Keith Robert Santillo

`Mr. Santillo is the Founder and Managing Member of The Santillo Law Firm, PLLC, a general law practice located in Boynton Beach, FL., Mr. Santillo has been a practicing attorney since 1994, beginning his career in New York as a civil litigator at a private Insurance Defense law firm representing policy holders against lawsuits arising from automobile collisions, construction accidents, premises defects and other interrelated party claims. 

Building upon his experience gained as a defense lawyer, Mr. Santillo associated himself with a small, but aggressive “Court Street” law firm, in Downtown Brooklyn, NY primarily representing victims and their families of serious personal injuries caused by the negligence and/or intentional acts of others, including claims for permanent injuries resulting in loss of livelihood, significant reduction in quality of life, loss of consortium between spouses and wrongful death.   

Mr. Santillo quickly gained a reputation for being a well-prepared and tenacious, yet ethical, litigator and worthy adversary among insurance company lawyers, claims adjusters and private counsels. This reputation often allowed him to negotiate favorable settlements on his clients’ behalf without exposing them to the uncertainty of outcome, delay and costs associated with a jury trial. 

After several years representing personal injury victims, Mr. Santillo, began developing his own general law practice and became “Of Counsel” to the same Court Street firm, where he undertook the representation of clients in various civil and criminal matters.  During this time period, in addition to the negligence practice, Mr. Santillo developed a strong knowledge and interest in Matrimonial Law and related issues, and aggressively represented his clients when it came to matters of Equitable Distribution of Marital Property, Alimony, Child Support, Custody and Visitation. As part of that practice, he also handled Adoptions and frequently represented parents of out-of-wedlock children in Family Court, including Orders of Child Support, Custody and obtained Visitation rights for previously alienated fathers and resolutely defended parties involving specious charges of domestic and child abuse. He recently undertook the successful representation of a father in disestablishing paternity and eliminating his obligation for future support of a non-biological child born during the marriage.

Mr. Santillo’ experience also encompasses the successful representation of clients charged with various felony and misdemeanor crimes, including Insurance Fraud, Possession of Controlled Substance with Intent to Distribute, Illegal Possession of Firearms and Reckless Endangerment, Larceny, Criminal Assault and Battery and Reckless Driving.  In most of these prosecutions, clients faced incarceration and other significant monetary sanctions and the loss of their driver’s license. Mr. Santillo has appeared at Arraignments and Bail Hearings, aggressively opposing application for unreasonable bail sought by prosecutors and has obtained outright dismissal of charges at grand jury hearings.     

In 2000, Mr. Santillo founded the general practice law firm Santillo & Ferreira, P.C. and was its managing Shareholder through 2007.  In addition to overseeing the day to day operation of the office, he was principally responsible for handling all civil client matters for the firm.  Here, he primarily focused his practice in the areas of Personal Injury, Matrimonial and Family Law, Insurance Litigation, Real Estate, both transactional, including representing purchasers and sellers of Residential Property and related litigation involving boundary disputes, fraudulent conveyance and other questions of legal title to property. Additionally, Mr. Santillo has also successfully represented Restaurateurs, food service establishments and convenience store operators at Administrative Hearings before various Governmental Agencies, such as the NY State Liquor Authority, NYC Dept. of Health and other municipal authorities in connection with Administrative Code Violations, some of which carried hefty civil fines, criminal penalties and the loss of business licenses which could have dramatically affect the financial viability of the establishment.

Although primarily a litigator, Mr. Santillo, drawing upon his formal business education and experience has also represented a number of commercial establishments and entrepreneurs who sought his reasoned advice and counsel when contemplating business transactions, including expansion or acquisition of new businesses or the sale of an existing one. Mr. Santillo has capably represented the seller of a local eatery and automotive repair facility, in the transfer of assets, including all equipment, lease and “Good Will,” has negotiated commercial leases on behalf of retail and automotive services businesses and has assisted restauranteurs and other food establishments in the preparation and submission of applications for alcoholic beverage, food service and other business licenses.    

Mr. Santillo is a Graduate of The Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, In New York City, a top-ranked law school in the annual survey of Graduate and Professional Schools conducted by a leading publication. While at Cardozo, Mr. Santillo concentrated his studies in the areas of Business Law and Trial Advocacy, participating in the highly regarded Intensive Trial Advocacy Program. He was also competitevely selectected to join Surrogate's Court (Probate) Clinics. Mr. Santillo served as an officer of the Latin American Law Student Association (LALSA).

Mr. Santillo earned his Bachelor of Science Degree, with Cum Laude Honors from Long Island University, C.W. Post School of Business Administration focusing his studies in the areas of Finance and Economics. Prior to attending the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, Mr. Santillo employed his well-developed business acumen guiding individual Investors as a Financial Advisor for a leading Investment Banking and Retail Securities Brokerage Company and was a Directors and Officers Liability Insurance Underwriter for a Global Insurance Conglomerate.

Mr. Santillo is a member of both the Florida and New York Bar and is active in several national professional associations, including the American Bar Association and Hispanic National Bar Association., as well as the Florida Bar Association and New York State Bar Association. He is also a member of the Palm Beach County Bar Association, the Puerto Rican Bar Association of Florida and Palm Beach County Hispanic Bar Association. Mr. Santillo is a former member of the New York State Trial Lawyers Association, the Brooklyn Bar Association and was appointed to its Grievance Committee, as well as an invited member of the Nathan R. Sobel - Kings County American Inn of Court, an association of lawyers, judges, and other legal professionals who share a passion for professional excellence.

Mr. Santillo is also an avid tennis player and health and fitness enthusiast.