Biography

He focuses his practice on labor and employment law matters, including litigation, arbitration, appeal practice, and counseling in said matters. Mr. Antongiorgi-Betancourt also has extensive experience in conducting internal labor and employment-related audits as part of Mergers and Acquisitions transactions and foregoing businesses.

Mr. Antongiorgi-Betancourt prepared a bill for the amendment of Article 2 of the Workers Accident Compensation Act, which was the basis for the statutory amendment adopted through Act No. 263 of September 8, 2004.  He also conceptualized and drafted other labor and employment-related legislation for the Government.

He joined McConnell Valdés in 1996.  From 1985 to 1996 his practice consisted of general and commercial litigation, and the litigation of administrative matters before local and federal agencies in the fields of education, estate, taxes, bankruptcy, constitutional law, labor and employment law, arbitration, and appeal practice.

Mr. Antongiorgi-Betancourt, who was Assistant to the Legal Advisor to the Chancellor of the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras campus, from 1982 to 1985, has contributed articles for newspapers on drug testing of employees in the public and private sector.

Representative Cases

Some of his representative cases include:

• Cardona Román v. University of Puerto Rico et al., 799 F.Supp 2d 120 (2011): Dismissal of claims against the University of Puerto Rico and state officials based on the Eleventh Amendment immunity; dismissal of claim against state officials in their individual capacities under the Americans With Disabilities Act.
• Alvarado et al. v. Motorola, 2010 PR App Lexis 3553: Successfully defended in appeal the dismissal of 257 claims based upon res judicata and statute of limitations doctrine.
• Pueblo, Inc. et al. v. Secretario del Trabajo, 2010 PR App Lexis 1009: Reversed in appeal the Court of First Instance’s dismissal of the complaint requesting the annulment of a provision of the Department of Labor Regulation on the Annual Bonus.  The Court of Appeals ruled that the regulatory provision was null.
• Tormos Pol v. University of Puerto Rico et al., Civil No. 10-1935 CCC, September 29, 2011: Dismissal of a Title VII civil action alleging gender discrimination against the University of Puerto Rico and the Dean of the University’s Medical School.
• Matías-Cardona v. Verizon Wireless Puerto Rico, Inc., 610 F.Supp 2d, 157 (2009): Dismissal of civil action claiming discrimination in violation of the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, the Americans With Disabilities Act, and several Puerto Rico state laws.
• Arce Bucetta v Motorola, 173 D.P.R. 516 (2008): Leading case in statute of limitations, tolling, class actions and representative actions.
• Torres-Alemán v. Verizon Wireless Puerto Rico, Inc., 522 F.Supp. 2d 367 (2007): Partial dismissal of employee claims brought pursuant to Title VII, Americans With Disabilities Act, Age Discrimination in the Employment Act, and several local statutes.
• Ocasio v. Kelly Servs., 163 D.P.R. 653 (2005): Partial reversal of judgment in default against Dupont Agricultural Corporation; leading case in the area of liability of a principal for leased employees.
• Vizcarrondo v. Board of Trustees of University of Puerto Rico, 139 F.Supp. 2d 198 (2001): Partial dismissal of claims under Title VII, Americans With Disabilities Act, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, Section 1983, and state anti-discrimination laws against the University of Puerto Rico and officials, based upon the Eleventh Amendment doctrine of res judicata and collateral estoppel.
• Caribbean Petroleum Co. v. Depto Hacienda, 134 D.P.R. 861 (1993): Litigated and prevailed in a claim against the Treasury Department of Puerto Rico requesting reimbursement of over $1M.

He served as local co-counselor in the following:

• Representation of Aramark Uniform and Career Apparel, LLC in the acquisition of the assets of Ameri Pride Services, Inc.’s business (Edis Industrial Laundry), 2010.
• Representation of PR Ltd. in the acquisition of Medisearch’s business, 2010.
• Reorganization of Motorola’s corporations in Puerto Rico, 2009.
• Representation of Kaman Industrial Technologies in the acquisition of Industrial Rubber Mechanical, 2008.

Practices

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