Cassandra L. Santoro

Cassandra L. Santoro counsels and defends private employers and not-for-profit corporations across all labor and employment matters. Her experience addresses all matters of workplace discrimination, harassment, employee discipline, retaliation, termination and employment policy development. Additionally, Cassandra successfully defends employers in wage and hour matters including state and U.S. Department of Labor audits and federal and state lawsuits.

Cassandra represents clients before federal and state courts, as well as in administrative matters involving federal and state agencies. She presents before the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination (MCAD), the New York State Division of Human Rights (NYSDHR), the New York State and U.S. Department of Labor, the New York State Unemployment Insurance Appeal Board, and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Cassandra’s direct litigation experience includes a recent summary judgement dismissing age discrimination and retaliation claims brought against an employer, which prevailed on appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. She also obtains numerous “No Probable Cause” determinations for employers in defending discrimination, harassment, and retaliation claims before the NYSDHR.

Prior to joining the firm, Cassandra was an associate with a regional law firm based in upstate New York. In this role, she handled a wide range of labor & employment matters, as well as commercial litigation and tort matters. In addition to her employment litigation work before both the state and federal courts, Cassandra has experience defending insurers in various tort actions, including product liability and personal-injury cases, and commencing lawsuits on behalf of businesses for actions such as defamation and breach of contract. Clients appreciate Cassandra’s direct approach and well-rounded legal experience working on behalf of company management.