Santelle, Patricia B.

Ms. Santelle is a partner in and Chair of the Commercial Litigation Department. She is Co-Chair of the firm's Insurance Coverage and Bad Faith Practice Group.  She specializes in representation of insurance companies in complex matters, including but not limited to matters involving asbestos, environmental and long-term exposure to harmful substances.

Ms. Santelle's practice includes the prosecution and defense of coverage actions in both state and federal courts and the representation of carriers in alternative dispute resolution proceedings.  She also negotiates the resolution of disputed coverage claims and counsels insurance company clients on claims litigation strategy, claims resolution procedures, and coverage questions.  Ms. Santelle frequently conducts audits on behalf of clients and assists clients in retaining and overseeing consultants/experts, defense counsel and other vendors.  She has spoken at industry seminars and has conducted in-house training seminars for her clients. 

Ms. Santelle received her B.A., magna cum laude, from Boston College in 1982 and her J.D. from Rutgers University School of Law at Camden in 1985.  Prior to coming to White and Williams LLP, she served as Judicial Clerk to the Honorable Daniel J. O'Hern, Associate Justice, Supreme Court of New Jersey and was an associate at the Morristown, New Jersey firm of Pitney Hardin Kipp & Szuch.