Daniel R. Santola

Partner since 1987

Location:

Albany, New York

Phone:

518-465-5995
518-478-6616

Fax:

518-426-4012

E-mail:

E-mail Me

Daniel R. Santola is a senior partner and co-founder of Powers & Santola, LLP. His practice is limited to the representation of catastrophically injured individuals, the field of law in which he has over 30 years experience. Born in Syracuse, NY, Dan received his undergraduate degree in Economics from the University of Buffalo in 1971.

After graduating from Albany Law School, he was an assistant professor at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute School of Management in Troy, NY, until 1976, when he decided to concentrate his legal efforts in the field of personal injury law. Dan accepted an associate position with one of the Capital Region’s top trial lawyers and after five years became a partner in the firm of Bloomberg & Santola.

In 1987, he and longtime friend and colleague, John K. Powers, decided to form the firm of Powers & Santola, LLP, with a simple mission statement: To provide our clients with the best possible legal representation. This requires treating each case on an individual basis and developing the unique facts of each case, rather than processing a large number of claims.

In the pursuit of his goal, Dan has achieved several awards of distinction. He has consistently been named as one of the “Best Lawyers in America” and is listed by the American Trial Lawyers Association as one of the top 100 trial lawyers. He is named in the “Martindale-Hubbell Bar Registry of Pre-eminent Lawyers,” “New York’s Top Lawyers,” “Who’s Who in American Law,” “Who’s Who in America” and “Who’s Who in the World.”

Dan has spent more than 30 years teaching various topics within the field of personal injury law, covering subjects such as construction accidents, medical malpractice, trial tactics, evidence and products liability. He has lectured for the Office of Court Administration in its Continuing Legal Education programs for judges and court attorneys, the New York State Academy of Trial Lawyers, the New York Trial Lawyers Association, the New York State Bar Association, the Albany County Bar Association, the American Board Of Trial Advocates, the Capital District Trial Lawyers Association, Albany Law School, Albany Medical Center, Syracuse University Law School, and a number of other scholastic and professional institutions.

He was among the first trial lawyers to employ the use of technology in presenting personal injury cases to a jury, including video animation and computer graphics to demonstrate causes of accidents; SPECT scans to document and display brain injuries; and “Day in the Life” films to bring into the courtroom the everyday consequences of a permanent injury.

Dan has been at the forefront in the use of highly specialized experts such as placental pathologists, pediatric neuroradiologists and neonatologists to illustrate negligence in obstetrical malpractice cases; human factors engineers and biomechanics to demonstrate defective product designs; and physiatrists, vocational rehabilitationists and economists to calculate and document the full extent of losses caused by a devastating injury.

He has always been active in professional organizations and has served in numerous leadership roles. He is a past-president of the Capital Region Affiliate of the New York State Trial Lawyers Association, the Albany County Bar Association, The Capital District Trial Lawyers Association and the Albany Affiliate of the American Board of Trial Advocates. Dan also holds the rank of Dean of Continued Legal Education for the New York Academy of Trial Lawyers.

Profession : Attorney

Education :

- Albany Law School Union University , Albany, New York , 1974 - J.D.

- State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, 1971 - B.A.

Faculty Appointments :

-Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY , School of Management ,

-Adjunct Professor, 1978 - 1980

-Associate Professor, 1976 - 1978

-Guest Lecturer, Syracuse University School of Law, 2005 - Present

-Guest Lecturer, Albany Law School, 2006 - Present

New York Construction Accident Lawyer

Year Joined Firm

1987

Bar Admissions

New York
U.S. District Court Northern District of New York
U.S. District Court Eastern District of New York
U.S. District Court Southern District of New York
U.S. District Court Western District of New York
U.S. District Court District of Vermont

Education

Albany Law School Union University, Albany, New York
- J.D. - 1974
State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York
- B.A. - 1971

Published Works

"Medical Equipment", Products Liability Practice Guide, Matthew Bender & Co., Inc., 1988
"Construction Accidents", New York Negligence Guide, (Co- Author with John K. Powers), Matthew Bender & Co., Inc., 1989
"Construction Accidents, How to be a Winner", Tri-Cities Building & Construction Trades Council, (Co- Author with John K. Powers), Fall, 1989
"Compensating the Catastrophically Injured", (Co- Author with John K. Powers), 1989
"Using SPECT Scans to Show Head Injuries", (Co- Author with Timothy J. Higgins), New York Law Journal, May, 1998
"The Plaintiff Law Suit", Personal Injury Litigation, New York State Bar Association, July, 2006
Labor Law Actions, Chapter 2 of The Plaintiff's Personal Injury Action in New York, New York State Bar Association, 2008
Litigating Construction Accidents in New York, West Publishing Co., 2010

