Anne O’Connell Zavelo
Founder
University College Cork, National University of Ireland, Law Degree; New York University, MPhil in Philosophy; New School for Social Research, graduate program in Philosophy; New York University, Executive Coaching Certification.
Anne is the architect of several defining publications on workers’ compensation, including ‘Communities of Interest’, a guide to compensability in cases of natural disaster and terrorism and ‘Representing the Carrier’ in Workers’ Compensation Law & Practice in New York, an NYSBA publication.
Anne began her career as an Assistant Corporation Counsel with New York City Law Department’s Workers’ Compensation Division from where she went into private practice, ultimately becoming Managing Partner at an insurance defense firm.
In 2012, with O’Connell Zavelo, Anne set about bringing her broad analytical and practical skills – and plain intellectual firepower – directly to the service of employers and carriers by creating a nimbler defense practice free from the constraints of the traditional defense firm model, allowing us to get to know our clients and their businesses in a way that better positions O’Connell Zavelo to assess whether the best legal solution is also the best business solution. Over the last decade, this model has enabled O’Connell Zavelo to maintain a uniquely intensive protocol and team approach on all matters, guided by the principle that notwithstanding the results, our clients’ success is measurable by their bottom line.
Angela de Castro
Counsel
Angela de Castro’s practice includes counseling, appellate work and litigation. Angela has been involved in workers’ compensation defense since her college years when she worked in administration at Anne’s former firm. A graduate of City University of New York (CUNY) School of Law and CUNY Hunter College, Angela’s skills as a litigator and appellate lawyer are helped in no small part by the skills she developed working for Bronx Legal Services upon graduation from law school and currently, in her own immigration practice, representing clients before U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, and in Immigration Courts in New York and Los Angeles, in cases ranging from adjustment of status, naturalization to humanitarian relief for refugees and victims of trafficking, domestic violence and other crimes.
Melanie Baumholtz Barry
Counsel
Melanie Baumholtz Barry’s practice includes dispute resolution and litigation. Melanie has extensive experience in the inter-related fields of workers’ compensation defense, No Fault and Personal Injury. A graduate of Brooklyn Law School and SUNY Stony Brook, Melanie began her career as an Assistant Corporation Counsel, New York City Law Department in the General Litigation Division where she handled Article 78 and 1983 proceedings. Melanie then served as a trial attorney in Family Court prosecuting juvenile offenses, and later transferred to an Assistant Corporation Counsel role with New York City Law Department in the Workers’ Compensation Division where she defended New York City in workers’ compensation claims. Prior to law school, Melanie was a claims’ adjuster at All State Insurance Company handling property damage and personal injury claims.