Pedro J. Santa-Sánchez
After working as a law clerk to Judge Juan R. Torruella of the U.S. District Court for the District of Puerto Rico from 1976 to 1979, Mr. Santa-Sánchez joined O'Neill & Borges, a San Juan full service law firm, where he headed the Litigation Department for 20 years.
His practice covers commercial and civil litigation in trial, appellate courts and administrative agencies, as well as commercial arbitration and business counseling. He has acted as litigator and legal advisor in a wide range of civil, commercial and trade regulation matters, including antitrust, unfair competition, false advertising, trademark/ trade dress infringement issues, Puerto Rico Dealer's Act and Sales Representatives Act, U.S. Automobile Dealers' Day in Court Act, health law, products liability and defense of tort and mass tort claims, complex litigation, securities, admiralty, creditors' rights and related commercial areas. He has been lead counsel and counsel of record in a high number of cases, including many published decisions.
Areas of Practice
- Litigation and Trial Practice
- Business Counseling
Bar Admissions
- Puerto Rico, 1976
- U.S. District Court District of Puerto Rico, 1979
- U.S. Court of Appeals 1st Circuit, 1977
- U.S. Court of International Trade, 1983
- U.S. Supreme Court, 1985
Education
- University of Puerto Rico Law School, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- J.D. (Magna Cum Laude) - 1976
- Law Review: University of Puerto Rico Law Review, Member, 1974 - 1975
- Law Review: University of Puerto Rico Law Review, Associate Editor, 1975 - 1976
- University of Puerto Rico
- B.A. (Magna Cum Laude) - 1973
Representative Cases
- Reverend Arcadio Natal v. The Christian & Missionary Alliance, 878 F.2d 1575 (United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit 1989)
- Trans-Asiatic Oil, Ltd SA v. Apex Oil Co., 804 F.2d 773 (United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit 1987)
- H.D. Corp of PR v. Ford Motor Company, 791 F.2d 987 (United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit 1986)
- Caribbean Ins. Services Inc. v. American Bankers Life Assurance Co, 754 F.2d 2 (United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit 1985)
- Senior Loiza Corporation v. Vento Development Corporation, 760 F.2d 20 (United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit 1985)
- Estate of Molina Velez v. RJ Reynolds Tobacco Co., 286 F. Supp.2d 185 (US District Court for the District of Puerto Rico 2004)
- Estate of Ayala v. Phillip Morris, Inc., F. Supp. 2d 311 (US District Court for the District of Puerto Rico 2003)
- Terradata, Inc. v. Budget Rent-A-Car Int’l, Inc., 218 F. Supp. 2d 101 (US District Court for the District of Puerto Rico 2002)
- Patterson v. Ford Motor Company, 931 F. Supp 98 (US District Court for the District of Puerto Rico 1996)
- Banco Popular v. Airborne Group PLC, 882 F. Supp. 1212 (US District Court for the District of Puerto Rico 1995)
- Veryfine Products, Inc. v. Colon Brothers., Inc., 799 F. Supp. 240 (US District Court for the District of Puerto Rico 1992)
- An-Port, Inc. v. MBR Industries, Inc., 142 F.R.D. (US District Court for the District of Puerto Rico 1992)
- Jose Roberto Fumero Vidal v. First Federal Sav. Bank, 788 F. Supp. 1275 (US District Court for the District of Puerto Rico 1992)
- GKG Caribe, Inc. v. Nokia-Mobira, Inc., 725 F. Supp. 109 (US District Court for the District of Puerto Rico 1989)
- Nike Int’l, Ltd v. Athletic Sales, Inc., F. Supp. 1235 (US District Court for the District of Puerto Rico 1988)
- Frito Lay Of PR, Inc. v. Jose Martinez Canas, 92 F.R.D. 384 (US District Court for the District of Puerto Rico 1981)
- Paine Webber, Inc v. First Boston (PR) Inc., 136 D.P.R. 541 (Supreme Court of Puerto Rico 1994)
- Dolphin International of PR v. Ryder Truck Lines, Inc., 127 D.P.R. 869 (Supreme Court of Puerto Rico 1991)
Honors and Awards
- Listed in Chambers and Partners Directory of the World's Leading Lawyers for Business, 2006 - 2007
- Listed in Chambers and Partners Guide of Latin America's Leading Lawyers for Business
- Described by Chambers as "One of the Country's Best Litigators" and a "Brilliant Strategist"
Professional Associations and Memberships
- Puerto Rico Board of Bar Examiners, 1983 - 1986
- The U.S. District Court for the District of Puerto Rico, Bar Examination Committee, 1982 - 1998
- Rules for the Court of Appeals for the First Circuit, Advisory Committee, 1989 - 1991
- District of Puerto Rico, Civil Justice Reform Act Advisory Group, 1991 - 1993
- Federal Bar Association
Past Employment Positions
- Hon. Juan R. Torruella, Judge, U.S. District Court, District of Puerto Rico, Law Clerk, 1976 - 1979
- O'Neill & Borges, 1979 - 2008
Languages
- English
- Spanish
- French
