DE CASTROVERDE ACCIDENT & INJURY LAWYERS - Key Persons
Aimee Clark Newberry is a medical malpractice attorney and a patient advocate. Her legal practice focuses on medical malpractice and personal injury actions in Nevada and California.
Aimee earned her bachelor's degree from Arizona State University in 2003. She earned her juris doctorate degree from California Western School of Law in 2007.
Aimee is admitted to practice law in all state courts in Nevada and California. She is also admitted to practice in the United States District Courts for the District of Nevada, the Eastern District of California, and the Northern District of California.
In her free time, Aimee enjoys snow skiing, water skiing, vegan cooking, and spending time with her children.
Education
California Western School of Law
Arizona State University
Job Titles:
- Attorney
- Personal Injury Attorney and the Owner
Alex De Castroverde is a Las Vegas personal injury attorney and the owner of De Castroverde Law Group along with his brother, Orlando. Their father, Waldo De Castroverde, was born in Havana, Cuba, and was a paratrooper in the Bay of Pigs invasion.
Waldo moved to Reno, Nevada, in 1978, along with his wife Vivian De Castroverde (also born in Cuba) and their four children. After attending law school at night-while he dealt blackjack during the day-Waldo became one of the first attorneys in Nevada to open a law office with the focus of representing the Hispanic Community.
In 2005, De Castroverde Law Group was formed as a branch of the Law Office of Waldo De Castroverde. The firm has grown from three attorneys to over 20 attorneys and a total team of over 100 employees.
Angel Isaac Garza was admitted to the Texas Bar in 2021; Angel has been practicing exclusively in the area of Immigration Law since his admission. Angel is originally from Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, Mexico - a border town with Laredo, Texas.
Residing in a border town allowed Angel the opportunity to attend school in the United States all while still being raised in his native country of Mexico. Angel attended Texas State University in San Marcos, Texas where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science. After his undergraduate studies, Angel went on to graduate from St. Mary's University School of Law in December 2020 in San Antonio, Texas.
Being an immigrant himself, Angel takes great pride in the work he does and hopes to make the complex immigration process easier for those in need of it. Angel enjoys getting to know each and every client he works with on a personal level to be better able to serve them as if they were his very own family.
Throughout his career, Angel has successfully navigated a range of cases spanning from family-based applications to humanitarian relief before U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
Job Titles:
- Attorney
- Member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association
Attorney Ariadne C. Berríos was born and raised in Puerto Rico. After graduating from high school in Puerto Rico, she attended Loyola University in New Orleans, Louisiana, where in 2005, she graduated with honors and obtained a bachelor's in Business Administration.
That same year, she returned to her native country of Puerto Rico to attend law school, and in 2008 she obtained her Juris Doctor Degree from the Catholic University of Puerto Rico School of Law.
In 2009 Ariadne was admitted before all State Courts within the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Since then, she has been admitted in Washington, D.C.; before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First, Fifth, and Nineth Circuit; the U.S. District Court for the District of Puerto Rico; and before the Supreme Court of the United States of America.
Ariadne is experienced in civil litigation and immigration and nationality law and she has practiced immigration in Puerto Rico, North Carolina, and Nevada. She is experienced in handling complex immigration cases involving family petitions, removal defense, employment petitions, waivers, and appeals before the Board of Immigration Appeals and Circuit Courts.
Ariadne is a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association and has native fluency of both Spanish and English with knowledge of written and conversational French.
Education
Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico - School of Law
Loyola University, New Orleans
Bachelor in Business Administration
Honors and Awards
Graduated Cum Laude from Loyola University
New Orleans in 2005 and made the Deans List Every Year
Born and raised in Puerto Rico, Cristina Santiago obtained her Juris Doctorate from the University of Puerto Rico, School of Law in 2012. She also earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras Campus.
Since 2018, Cristina practices immigration law exclusively. She has experience with complex family and humanitarian-based immigration, including criminal analysis, appeals and deportation defense. Prior to joining De Castroverde Accident & Injury Lawyers, Cristina worked at immigration law firms in Miami, Florida and Dallas, Texas.
She is a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association and is fluent in Spanish and English.
Cristina is now proud to be part of De Castroverde Accident & Injury Lawyers, where she will continue her mission to make a positive impact in the lives of immigrants seeking legal assistance.
