Samantha Banks is a partner in the Litigation Services Department, and a member of the Labor and Employment practice group, Class Action practice group, and the Internal Investigations, Ethics and Compliance practice group. Ms. Banks has litigated a broad range of cases in state and federal courts, including employment discrimination claims, wage claims, breach of contract claims, and complex commercial litigation. She has experience in all aspects of litigation, including drafting pleadings, facilitating pre-trial discovery and document production, motion practice, taking and defending depositions, drafting and arguing dispositive motions, and at trial. Her practice also includes counseling and advising employers in addressing issues that arise in the workplace, including negotiating employment agreements and non-compete agreements, and assisting in internal investigations for corporate clients and private and public schools and universities. Ms. Banks serves as co-chair of the firm’s Associates Committee.
Ms. Banks previously served as a judicial intern to the Honorable Thomas J. Rueter in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. She also was a legal intern at the Support Center for Child Advocates and the Pennsylvania Innocence Project.
News & Publications
- Schnader Names Two New Partners
- Schnader Attorneys Named to The Best Lawyers in America
- Pennsylvania and Washington, D.C. Super Lawyers Named
- PAY TRANSPARENCY LAW: May Day! Salaries For All To See In NYC Starting In May
- Several New Covid-19 Vaccine and Mask Mandates for NYC Employers, Schools, Public Spaces and More
- Schnader Attorneys Named to The Best Lawyers in America
- New Jersey Executive Order Sets Health and Safety Standards for Employers
- Schnader Attorneys Named to The Best Lawyers in America
- Jurisdictional Issues that Can Cost Your Businesses: What In-house Counsel Need to Know
- New Anti-Hazing Law Requires PA Colleges & Universities to Post Semi-Annual Reports, with Initial Reports Due Jan. 15, 2019
- PA Supreme Court to Decide Overtime Formula for Nonexempt Salaried Employees with Flexible Workweeks
- Jo Bennett and Samantha Banks Analyze Landmark Labor Case on Resolving Disputes through Arbitration
- 2nd Circuit Reinforces Standard of Proof to Rebut Class Certification
- Schnader Attorneys Receive Recognition for Pro Bono Efforts
- Tip-Pooling Expansion on the Horizon
- Uber Driver Compensation Claims Survive Summary Judgment in EDPA
- Schnader Welcomes Three New Associates
Community & Pro Bono
Ms. Banks has been active in Schnader’s pro bono practice. She has litigated two separate prisoner civil rights claims, one for failure to provide medical care while incarcerated, and one for the excessive use of force during an arrest. She also worked with the Pennsylvania Innocence Project defending a claim of actual innocence.
Ms. Banks currently serves as a volunteer attorney for the Support Center for Child Advocates. She is also a board member of the Friends of Young Scholars Charter School in Philadelphia.
Education
- Villanova University School of Law, J.D., 2014
- Lehigh University, B.S., Business and Economics, 2011
Bar Admissions
- Pennsylvania, 2014
- New Jersey, 2014
Court Admissions
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
- U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania
- U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey
Other Distinctions
- Named to The Best Lawyers in America: Ones to Watch for Commercial Litigation, 2021-23*
- Listed in “Pennsylvania Super Lawyers Rising Stars,” 2022*
*No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey. Further information on methodologies is available via these links.
Representative Matters
- Represents public and private employers in federal and state employment related claims, including discrimination and wage claims.
- Obtained defense verdict for employer on age discrimination claim as second chair at federal jury trial in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
- Argued in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania for employers seeking summary judgment on claims of employment discrimination under the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, and the Family Medical Leave Act.
- Took and defended depositions of co-workers and managerial employees in defending employers in Title VII discrimination claims.
- Defended global retailer in claims of breach of contract, fraud, and antitrust violations.
- Represented public figure in federal and state employment discrimination claims.
- Filed Complaint and facilitated discovery in wage and hour class action brought under Pennsylvania’s gaming regulations.
- Drafted responsive pleadings and Motion to Dismiss filed with Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission on behalf of employer defending claim of employment discrimination under Pennsylvania Human Relations Act.
- Defended hospital network in commercial dispute with vendor in claims of breach of contract and negligent misrepresentation.
- Conducted internal investigations into teachers’ discrimination complaints on behalf of public school district.
- Served as Title IX Investigator regarding student’s claims of harassment on behalf of a university.
- Defended campaign in lawsuit for false light and conspiracy claims.
- Facilitated electronic discovery, including production and review of hundreds of thousands of documents, in complex commercial dispute.
- Represented employer bringing breach of contract claim against insurance broker for failing to obtain desired Wage and Hour insurance coverage.
- Prepared reply brief in support of motion to vacate, set aside, or correct criminal sentence for criminal conspiracy and possession.
- Argued before New Jersey Workers’ Compensation Court on behalf of insurer to be dismissed from claim for coverage under state statutes and regulations
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