Today we’d like to introduce you to Jane Santoni.
Hi Jane, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I wanted to be a lawyer since I was a child and during high school I would ride the bus to the Baltimore City Circuit Court to watch the murder trials. Initially I wanted to be a criminal attorney, but after I graduated from law school in 1986, was only able to find a job in the civil world. I worked for a large insurance company defending auto accidents for 14 years until our whole office was laid off during restructuring in 2002. I couldn’t face the prospect of only doing insurance defense for the remainder of my career, so started a Plaintiff’s firm with my former supervisor. Shortly after that, people started coming to me who had been ripped off in consumer transactions, and it made me so mad. I realized that there were laws out there to help and started a career as a consumer protection attorney. Initially I handled mostly car fraud cases, but “arbitration clauses” in contracts prevented my clients from their Constitutional right to a jury trial, and made that work very difficult. As a result, I switched to becoming a tenant’s rights and credit reporting attorney, representing people who are illegally evicted, forced to pay fees they don’t owe, living with horrendous conditions including rodents, bugs, mold and sewage, and people who are the victims of credit reporting mistakes. In 2016 I helped form the firm of Santoni, Vocci & Ortega with partners Matt Vocci and Chelsea Ortega. We are proud of the work we are doing and the people we are helping, most of whom are citizens of Baltimore City.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
As a woman practicing law I have seen my share of sexist, unethical, and incompetent behavior on the part of lawyers, judges, and employers. I have found that you just have to keep moving forward and not let their bad acts define you. There are many good and competent people out there, too.
Representing people against large corporations is always a challenge, especially since they often have more resources to fight. There are also biases against tenants, which we have to overcome.
We’ve been impressed with Santoni, Vocci & Ortega, LLC, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I am so proud of my firm, Santoni, Vocci & Ortega. Currently we have 5 attorneys and 5 full time support staff, along with many part time employees and seasonal law clerks. It is a wonderful atmosphere, and the work is important and exciting. We feel like we are making a difference in the world, especially Baltimore City, representing people who often have difficulty finding people to take their cases.
So maybe we end on discussing what matters most to you and why?
There is a thrill being able to get someone justice, especially when they have previously been denied it. Often our clients are treated as less than human beings and seen only as sources of income for the landlords and property managers. The level of disrespect and incompetence they face is astonishing and correcting that and restoring dignity to the people whom we represent is why we do what we do.
Likewise, when people are unable to rent a property, buy a car, or become employed due to a credit mistake that is no fault of their own, it is devastating. Fixing that feels great.
Being able to make a living doing such rewarding work has made for a wonderful career.
Pricing:
- We work on a contingency basis. We do not charge our clients up front fees. If we take the case, our payment comes from the settlement amount, of judgment paid.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.svolaw.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SVOlaw/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/santoni-vocci-&-ortega-llc