Attorney Danielle M. Holt received her bachelor's degree in business administration and graduated cum laude from the University of San Diego in 2010.
She earned her law degree from the William S. Boyd School of Law at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas in 2013. While in law school, Danielle served as the vice president of the Environmental Law Society, and was an active member of the Student Animal Legal Defense Fund Society.
Following law school, Danielle went on to earn a master of laws degree in animal law from Northwestern School of Law at Lewis and Clark College in Portland, Oregon, where she graduated with cum laude honors in 2014.
While there, she served as an associate editor of the Animal Law Review Journal and worked with the master's program in animal law and society at the Autonomous University of Barcelona in Barcelona, Spain.
As an avid animal advocate, Danielle has worked on a number of pro bono cases involving the protection of wild mustangs here in Nevada.
Danielle was admitted to the State Bar of Nevada in 2013, and the United States District Court for the District of Nevada in 2014.
She was also admitted to the State Bar of Arizona in 2020. Danielle has experience in a variety of legal areas including animal law, insurance defense, medical malpractice defense, and personal injury law.
She is also a member of the Nevada Justice Association.
Danielle joined De Castroverde Accident & Injury Lawyers in 2019 where she primarily practices personal injury litigation. She is passionate about helping her clients and giving a voice to those most in need.
In her free time, Danielle enjoys spending time with her husband and animal companions, volunteering as an animal foster parent, and attending hockey games. Go Knights!
Education
William S. Boyd School of Law (J.D.)
Lewis & Clark Law School (LL.M.)
Honors and Awards
2021, 2022 & 2023 Mountain States Super Lawyers Rising Stars
Frank comes to the De Castroverde Accident & Injury Lawyers from the United States Attorney's Violent Crimes and Strike Force Unit. Before that, he spent 25 years as a prosecutor in the Clark County District Attorney's Office, where he rose to Chief of the Homicide Unit.
Frank has prosecuted more than 120 felony jury trials in state and federal courts, argued more than 25 cases before the Nevada Supreme Court, and has extensive experience handling high-profile cases.
Juan De Pedro was admitted to the Colorado Bar and the United States District Court of Colorado in 2007; Juan has been practicing exclusively in the area of Immigration Law since his admission.
Juan is originally from Puerto Rico and moved to Colorado during his youth due to his father's enlistment in the military.
Residing in Colorado afforded Juan the opportunity to attend Colorado State University as a first-generation college student, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology emphasizing in Criminal Justice.
After his undergraduate studies, Juan went on to graduate from the University of Denver College of Law in May 2007, where Juan was an active member of the Latino Law Student Association.
Juan has been qualified as an expert on the immigration consequences of criminal convictions in multiple County Court cases in the State of Colorado.
Furthermore, Juan makes it a point to volunteer his time in the community, which began with legal aid work in New Orleans, Louisiana, after Hurricane Katrina; Juan continues to give back to the community by volunteering at events such as local citizenship drives.
Throughout his career, Juan has successfully navigated cases ranging from athletic visas and family based applications before U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services, to removal defense cases before the Immigration Court.
Education
University of Denver, Sturm College of Law
Colorado State University
Honors and Awards
Chambers and Partners' Band 1 2022 & 2023
Vegas Inc, 2022 Top Lawyers
Job Titles:
- Personal Injury Attorney at De Castroverde Accident
Kegan A. McMullan, Esq. is a personal injury attorney at De Castroverde Accident & Injury Lawyers.
Originally born and raised in Texas, Kegan has called Vegas home since 2013.
Originally born and raised in Texas, Kegan has called Vegas home since 2013.
Kegan obtained his Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Hardin-Simmons
Attorney Kimberly Valentin received her bachelor's degree in psychology and graduated magna cum laude from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas in 2007.
She earned her law degree from the William S. Boyd School of Law at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, where she graduated magna cum laude in the top ten percent of her class in 2011.
While at Boyd, Kimberly was a member of the Nevada Law Journal for two years and a notes editor for the Journal for one year. Kimberly received CALI awards for the top grade in three classes. She joined De Castroverde Accident & Injury Lawyers as a law clerk in 2010 and has been with the firm ever since.
Kimberly was admitted to the Nevada Bar and the United States District Court, District of Nevada in 2011. She primarily practices in the area of personal injury litigation.
Kimberly is a native Spanish-speaker of Colombian descent and represents many Spanish-speaking-only clients.
