direct: 410.469.9026
Celestina joined the legal community to fight for individuals and families harmed by powerful entities such as healthcare associations, nursing homes, and jails. Her emerging practice primarily concentrates on medical negligence and other tort matters.
Celestina received her JD from the University of Illinois College of Law, her MASc from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, and her BA from Loyola University of Chicago. During law school, Celestina had the opportunity to work for the Illinois Attorney General and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. She was also the Managing Editor of The Elder Law Journal and won various awards for her participation in the school's trial team. Before law school, Celestina worked as a paralegal at a plaintiff's firm in Boston, Massachusetts, focusing on medical negligence, catastrophic injury, civil rights, and employment litigation.
Celestina believes that helping the community is an essential component of being a legal advocate. During the Covid-19 pandemic, Celestina spearheaded a fundraiser raising thousands of dollars for Champaign County's United Way Covid-19 Relief Fund. She also represented clients in their disability claims at the Land of Lincoln Legal Aid's Medical-Legal Partnership and participated in expungement clinics.
Education
Undergraduate: Loyola University of Chicago, summa cum laude, 2016
Law School: University of Illinois College of Law, summa cum laude, 2022
Graduate: Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, summa cum laude, 2023
Professional and Community Affiliations
Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity, 2019 – Present
Maryland State Bar Association, 2022 – Present
LGBTQ Bar Association of Maryland, 2023 – Present
American Association for Justice (AAJ), 2023 – Present
Maryland Association for Justice (MAJ), 2023 – Present
Awards
Paul M. Lisnek Award for Excellence and Ethics in Trial Advocacy
Rickert Award for Excellence in Advocacy
Rickert Award for Excellence in Legal Writing
Publications
Throwing in the Towel (Literally): The Risks of Aging Surgeons and Why Individualized Medical Testing is the Best Solution, 29 Elder L.J. 463-508 (2022)
Reconceptualizing the International Health Regulations in the Wake of COVID-19: An Analysis of Formal Dispute Settlement Mechanisms and Global Health Diplomacy, 21 Yale J. Health Pol'y L. & Ethics 90-151 (2022).
Physician Discipline and the Social Determinants of Health in Louisiana, 26 Quinnipiac Health L. J. 129 (2023).