Samantha Banks

Samantha Banks is an Associate in the Litigation Services Department, and a member of the Labor and Employment practice group, Class Action practice group, and the Criminal Defense and Internal Investigations 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, workers’ compensation coverage disputes, and complex commercial litigation. She has experience in all aspects of litigation, including drafting pleadings, facilitating pre-trial discovery and document production, motion practice, and drafting and arguing dispositive motions. 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.

AREAS OF EXPERIENCE

•Argued in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania for employer 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 employer in Title VII 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.
•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

COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES

•Ms. Banks has been active in Schnader’s pro bono practice. She litigated a prisoner civil rights claim in which she deposed the warden and several prison guards and defended her client’s deposition.

News

12/13/2017
Schnader Attorneys Receive Recognition for Pro Bono Efforts

6/6/2016
Schnader Welcomes Three New Associates

Articles

02/13/2018
Jo Bennett and Samantha Banks Analyze Landmark Labor Case on Resolving Disputes through Arbitration
12/05/2017
Tip-Pooling Expansion on the Horizon
10/04/2017
Uber Driver Compensation Claims Survive Summary Judgment in EDPA

Alerts

12/04/2018
New Anti-Hazing Law Requires PA Colleges & Universities to Post Semi-Annual Reports, with Initial Reports Due Jan. 15, 2019
08/01/2018
PA Supreme Court to Decide Overtime Formula for Nonexempt Salaried Employees with Flexible Workweeks
01/30/2018
2nd Circuit Reinforces Standard of Proof to Rebut Class Certification