Classes/Seminars

11/83 - "Trial Tactics" Seminar, Capital District Trial Lawyers Association
02/84 - "New York State Procedures for Video-Taped Depositions", Capital District Trial Lawyers Association
03/84 - "Trial of a Personal Injury Action", Capital District Trial Lawyers Association
05/85 - "Trial of a Construction Accident", Capital District Trial Lawyers Association
06/87 - "Dynamics of Evaluating Damages in a Head Injury Case", Albany County Bar Association
11/87 - "Hi-Tech Trial Tactics", New York State Bar Association
11/87 - "Head Injury - Real Issues - Practical Answers", New Medico Rehabilitation and Skilled Nursing Center - The head Injury Center at Highgate
11/88-91 - "Insurance Issues Affecting Catastrophically-Injured Persons", New Medico Rehabilitation and Skilled Nursing Center - Boston MA
01/88 - "Art of Discovery Proceedings Under New York State Civil Practice", New York State Bar Association
03/88 - "The Law of Medical Malpractice", New York State Bar Association
10/88 - "Personal Injury Litigation", New York State Bar Association
11/88 - "Insurance Coverage for Head Injured Victims", New Medico Rehabilitation and Skilled Nursing Center - The Head Injury Center at Highgate
07/89 - "Sources of Recovery for the Head Injured", New Medico Rehabilitation and Skilled Nursing Center - The Head Injury Center at Highgate
08/89 - "Real Issues Caused by Head Injury", New Medico Rehabilitation and Skilled Nursing Center - The Head Injury Center at Highgate
11/89 - "Law of Construction Accidents" - Albany, Buffalo and Ithaca, New York State Trial Lawyers Institute
11/89 - "The Pharmacist's Tort Liability", Pharmacy School of Union University
11/89 - "Trial Tactics", Albany Law School
10/90 - Decisions Seminar - "Updating Construction Accident Law and Medical Malpractice" - New York City, Albany, Rochester, Ithaca, Buffalo and Nassau County, New York State Trial Lawyers Institute
10/90 - "Medicine in the Courtroom", New York State Bar Association
05/91 - "Personal Developments in Person Injury Litigation and Insurance Law", New York State Bar Association
09/91 - "Breakthroughs in Rehabilitation", New York Chapter of the National Association of Rehabilitation Professionals in the Private Sector
10/91 - Decisions Seminar - "Updating Construction Accident Law and Medical Malpractice" - New York City, Albany, Rochester, Ithaca, Syracuse, Buffalo and Nassau County, New York State Trial Lawyers Institute
11/91 - "Insurance Issues Involving Head Injury", New Medico Rehabilitation and Skilled Nursing Center, Boston MA
01/92 - "Presenting the Testimony of the Accident Reconstructionist", Albany County Bar Association
04/92 - "Insurance Funding", New Medico Rehabilitation and Skilled Nursing Center, Boston MA
10/92 - Decisions Seminar - "Updating Construction Accident Law and Medical Malpractice" - New York City, Albany, Rochester, Binghamton, Syracuse, Buffalo and Nassau County, New York State Trial Lawyers Association
10/92 - Litigating The Brain Injury Case - "Evaluating the Losses Sustained By The Head injured", New Medico Community Re-Entry Services of Cortland NY
05/93 - "Conducting and Defending Depositions in Personal Injury Cases", New York State Trial Lawyers Institute and Albany County Bar Association
09/94 - Decisions Seminar - "Updating Construction Accident Law and Medical Malpractice" - New York City, Albany, Rochester, Ithaca, Syracuse, Buffalo and Nassau County, New York State Trial Lawyers Institute
11/94 - Medical Malpractice Seminar - "Pre-Suit Activities and Pleadings", New York State Bar Association
11/94 - "Updating the Law on Construction Accidents", Capital District Trial Lawyers Association
02/95 - "Construction Accidents in New York State", Albany County Bar Association
05/95 - "Labor Law After Ross" - New York City, New York State Trial Lawyers Institute
09/95 - Decisions Seminar - "Updating Construction Accident Law and Medical Malpractice" - New York City, Albany, Rochester, Ithaca, Syracuse, Buffalo and Nassau County, New York State Trial Lawyers Institute
03/96 - "Discovery in Civil Lawsuits", Albany County Bar Association
03/96 - "Laying a Proper Foundation for Expert Testimony", Albany County Bar Association
05/96 - "Construction Site Accidents" - New York City, New York State Trial Lawyers Institute
05/96 - "The Use of Technology in The Court Room", Albany Law School
06/96 - Annual Convention in Bermuda - "New York All-Star Litigators Forum", New York State Trial Lawyers Association
09/96 - "Basic Civil Practice - The Trial", New York State Bar Association
09/96 - Decisions Seminar - "Updating Construction Accident Law and Medical Malpractice" - New York City, Albany, Rochester, Ithaca, Syracuse, Buffalo and Nassau County, New York State Trial Lawyers Institute
10/96 - "Medical Malpractice Litigation - Pre-Suit Activities and Pleadings", New York State Bar Association
11/96 - "Premises Liability/Construction Work-Site Accidents", New York State Bar Association
12/96 - "Practical Evidence", New York State Bar Association
03/97 - "Construction Site Accidents" - New York City, New York State Trial Lawyers Association
09/97 - Decisions Seminar - "Recent Developments in Tort Law" - New York City, Rochester, Buffalo, Albany, and Syracuse, New York State Trial Lawyers Institute
03/98 - "Computer Animation", Capital District Trial Lawyers Association
04/98 - "Safe Place To Work Law", Northeastern Subcontractors Association
04/98 - "Handling The Auto Accident Case", Albany County Bar Association
10/98 - Decisions Seminar - "Recent Developments in Construction Accidents" - New York City, Rochester, Buffalo, Albany, and Syracuse, New York State Trial Lawyers Institute
10/98 - "Cross Examination of an Expert", The American Board of Trial Advocates Masters In Trial Program
11/98 - CLE Education - "Practical Skills - Basic Tort and Insurance Law Practice", New York State Bar Association