She feels great satisfaction in helping clients who are not familiar with the American legal system and are in much need of an advocate and counselor through the intense and adversarial litigation process.
At home, she enjoys spending time with her husband and her Doberman Pinscher.
Education
Boyd School of Law
University of Nevada Las Vegas
Honors and Awards
2021 - Nevada Business Magazine's 2021 Legal Elite
2022, 2023 Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch
2021 Latino Lawyers - Lawyers to Watch
Kurtis was born in Iowa and raised in Texas. He spent his formative years in Pocatello, Idaho. He was actively involved in Boy Scouts of America and achieved the highest rank of Eagle Scout.
After high school, Kurtis attended the University of Utah in Salt Lake City where he studied Economics. He received his Bachelor of Science in Economics in 2003.
He spent almost three years as a research assistant for the Bureau of Economic and Business Research at the University of Utah and with a private consulting firm. It was at this point that he felt the best path forward was that of a lawyer.
He attended Syracuse University College of Law in Syracuse, New York. During this time, he was active on campus as an economics tutor and clerked for bankruptcy and personal injury firms. He graduated from Syracuse Law in 2006.
In his time away from work, he enjoys spending time with his family. Kurtis is an avid sports fan. He has also been a coach of youth hockey and soccer.
Michelle Kingsley is a personal injury lawyer at De Castroverde Accident & Injury Lawyers.
A first-generation American, born and raised in the Henderson/Las Vegas area. Michelle attended the University of Nevada, Las Vegas where she earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology, with a minor in History in 2015.
In addition, Michelle served as a judicial extern to the Honorable George Foley, Jr. in the U.S. District Court for the State of Nevada, and to the Honorable Tierra Jones in Nevada's Eighth Judicial District Court.
Michelle First Joined De Castroverde Accident & Injury Lawyers as a law clerk in 2018 while attending law school.
Prior to rejoining the firm as an attorney in 2020, Michelle worked as a judicial law clerk to the Honorable Tierra Jones in the Eighth Judicial District Court, where she worked on a variety of civil and criminal matters.
Michelle was admitted to the Nevada Bar and the United States District Court for the District of Nevada in 2019.
Attorney Miguel A. Morales Ortiz was born and raised in Puerto Rico. He obtained his bachelor's degree in interdisciplinary studies with a major in pre-law in 2012 and his Juris Doctor in 2015 from the University of Puerto Rico.
While pursuing his Juris Doctor, he became interested in immigration law. During this time, he became a member of a pro bono student organization dedicated to educating and providing information to the immigrant community in Puerto Rico.
He also participated in the University of Puerto Rico School of Law Immigration Legal Aid Clinic, in which he represented individuals before the immigration court in removal proceedings
After obtaining his Juris Doctor degree, attorney Miguel Morales Ortiz in the pursue of developing a further understanding of the immigration laws, received a Master of Laws (LL.M.) with a specialization in Immigration Law & Policy at the American University, Washington College of Law in Washington, D.C. in 2017.
While completing his LL.M. he had the opportunity to work as a Dean's Fellow with the National Immigrant Women's Advocacy Project and as an intern at the Department of Justice, Office of Immigration Litigation, District Court Section.
After completing his LL.M. studies, he moved to El Paso, Texas, where he practiced as an immigration attorney before moving to Las Vegas, Nevada.
Attorney Miguel Morales Ortiz is experienced in handling complex immigration matters before immigration agencies and immigration and federal courts.
Attorney Miguel Morales Ortiz has been admitted to practice law in Puerto Rico since August 2016, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas since December 2018, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth and Ninth Circuit since March 2021.
Attorney Miguel Morales Ortiz is fluent in Spanish, English and has basic skills in Portuguese.
Education
University of Puerto Rico School of Law & American University
Washington College of Law
While at Boyd Law, Millie was a member of the Society of Advocates Mock Trial Team where she represented her university nationally in trial competitions and gained special recognition for her opening statements and advocacy skills.
Millie also worked in the Thomas and Mack Legal Clinic where she represented immigration clients, handled appeals, and drafted legislation. Millie is originally from Colorado, where she managed a boutique catastrophic personal injury law firm prior to moving to Las Vegas for law school.
Millie is admitted to the Nevada Bar and the United States District Court, District of Nevada.
