Deborah M. Santello
- Position: Lawyer
- Experience:
- Location: Two Center Plaza, Suite 610 Boston, MA 02108
- Email: DSantello@TetzelLaw.com
- Phone: 617-742-1700 ext. 5
Deborah M. Santello, Esq.
Deborah has specialized in representing seriously injured people for the entirety of her legal career and has a particular expertise in appellate litigation and legal writing. Her appellate brief writing has been instrumental in generating settlements in cases with both novel and established issues. Her writing as a Member of the Suffolk University Law School was cited by the United States Supreme Court.
Deborah received her undergraduate degree with honors from Suffolk University in 1984 and her law degree, cum laude, from Suffolk University Law School in 1989 after completing the Evening Program while working full-time days for various sole practitioners. Upon her graduation from law school, Deborah joined the Boston law firm of Connolly, Leavis and Rest, P.C., where she was employed, first as an associate and later as a partner at Leavis and Rest, P.C. after Justice Connolly took the bench. During her thirty years with Leavis and Rest, P.C., Deborah was the primary firm writer for complex claims for injured plaintiffs before joining Tetzel Law, LLC in February 2020.
Deborah has been active in Bar Associations throughout Eastern Massachusetts. She was a long-standing member of the Amicus Committee of the Massachusetts Academy of Trial Attorneys. She served on the Board of Directors of the Massachusetts Association of Women Lawyers for many years. She has also been a member of the Boston Bar Association, as well the Women’s Bar Association. Deborah is licensed to practice before all state and federal courts in Massachusetts.
Deborah has been rated as “AV Preeminent” by Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory. This is the gold standard in attorney ratings and recognizes lawyers for the “strong legal ability and high ethical standards.” An elite group of approximately 10 percent of all attorneys holds an AV Preeminent Rating.
Deborah currently lives in Boston. Outside of practicing law, Deborah enjoys most outdoor mountain sports, including alpine skiing, snowshoeing and hiking. She is also an active scuba diver. She has been an avid tap, modern and contemporary jazz dancer for more than thirty 30 years. Deborah is also an enthusiastic football fan.
Deborah received her undergraduate degree with honors from Suffolk University in 1984 and her law degree, cum laude, from Suffolk University Law School in 1989 after completing the Evening Program while working full-time days for various sole practitioners. Upon her graduation from law school, Deborah joined the Boston law firm of Connolly, Leavis and Rest, P.C., where she was employed, first as an associate and later as a partner at Leavis and Rest, P.C. after Justice Connolly took the bench. During her thirty years with Leavis and Rest, P.C., Deborah was the primary firm writer for complex claims for injured plaintiffs before joining Tetzel Law, LLC in February 2020.
Deborah has been active in Bar Associations throughout Eastern Massachusetts. She was a long-standing member of the Amicus Committee of the Massachusetts Academy of Trial Attorneys. She served on the Board of Directors of the Massachusetts Association of Women Lawyers for many years. She has also been a member of the Boston Bar Association, as well the Women’s Bar Association. Deborah is licensed to practice before all state and federal courts in Massachusetts.
Deborah has been rated as “AV Preeminent” by Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory. This is the gold standard in attorney ratings and recognizes lawyers for the “strong legal ability and high ethical standards.” An elite group of approximately 10 percent of all attorneys holds an AV Preeminent Rating.
Deborah currently lives in Boston. Outside of practicing law, Deborah enjoys most outdoor mountain sports, including alpine skiing, snowshoeing and hiking. She is also an active scuba diver. She has been an avid tap, modern and contemporary jazz dancer for more than thirty 30 years. Deborah is also an enthusiastic football fan.
Bar Admissions
- Massachusetts, 1989
- U.S. District Court, 1990
- U.S. Court of Appeals 1st Circuit, 2014
Education
- Suffolk University Law School, Boston, Massachusetts, 1989 – J.D. – Honors: Cum Laude
- Suffolk University, Boston, Massachusetts, 1984 – A.B. – Honors: Cum Laude
Honors and Awards
- Massachusetts Super Lawyer, 2007 – Present
- Top 100 Lawyers in America
- Suffolk University Law Review, Technical Editor 1988-1989
- Suffolk University Law Review, Staff Member, 1987-1988
Published Works
- Maternal Tort Liability for Prenatal Injuries, 22 Suffolk U.L. Review, 747 (1989), cited by the United States Supreme Court in International Union, UAW v. Johnson Controls, Inc., 111 S. Ct. 1196 (1991)
Professional Associations and Memberships
- American Association for Justice (formerly American Trial Lawyers Association)
- Massachusetts Bar Association, Section of Civil Litigation
- Massachusetts Academy of Trial Attorneys
Published Appellate Decisions
- Inferrera v. Town of Sudbury, 31 Mass. App. Ct. 96 (1991)
- McNally v. Wilkinson Mobile Boilers, Inc., 76 Mass. App. Ct. 1105 (2009 (affirming judgment on jury verdict in plaintiff’s favor in the amount of $1,025,000.00)
- DaSilva v. Berman,74 Mass. App. Ct. 1112 (2009) (affirming order denying motion for new trial)
- Leonard v. Eastern Airlines, Inc. (rescript)
- Slocum v. Donahue (rescript)
Other Notable Appellate Accomplishments
- Successful Petition for Direct Appellate Review to the Supreme Judicial Court in Pleva v. Pro-Tech Power, Inc., SJC-09602 resulted in a seven-figure settlement just prior to oral arguments.