12/98 - "Federal Civil Litigation in New York" - Albany New York, Lorman Education Services
03/99 - "Summary Judgment Practice in Construction Accident Cases" - New York City, New State Trial Lawyers Institute
10/99 - Decisions Seminar - "Recent Developments in Construction Accidents" - New York City, Rochester, Buffalo, Albany, and Syracuse, New York State Trial Lawyers Association
11/99 - "Construction Site Litigation" - Tarrytown NY, New York State Bar Association
03/00 - "Summary Judgment Practice in Construction Accident Cases" - New York City, New State Trial Lawyers Institute
05/00 - "Demonstrative Evidence", Capital District Trial Lawyers Association
07/00 - "Construction Accidents Under New York's Labor Law" - Rye Brook New York, Unified Court System: Judicial Summer Seminars
09/00 - "Selected Civil Issues - Labor Law" - Huntington NY, New York State Unified Court System: Legal Update for Court Attorneys
10/00 - "Selected Civil Issues - Labor Law" - Rochester NY, New York State Unified Court System: Legal Update for Court Attorneys
10/00 - Decisions Seminar - "Recent Developments in Construction Accidents" - New York City, Rochester, Buffalo, Albany, and Syracuse, New York State Trial Lawyers Institute
12/00 - "Masters on Jury Selection" - Albany, NY, American Board of Trial Advocates
1/01 - Legal Update for Court Attorneys - "Selected Civil Issues - Labor Law" - Rye NY, New York State Unified Court System
6/01 - Annual Awards Banquet - "Avoiding the Legal Pitfalls" - Guilderland NY, New York State Nurses Association
10/01 - Decisions Seminar - "Recent Developments in Tort Law" - New York City, Rochester, Buffalo, Albany, and Syracuse, New York State Trial Lawyers Institute
11/01 - "Labor Law Update" - Saratoga Springs NY, Office of Court Administration: Legal Update Seminar for Court Attorneys
01/02 - "Labor Law Update" - Long Island University, Brooklyn Campus, C.W. Post Campus and White Plains, Office of Court Administration: Legal Seminar for Court Attorneys
01/02 - "Summary Judgment Practice in Construction Accident Cases" - New York City, New State Trial Lawyers Institute
09/02-10/02 - Decisions Seminar - "Recent Developments in Tort Law" - New York City, Rochester, Buffalo, Albany, Westchester and Syracuse, New York State Trial Lawyers Institute
04/03 - CLE Seminar - "Pre-Managing Tough Issues in a Personal Injury Case" - Albany NY, New York State Bar Association
05/03 - CLE Seminar - "Pre-Suit Activities and Pleadings" - Albany NY, New York State Bar Association
05/03 - "Direct Examination of The Project Manager in A Labor Law Case" - Albany NY, New York State Trial Lawyers Institute (In collaboration with Albany Law School Institute of Legal Studies)
10/03 - "Labor Law Update" - Rochester NY, Office of Court Administration: Legal Update Seminar for Court Attorneys
10/03 - Decisions Seminar - "Labor Law" - New York City, Rochester, Buffalo, Albany, Westchester and Syracuse, New York State Trial Lawyers Institute
11/03 - "Labor Law Update" - Saratoga Springs NY, Office of Court Administration: Legal Update Seminar for Court Attorneys
01/04 - "Advanced Personal Injury Practice" - New York City, New York State Trial Lawyers Institute
01/04-02/04 - "Labor Law Update" - White Plains and Uniondale, Office of Court Administration: Legal Update Seminar for Court Attorneys
07/04 - "Summary Judgment Motions" - New York City, New York State Trial Lawyers Institute
09/04 - "Labor Law Update" - Saratoga Springs NY, Office of Court Administration: Legal Update Seminar for Court Attorneys
10/04 - "Absolute Liability: Labor Law 240(1) & Related Statues" - New York City, City Bar Center for CLE
10/04 -11/04 - "Labor Law/Construction Accidents" - New York City and Albany, New York State Academy of Trial Lawyers
09/05 - "Labor Law" - Albany NY, Capital District Trial Lawyers Association
09/05 - "Labor Law/Construction Accidents" - New York City, Syracuse and Albany, New York State Academy of Trial Lawyers
01/06 - "Labor Law Update" - White Plains NY, Office of Court Administration: Legal Update Seminar for Court Attorneys
09/06 - "New Rules On Depositions" - Albany NY, New York State Academy of Trial Lawyer
10/06-11/06 - "Precedents and Statutes for Personal Injury Litigators" - Albany, New York City, Long Island, Syracuse, Rochester and Buffalo, New York State Academy of Trial Lawyers
09/07-11/07 - "Precedents and Statutes for Personal Injury Litigators" -Albany, New York City, Long Island, Syracuse, Rochester and Buffalo, New York State Academy of Trial Lawyers
10/07 - "Plaintiff's Discovery" - Albany NY, New York State Bar Association
02/08 - "Labor Law" - Albany NY, Capital District Trial Lawyers Association
09/08-11/08 - "Precedents and Statutes for Personal Injury Litigators" Albany, New York City, Long Island, Syracuse, Rochester and Buffalo, New York State Academy of Trial Lawyers
01/09 - Liens, Set Asides and Special Needs Trusts, New York State Academy of Trial Lawyers
09/09-11/09 - Precedents and Statutes for Personal Injury Litigators Construction Accidents, Albany, New York City, Long Island, Syracuse, Rochester and Buffalo, New York State Academy of Trial Lawyers
11/09 - Discovery Proceedings in Medical Malpractice Cases, New York State Bar Association
03/10 - Presenting Psychological Injuries at Trial, New York City, Long Island, Albany and Syracuse, New York State Academy of Trial Lawyers
05/10 - Construction Accident Update, Capital District Trial Lawyers Association
09/10-11/10 - “Precedents and Statutes for Personal Injury Litigators – Construction Accidents”, Albany, New York City, Long Island, Syracuse, Rochester and Buffalo, New York State Academy of Trial Lawyers
O5/11 - “The Nuts and Bolts of New York Construction Accident Law”, Erie County Bar Association
05/11 - “Construction Accident Update” , Capital District Trial Lawyers Association

