long, but he sought multiple
extensions, and the couple's relationship grew
more serious. They discussed the possibility of
relocating to the United States, though Castañeda
knew that this would effectively require
that she start her career all over again and learn
English. (Murga's first language is Spanish, so
the couple mostly communicated in their
mother tongue.)
When Murga's deployment to Colombia ended,
Castañeda applied for a student visa to come
to the United States and study English. While
waiting for the visa to be processed, which
took more than a year, the couple married in
Denmark during a European trip.
Castañeda entered the United States on a student
visa in 2019, and a year later she enrolled
in the LLM program at George Mason University
Antonin Scalia Law School, tackling both language
and legal study at the same time.
Castañeda understood that LLM programs have
relatively low bar passage rates, so she took
courses that would put her alongside the
school's JD students, a decision that presented
some significant challenges. Professors and
peers often spoke quickly, and Castañeda found
herself struggling to navigate the language barrier.
The stakes were, once again, very high.
" She went to school on the G.I. Bill, " Murga says.
" I was putting all my trust in her. The risk of failing
a civil procedure class wasn't an F; it was
risking having to pay back thousands of dollars
to Veterans Affairs and losing a visa and returning
to Colombia. "
Castañeda traveled to Colombia in 2021 to process
her marriage-based resident visa, reuniting
with Murga some months later and resuming
her studies. Though she faced obstacles, Castañeda
found that she had advantages as an attorney
with several years of practice under her
belt.
" Even though I didn't always understand the
words, I understood the concepts, " she says.
Although Colombia employs civil law, as opposed
to the common law system in the United
States, Castañeda found that there were
many conceptual, philosophical, and procedural
similarities.
" I litigated in Colombia, so I understood what
the rules of civil procedure were for, " she says.
She was quick to grasp the material and, studying
alongside law students, her English skills
improved rapidly.
Following graduation, Castañeda spent nearly
six months studying for the bar, which she
passed on her first attempt in February 2022.
I was always quoting
the Constitution when
someone came to me with some
injustice. Since forever, I have
known that I was going to be an
attorney, even though no one in
my family had higher education.
RELATIONSHIP BUILDER
Passing the bar was an enormous accomplishment,
but Castañeda understood that employers
wouldn't be interested in her experience
as an attorney overseas. A license was just the
first step in resuming the career she started in
Colombia.
Castañeda worked briefly in family law before
taking a position as senior contract leader at
Park Hotels & Resorts. Although she wasn't legal
counsel for the company, the job put her in
contact with the legal documents and issues
associated with the hospitality industry. In the
years prior, she had dreamed of working for a
major hotelier like Marriott or Hilton, so the
move felt like progress.
In 2023 Castañeda secured a position as vice
president and corporate counsel for Marriott
International, representing the company in
its Caribbean and Latin American holdings.
Castañeda's understanding of the cultural
norms in the region helps her navigate the inevitable
disputes that arise in the management
of a complex multinational business.
" In Latin America, everything's a conflict, " she
says. " You need to show people you are willing
to fight. Sometimes people fight without any
meaning . . . just to do it. It's an important thing
to understand about working in the region. It
isn't just about money; it's about pride and other
things that shouldn't be part of a negotiation,
but it is. It's how the culture works. "
Given her experiences, Castañeda says she
prefers being in-house counsel. " In Colombia
I worked at a firm. I didn't like the dynamic.
You don't have a relationship with the client
like you have when you are in-house. You don't
know the business from the inside, so you don't
have the relationships with the departments,
administrators, or directors, " she says. " So, they
treat you like you are not a person; you are a
service. When you are in-house you are part of
the team. You interact with the different disciplines.
I learn much more from my in-house
experience than I did in a firm. "
Because of her background, Castañeda is also
involved in the operations side of the company.
" When the hotel has a problem or needs to
make an amendment, I talk to the owner or
franchisee. The developers and managers want
me to help them, " she says.
Castañeda's winding career path has made her
uniquely qualified for her work, able to grasp
the intricate network of relationships and dependencies
that are implicated in the operation
of a multinational hospitality company.
" I understand the business, " she says. " When
I read a contract, it's like reading a gossip magazine.
I'm just eager to read more because
I want to know why they are building so many
rooms, or what's happening with the pool, why
they changed the opening day, or the kinds
of problems they have with guests. "
" As a Latina, I love gossip, and in my position
it comes to me, " Castañeda adds.
Reach D.C. Bar staff writer Jeremy Conrad at
jconrad@dcbar.org.
Know an outstanding D.C. Bar member you'd
like us to profile in an upcoming issue? Pitch
us at editorial@dcbar.org.
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2024 * WASHINGTON LAWYER 35
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2024

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