Ms. McCathen is also deeply committed to immigrant rights, criminal justice reform, and post-conviction advocacy. She volunteers with local organizations, nonprofits, and universities to advance civil rights for incarcerated and formerly incarcerated individuals. Before joining The Spiggle Law Firm, Ms. McCathen founded her own low-bono law firm, where she provides financially accessible representation in immigration proceedings and for detained people. Ms. McCathen earned her Juris Doctorate from American University Washington College of Law. While there, she served as a Dean's Fellow, Legal Assistant, and Student Attorney in the Decarceration and Re-Entry Clinic, representing incarcerated people before the Maryland Parole Commission and in state courts requesting sentence modifications under the Juvenile Restoration Act. Ms. McCathen was also a Senior Staffer on the International Law Journal, and at graduation, she received the Professor Andrew E. Taslitz Award for her outstanding work in criminal justice.
Prior to law school, Ms. McCathen worked for the National Human Trafficking Hotline, the Fairfax County Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court Clerk's Office and Supervised Visitation and Exchange Program. Ms. McCathen's diverse experience uniquely enables her to develop effective strategies that protect her clients' rights and achieve results. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Government and International Relations from George Mason University, with a minor in Legal Studies and a Concentration in American Politics. In her free time, Ms. McCathen enjoys doing DIY renovation projects around her house and enjoying time with friends and her senior rescue pup.