Natalie Hagen is an injury attorney at De Castroverde Accident & Injury Lawyers.
Born and raised in Las Vegas, Natalie is a true Vegas native. Natalie attended Northwest Career and Technical Academy. Eventually, Natalie made her way to the University of Portland, where she studied political science and economics.
It was during this time that Natalie received numerous accolades and awards for her performance in national mock trial competitions, and she also interned for the Honorable Judge Diarmuid F. O'Scannlain on the Ninth Circuit of the United States Court of Appeals.
After all this exposure to the legal profession, Natalie decided she wanted to become an attorney.
Natalie attended law school at the University of San Diego School of Law.
She was awarded the Law Faculty Achievement Scholarship in 2017 and RJS Law Scholarship in 2020. Throughout law school, Natalie worked as a law clerk at a small firm based in San Diego, California, that specialized in employment and labor class action lawsuits.
Natalie also volunteered at the San Diego Clean Slate Clinic and provided legal assistance with expungements, early termination of probation, and felony reductions.
She received her Juris Doctor in May of 2020. Upon graduating law school and passing the Nevada Bar, Natalie moved back to Las Vegas to pursue her dream to work as a personal injury attorney.
Natalie is passionate about all forms of Latin dancing, and she speaks fluent Spanish and English. In her free time, she enjoys listening to podcasts, spending time with family and friends, playing with her puppy, and trying new local restaurants in the Las Vegas valley.
Natalie also coaches inter-collegiate mock trial teams and judges at tournaments across the country.
Education
University of San Diego School of Law
Honors and Awards
NTL 2023 Top 40 Under 40 Plaintiff Attorney
2023 Lawyers of Distinction Award
Orlando De Castroverde has more than 20 years of experience practicing in the areas of personal injury and criminal defense.
A partner at De Castroverde Accident & Injury Lawyers, which he founded with his brother Alex in 2005, Orlando is both a skilled trial lawyer and an experienced counselor. He oversees the firm's attorneys and staff, and over the last five years, has helped the firm grow from 3 attorneys to 17, with 110 team members.
Orlando attended Cuesta Junior College and in 1997 received his undergraduate degree from California State-Fullerton. While at Cuesta, Orlando wrestled, and was a Junior College All-American and later a two-time NCAA Division I qualifier at California State-Fullerton.
He received his Juris Doctor from the University of Mississippi in 2000, graduating Magna Cum Laude. At the University of Mississippi, Orlando earned the America Juris Prudence Award in three of his courses. He also obtained the highest MBE score in the state of Nevada for the Nevada State Bar Exam in 2000.
Following law school, Orlando De Castroverde clerked for District Court Judge Lee Gates for approximately a year and a half and then began to work for his father, attorney Waldo De Castroverde (1941-2014).
Within weeks of going to work for his father, Orlando and Waldo tried a seven-count felony case in which the state charged Orlando's client with defrauding the Bellagio for failing to pay back $300,000 in casino markers.
Orlando was tasked with the jury selection, opening statement, and cross-examination of several of the state's key witnesses. After a four-day trial, the jury returned a verdict of not guilty. It was the first not guilty verdict on such a casino marker case in Las Vegas.
Like his older brother, Orlando was inspired to become a lawyer by his father, Waldo (1941-2014).
A Cuban immigrant, Waldo decided to become a lawyer when Orlando was a young man growing up in Reno, NV.
Orlando saw his parents work hard to make Waldo's goal a reality - his mother worked as a dealer in a casino to support the family, and his father worked and attended night school.
After Waldo graduated from law school and started his practice, Orlando and Alex helped out in his office, an experience that inspired both brothers to become lawyers.
Orlando is fluent in Spanish and represents Spanish-speaking clients. He is active in the Southern Nevada community, serving as a member of the Nevada Justice Association's membership committee and as a Guardian of Justice.
Orlando is also on the Board of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Department Foundation where he helps the Foundation raise money to support LVMPD and the Las Vegas community.
Education
University of Mississippi
Honors and Awards
Graduated Magna Cum Laude
America Juris Prudence Award in Three of h Courses
Highest MBE score in the state of Nevada for the Nevada State Bar Exam in 2000
Job Titles:
- District Court Judge in the Eighth Judicial District Court, Where He Managed a Busy Civil Docket
Richard Scotti, District Court Judge in the Eighth Judicial District Court, where he managed a busy civil docket.
