Professor Castagna would often impart unexpected fragments of wisdom. Though very accomplished, he was not a boastful man. In the face of self-doubt and discouragement, Professor Castagna pushed students to believe we were capable of achieving any task or goal that we set our minds to. Professor Castagna was the biggest supporter for every student on the team. He was always available to debrief with students and provide insight on moments where we excelled in our litigation strategies and analyze areas that needed improvement.
He traveled with the mock trial team to cities across the East Coast and sat in on every tournament. Regardless of the weather or the circumstances, Professor Castagna could always be relied upon to show up to mock trial practice to work with students on litigation techniques for hours until we felt comfortable. He went out of his way to make students feel safe and accepted as he held our hands and introduced us to the U.S. He gave of himself constantly to support the award-winning Pace University Law Society / Mock Trial Team, for which he served as the Founder, Faculty Advisor, and Coach. He was willing to do anything to help his students succeed. Professor Castagna was a selfless educator. He was friendly to every person he encountered and went out of his way to make students feel seen, heard, understood, important, and capable of achieving their goals. He loved his family and exuded pride while telling stories about his nieces and nephew. He could always be counted on for a good laugh or reassuring smile. He was the first person to cheer you up when you were down or cheer you on when you were succeeding. In remembering his life, we want to recognize the incredible impact that Professor Castagna has had on so many students throughout his twenty-five years as a Clinical Associate Professor at Pace University and fifteen years as the Founder and Faculty Advisor for the Pace University Law Society / Mock Trial Team. Professor James Castagna’s current and former students are sad to announce that he passed away last weekend.
Professor James Castagna is Remembered by His Students