Andrew Santillo

Andy Santillo has been representing workers in wage/overtime lawsuits both on a class and individual basis since he graduated from law school in 2004. These lawsuits have resulted in American workers across the country recovering millions of dollars in unpaid wages. In addition to handling hundreds of wage and overtime rights cases in the federal trial courts, Andy has successfully argued important wage and overtime cases decided by the Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit and the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. Andy has also taken multiple collective actions to trial and was one of the attorneys at Winebrake & Santillo that successfully obtained a jury verdict in the Western District of Pennsylvania on behalf of over 400 restaurant servers in October 2023.

Andy’s success in this area of law has resulted in his repeated recognition by prominent lawyer-rating services. For example, Andy has been regularly listed as either a Pennsylvania “Super Lawyer” or “Rising Star” by Thompson Reuters in well-known publications. In addition, the Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Rating System has awarded Andy an “AV-Preeminent” ranking. This is the highest ranking available for a practicing attorney. Andy is also frequently invited to speak on wage, overtime and alternative dispute resolution issues.

Andy was admitted to the American Arbitration Association’s ("AAA") roster of employment arbitrators in 2019 and has overseen multiple disputes in the years since. Andy also serves as an arbitrator for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and was appointed as a Judge Pro Tempore for the First Judicial District of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia County) Civil Trial Division’s Commerce Program. In addition, Andy serves on the Alternative Dispute Resolution (“ADR”) Panel as an ADR Arbitrator, Mediator and Early Neutral Evaluator for the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania and was certified as a mediator by the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. He is also a pro bono mediator for the Fifth Judicial District of Pennsylvania (Allegheny County).

Bar Admissions:

• Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (since 10/7/2004)
• State of New Jersey (since 12/19/2004)
• United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit (since 12/11/2007)
• United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia (since 12/31/2018)
• United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania (since 5/10/2005)
• United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania (since 4/5/2005)
• United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania (since 4/18/2013)
• United States District Court for the District of New Jersey (since 12/19/2004)
• United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois (since 4/27/2010)
• United States District Court for the District of Colorado (since 2/12/2014)
• United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan (since 7/27/2016)

Education & Background:

Andy Santillo is a 1998 graduate of Bucknell University and a 2004 graduate of the Temple University School of Law, where he served as Editor-in-Chief of the Temple Political & Civil Rights Law Review. While in law school, Andy authored the comment, “National Wrestling Coaches Association v. United States Department of Education: The Potential Takedown of the Current Application of Title IX to Intercollegiate Athletics,” 13 Temp. Pol. & Civ. Rts. L. Rev. 187 (Fall 2003). Upon graduation, Andy joined the Philadelphia law firm of Trujillo Rodriguez & Richards, LLC as an associate. There, he participated in the litigation of complex lawsuits arising under federal and state wage and hour, employment, securities and antitrust laws. In May 2008, Andy joined Winebrake & Santillo as an equity partner. Andy is a member of the bars of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the State of New Jersey, and is admitted to practice before the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey, the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, the Middle District of Pennsylvania, the Western District of Pennsylvania, the Northern District of Illinois, the District of Colorado, the Eastern District of Michigan, the Third Circuit Court of Appeals, and the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia. Andy was certified as an Arbitrator by the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania in 2017 and was admitted to the American Arbitration Association’s (“AAA”) roster of arbitrators in 2019. Andy was also appointed as a Judge Pro Tempore for the First Judicial District of Pennsylvania’s Civil Trial Division’s Commerce Program in 2023. Andy is also a member of the National Employment Lawyers Association (“NELA”).

Speaking Engagements:

• “Effective Mediation Strategies” Spring 2025 Wage and Hour Conference, National Employment Lawyers Association ("NELA"), St. Louis, MO, 2025.
• "Pennsylvania Human Resource Law: What You Need to Know Now" Fall 2023, National Business Institute (“NBI”)
• "The Nuts and Bolts of a Wage & Hour Case: From Intake to Resolution". Spring 2019 Conference, National Employment Lawyers Association ("NELA"), Denver, CO, 2019.
• "Wage and Hour Issues". Spring 2019 Conference, National Business Institute ("NBI") King of Prussia, PA, 2019.
• "Managing 'Individualized' Discovery in FLSA Collective Actions". 2018 Annual Convention, National Employment Lawyers Association ("NELA"), Chicago, Ill, 2018.
• "Wage and Hour Issues in the Age of Trump". Bloomberg BNA, Philadelphia, PA, 2017.
• "Employment Law". 22nd Annual Employment Law Seminar, Pennsylvania Bar Institute ("PBI"), Philadelphia, PA, 2016.
• "Defenses Du Jour". Protecting Pay: Representing Workers with Wage & Hour Claims, Spring 2019 Conference, National Employment Lawyers Association ("NELA"), Washington, DC, 2015.
• "Basics of Wage and Hour Law". July 2014 Seminar, Pennsylvania Bar Institute ("PBI"), Philadelphia, PA, 2014.
• "The Day in the Life of an FLSA Collective Action". Spring 2013 Conference, National Employment Lawyers Association ("NELA"), Chicago, IL, 2013.
• "Individualized Discovery in FLSA Collective Actions". 2012 Advanced Wage and Hour Seminar, Workers’ Injury Law and Advocacy Group, Clevland, OH, 2012.
• "Common Wage and Hour Violations Under the FLSA". 2011 Advanced Wage and Hour Seminar, Workers’ Injury Law and Advocacy Group, Cleveland, OH, 2011.
• "Representing Misclassified & Reclassified Workers". 2011 Annual Convention, National Employment Lawyers Association ("NELA"), New Orleans, LA, 2011.
• Temple Law Alumni Association, Temple Law Alumni Panel, Philadelphia, PA, 2010.
• "Basic Wage and Hour Issues". Philadelphia Chinatown Development Corporation, Philadelphia, PA, 2010.

Awards:

Andy has been regularly named to the Pennsylvania “"Super Lawyer” list in the annual survey of Pennsylvania attorneys published by Thompson Reuters in its well-known publications regarding Pennsylvania’s top attorneys. This follows his previous recognition on the Pennsylvania “Rising Star” list by Thompson Reuters in 2011 and 2012. In addition, the Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Rating System has awarded Andy an “AV-Preeminent” ranking. This is the highest ranking available for a practicing attorney.