Job Titles:
- Attorney
- Member of the Nevada Latino Bar Association
Ryan Samano is a personal injury attorney at De Castroverde Accident & Injury Lawyers.
Prior to being admitted to the Nevada Bar in 2021, Ryan worked for the De Castroverde Accident & Injury Lawyers since the age of 16.
Always knowing that he wanted to be an attorney, Ryan has learned the ins and outs of legal practice from a young age.
In 2018, he earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science with a minor in Spanish for the Professions from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
Thereafter, he earned his law degree from the William S. Boyd School of Law at UNLV in 2021.
During law school, Ryan was the president of La Voz, the Hispanic/Latinx Law Student Organization. There he worked to increase the standing of Hispanics and Latinos in legal professions.
He oversaw programs and created scholarships to help many students gain access to legal education. For his contributions to the law school and legal community, Ryan graduated with the William S. Boyd School of Law Dean's Award.
Ryan is currently a member of the Nevada Latino Bar Association and a member of the Hispanic National Bar Association.
Ryan is a first-generation Latino and life-long Las Vegas native. He is fluent in Spanish and an avid runner.
Education
University of Nevada Las Vegas
Honors and Awards
Dean's Award 2021
Attorney Vanessa Ruiz was born and raised in Texas. She attended Baylor University as a first-generation college student where she received her Bachelor of Arts in Professional Writing with a minor in Forensic Science.
She then attended Texas A&M University School of Law in Fort Worth where she received her Juris Doctor and was admitted to the State Bar of Texas in 2016. She has been practicing solely in the field of immigration since her admission.
Vanessa grew up in El Paso, Texas, a prominent Hispanic community just minutes from the Mexican border, where she became keen to the immigration issues surrounding her hometown. Vanessa aspired to attend law school and one day become a zealous advocate for the members of her community.
During her time in college and law school Vanessa helped spearhead an organization designed to recruit minority students to the university in order to increase diversity and promote cultural acceptance; frequently advocated for the rights of Spanish-speaking crime victims and witnesses at various District Attorney offices; and sought to prevent injustices by working with the Innocence Project where she reviewed cases of convicted persons who claimed they were wrongfully imprisoned.
Over the years Vanessa has passionately represented thousands of clients in their family-based immigration matters before U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, as well as before the immigration court and the Board of Immigration Appeals.
She is experienced in complex immigration matters and is fluent in both English and Spanish.
Education
Baylor University & Texas A&M University School of Law
Waldo De Castroverde (1941-2014) was born and raised in Cuba. After finishing high school, he attended college in Cuba for a few months before moving to the United States in 1960. In the U.S., Waldo enrolled in the military, and was one of 1,400 Cuban exiles selected for the U.S. government's planned invasion at the Bay of Pigs, with the goal of overthrowing Fidel Castro and establishing a non-communist government friendly to the United States.
Waldo served as a paratrooper and was captured during the Bay of Pigs invasion. On two occasions, he was part of a group of captured soldiers selected by Fidel Castro to go to the U.S. with the goal of negotiating a ransom agreement with the Kennedy administration that would free all of the captured soldiers.
Negotiations failed, and Waldo was sentenced to a 30-year prison term in Cuba. Waldo spent a total of 20 months in prison before being released on Dec. 24, 1962, after successful negotiations between Castro and U.S. Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy.
Following his release, Waldo returned to the U.S. and moved to Los Angeles, where he got married. He attended L.A. City College before graduating from Mount Saint Mary's College in Los Angeles in 1970. Following his graduation, Waldo moved his family to Miami, where he worked as a teacher and sold insurance for seven years. In 1977, he moved to Reno, NV, where he worked in casinos while attending law school at night.
After graduating from law school, Orlando joined Waldo's practice. Eventually, in January 2005, Alex and Orlando founded De Castroverde Accident & Injury Lawyers and Waldo joined the firm in an "of counsel" capacity. Waldo practices in the areas of Las Vegas criminal defense and immigration.
Waldo was fluent in Spanish and represented Spanish-speaking clients. He wrote two Spanish-language books, "Que La Patria Se Sienta Orgullosa: Memorias De Una Lucha sin Fin," and "El Circulo De La Muerte."
He was active in the Southern Nevada community as a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association, and in Miami as a member of the Association of Bay of Pigs Veterans.