Honors and Awards

Powers and Santola, LLP is nationally ranked as a Tier 1 Law Firm (top ranking) by US News and World Report - Best Lawyers in America in the field of personal injury,medical malpractice and products liability litigation.
Chosen as one of The Best Lawyers in America for over 20 consecutive years
Selected as one of New York State’s Top Ten Lawyers, upstate region. Super Lawyers 2011
American Trial Lawyers Association – Top 100 Lawyers (Multi-year listing)
New York Magazine's "New York Area's Top Lawyers" (Multi-year listing)
Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers (Multi-year listing)
Super Lawyers' Magazine "Super Lawyer" Designation in Medical Malpractice (Multi-year listing)
Martindale-Hubbell "AV" Peer Rating (Multi-year listing)
"Who's Who in American Law" (Multi-year listing)
"Who's Who in America" (Multi-year listing)
"Who's Who in the East" (Multi-year listing)
"Who's Who in the World" (Multi-year listing)

Professional Associations and Memberships

New York State Academy of Trial Lawyers, Dean, 2005 - Present
New York State Academy of Trial Lawyers, Charter Member, 2005 - Present
New York State Trial Lawyers Association, President; Capital District Regional Affiliate, 1988 - 1992
New York State Trial Lawyers Association, Board of Directors, 1988 - 2004
New York State Bar Association, Member of the House of Delegates, 1995 - 1999
Albany County Bar Association, President, 1997 - 1998
Albany County Bar Association, Board of Directors, 1990 - 1998
Capital District Trial Lawyers Association, President, 1984 - 1985
American Association for Justice, Sustaining Member, 1991 - Present
American Board of Trial Advocates, President, Albany Chapter, 1999 - 2001
American Board of Trial Advocates, Senior Member, 1992 - Present
New York Bar Foundation, Fellow, 1998 - Present
Chief Judge's Commission on the Jury, 2003