Francesca C. Castagnola is senior managing director of Western Alliance Bank’s Settlement Services National Specialty Banking Group.

A 30-year banking veteran, Ms. Castagnola was a founding officer of the Bank’s San Diego Division. Her portfolio includes law firms, claims administrators and related legal services companies. She has sizable expertise in simple to complex escrow and fiduciary banking services. Through the Settlement Services Group, Ms. Castagnola focuses on the entire life cycle of large legal settlements, from escrow through distribution and residual balances for class action, mass-tort and bankruptcy cases.

Ms. Castagnola has managed the banking aspects of hundreds of Qualified Settlement Funds since 2003. She has banked settlements in excess of $1B with single fund payment volumes exceeding a million.

Ms. Castagnola attended the University of San Diego. She has published articles including “Transparency and Accountability are Paramount in Class Action”, “The Age of Mega Filings: Four Post-Settlement Considerations for the Care and Safety of Funds” and “Five Things Plaintiffs’ Counsel Should Know about the Settlement-Distribution Process”. Ms. Castagnola is also a frequent speaker on the topic.