James Carroll, President & CEO of Crestline Hotels & Resorts, LLC (Crestline), today announced the appointment of Mónica León Bernstein as Senior Vice President & General Counsel. Ms. Bernstein joins Crestline from Interstate Hotels & Resorts where she was Senior Vice President, Assistant General Counsel. Ms. Bernstein will report directly to James Carroll and succeeds Pierre Donahue who is retiring from Crestline after 13 years of service as the Company’s Executive Vice President & General Counsel.
“Monica’s extensive experience in negotiating hotel management and franchise agreements, and her experience protecting the owner and manager’s rights under these agreements provides a perfect fit for Crestline’s growing business,” said Carroll. “Moreover, Monica’s expertise with investment agreements will help us with our aggressive plans to grow the company by deploying $300M in the U.S. hospitality sector.” Carroll added, “We will certainly miss Pierre, who has been an integral part of our Company’s successful growth and we wish him all the best in his well-deserved retirement. Pierre was instrumental in the selection of Mónica and shares our confidence in her exceptional capabilities.”
Ms. Bernstein’s impressive resume includes six years with Interstate Hotels, first as Corporate Counsel and then Senior Vice President, Assistant General Counsel. Prior to that, she was an Associate with Williams & Connolly LLP, in Washington, D.C., where she represented clients in matters involving complex commercial litigation, contract law, securities law, the False Claims Act, and general torts, with a focus on international disputes. She clerked for The United States District Court, The Honorable Chief Judge Federico A. Moreno, Miami, FL, and she was a research assistant for the Institute for Cuban and Cuban-American Studies, the University of Miami.
Ms. Bernstein earned a Juris Doctor from The George Washington University Law School, Washington D.C, where she was recognized with several accolades including being named a George Washington Scholar, a member of the George Washington Law Review, as well as a Writing Fellow and Dean’s Fellow. She earned a B.A. in Economics and Spanish Studies from Duke University, Durham, NC. Ms. Bernstein is a member of the Bar in Florida and the District of Columbia. She is fluent in both English and Spanish.