Justin D. Santagata is a partner and a member of the firm’s Commercial Litigation Practice Group. He is based in the firm’s Atlantic City office.
Justin came to Cooper Levenson from a North Jersey firm, where he tried more than 30 cases in state and federal court, administrative tribunals, and arbitration.
He has had 11 of 16 successful reversals as an appellant.
He is admitted to practice in:
Justin is a graduate of George Washington University with a Bachelor of Arts, Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law, Washington, D.C. with a Juris Doctor, and Benjamin Cardozo School of Law, New York, New York, with a Magister/Masters of Law, Litigation and Dispute Resolution.
Justin has argued 25 appeals at the Third Circuit (5), Second Circuit (1), and New Jersey Appellate Division (19), with five published opinions.
He was the successful lead counsel or first-chair in plaintiff-side litigation under Title VII, 42 U.S.C. 1983, New Jersey Law Against Discrimination, New Jersey Civil Rights Act, Fair Labor Standards Act, New Jersey Wage and Hour Act, New Jersey Racketeering and Corrupt Organizations Act, New Jersey, Consumer Fraud Act, New Jersey Conscientious Employee Protection Act, New York Human Rights Act, Federal Equal Pay Act, New Jersey Family Medical Leave Act, and Federal Family Medical Leave Act totaling nearly $3,000,000.
Justin has successfully prosecuted matters of discrimination, hostile work environment, employment, and civil rights claims based on race, national origin, religion, gender, sexual orientation, unlawful search and seizure, and failure to pay overtime.
Justin’s practice includes litigation and the day-to-day representation for and against public entities under New Jersey Local Public Contracts Law, New Jersey Municipal Land Use Law, New Jersey Local Government Ethics Law, Faulkner Act, Title 19 of New Jersey Code (Elections), New Jersey Civil Service Act, New Jersey Employee-Employer Relations Act, New Jersey Open Public Records Act, Telecommunications Act of 1996, Family Medical Leave Act, Fair Labor Standards Act, Freedom of Information Act, New Jersey Uniform Commercial Code, New Jersey Products Liability Act, Securities Exchange Act, New Jersey Uniform Securities Act, New Jersey, Anti-Eviction Act, and Taft-Hartley Act.
Justin’s experience includes the writing of and challenge to local public referendums in New Jersey, as well as the defense of employment and labor claims in court, in arbitration, and before administrative tribunals, including New Jersey Public Employee Relations Commission, American Arbitration Association, New Jersey Civil Service Commission, New York Division on Human Rights, and Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
He has extensive litigation experience in business disputes under New Jersey and New York law, including forced buyouts, fraudulent transfers, successor liability, unpaid distributions, voting rights, and validity of operating agreements, with successful results totaling over $3,000,000.
Justin has experience in creditors’ rights in bankruptcy, including vacation of automatic stay, property of estate, and challenging a plan of reorganization after trial.
Noteworthy Opinions include:
Arguments and Briefs:
Justin is a professor at the Benjamin Cardozo School of Law in New York, NY, where he has taught legal research and writing since 2014, participates in the intensive trial advocacy program, and taught remedies in 2022.
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