Judge Lopez-Castro was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, to two Cuban parents and is the youngest of four children. “My parents were very happy in Puerto Rico, but we moved to Miami in 1972 because my father had a job opportunity,” said Judge Lopez-Castro. “I was seven years old when we arrived in Miami and spoke no English whatsoever; I remember when I was in the 2nd grade, my sister and I did not say a word for almost two months!”
For her undergraduate studies, Judge Lopez-Castro attended Brown University and received a degree in Business Economics. “I loved math and any subject dealing with numbers,” said Judge Lopez-Castro. While at Brown, she realized she wanted to be a lawyer. “I took a products liability class in the Engineering Department, and I participated in a mock trial at the end of the semester; I really enjoyed it and thought it was great fun.”
After graduating from Brown University, Judge Lopez-Castro decided to attend the University of Miami School of Law. “I loved Miami and always knew I would return to live here. I knew UM had a great program, so it made sense for me to come back home.”
When asked about her time at the University of Miami, Judge Lopez-Castro said, “I had the best time at UM, and I met some of my best friends there. It was a very positive experience.” Some of her favorite memories during law school included: Evidence with Professor Michael Graham; Civil Procedure with Professor M. Minette Massey – whom Judge Lopez-Castro described as “masterful”; and the Litigation Skills program, which she “enjoyed immensely.”
Judge Lopez-Castro graduated cum laude in 1990 and was an Articles and Comments editor for the Inter-American Law Review. In 2021 she was presented with the Lawyer of the Americas Award by the Inter-American Law Review for her outstanding and exemplary service in the field of international law.
In 1990, Judge Lopez-Castro joined Kozyak Tropin & Throckmorton, where she would spend most of her career – interrupted only by a brief relocation to Hahn Loeser & Parks LLP in Cleveland, Ohio, from 1995-1997. KT&T had a strong reputation for bankruptcy. When Judge Lopez-Castro joined, she was advised that half of her work would be handling commercial litigation matters and the other half bankruptcy matters.
Soon after, Judge Lopez-Castro was able to concentrate most of her practice on bankruptcy and insolvency matters, including bankruptcy reorganizations and liquidations under the United States Bankruptcy Code, receiverships, workouts, debt restructuring, and creditors’ rights. “My career in bankruptcy, as most things in life, happened by luck,” she said. “A senior associate relocated to Tennessee, which opened the door for me to practice bankruptcy almost full-time. I loved it because I was in court all the time.”
Judge Lopez-Castro had a successful career at KT&T that spanned over 30 years, serving as managing partner on three occasions. Her work in bankruptcy matters has earned her a Martindale-Hubbell AV rating and multiple recognitions in Chambers USA and Florida Trend’s Legal Elite. In 2011, she was also presented with the Kathryn R. Heidt Memorial Award by the ABA Business Law Section’s Business Bankruptcy Committee for her service in the ABA and dedication to the bankruptcy profession.
Throughout her career, Judge Lopez-Castro has been a leader in her community and her field. In 2006, she served as the Cuban American Bar Association’s President – only the second woman to hold the position. That same year she received the first Alumni Leadership Award presented to her by the University of Miami Law Alumni Association. She has also been very involved in the ABA Business Law Section’s Business Bankruptcy Committee, serving as Chair of numerous subcommittees and Chair of the Florida Bar Business Law Section’s Bankruptcy/UCC Committee.
One of her proudest moments was being inducted into the American College of Bankruptcy in 2014. Fellows are invited to join based on a proven record of the highest standards of expertise, leadership, integrity, professionalism, scholarship, and service to the bankruptcy and insolvency practice and their communities. “It was special for me because it is perhaps the highest honor you can receive as a bankruptcy practitioner,” said Judge Lopez-Castro.
Judge Lopez-Castro shared her thoughts about her historic appointment to the bankruptcy bench. “It is a little surprising that I would be the first Hispanic because Hispanics make up a very large percentage of those who file for bankruptcy. I have observed that when people appear before me, they hear my last name or my accent, and I might not be who they expected the judge to be. But I think they feel some level of comfort that there is a Hispanic who will be hearing their case. All who appear before me will be treated with respect and dignity.”
