Santina M. Graceffa, Esq.

Santina is an associate attorney at Lardiere McNair DiNicola & Stonebrook Ltd., LPA. Santina has been employed with Lardiere McNair since the summer of 2021. Since starting at the firm, she has focused her practice on family law, including divorces and dissolution, custody, grandparents’ rights, stepparent adoption, contempt proceedings, CPOs/CSPOs and post-decree modifications/enforcement. Santina also focuses her practice on the firm’s non-felony criminal defense practice. She defends clients who have received traffic citations, OVIs, and various other misdemeanor criminal charges.

Santina has counseled clients through some of the most difficult times in their lives in deciding to terminate their marriage or obtain custody of their minor children. She received a favorable decision after arguing a bench trial, which resulted in a reduction of child support and residential school placement for her client. Santina has negotiated satisfactory outcomes for several clients as they work to protect their marital interests. She is knowledgeable in the Ohio domestic laws and has received many favorable results for her clients in her time with the firm.

Santina has successfully defended numerous clients on traffic citations and misdemeanor criminal charges resulting in complete dismissals of their cases. Santina has worked to receive mandatory minimums for OVI clients and obtained liberal driving privileges for these clients.

Santina’s experience as an attorney began in an immigration firm and she continues to represent foreign nationals in family-based immigration processes, including K-1s. Santina also has experience representing companies that sponsor foreign nationals on H-1B and L-1 Visas. She has experience obtaining derivative Visas for H-1B and L-1 employees’ family members and is well-versed in filing H-4 and L-2 petitions. Santina has experience working with Lawful Permanent Residents, also known as Green Card holders, in assisting with their Naturalization.

Santina graduated cum laude from Capital University Law School and passed the 2020 bar exam. While in law school, she received the CALI for Excellence Award in Contracts I and Contracts II. She was a Staff Member of Volume 47 of Capital University’s Law Review and was a Research Assistant for Professor Peggy Cordray. Santina was also the Vice President of Capital’s Chapter of the American Constitution Society. Santina is a member of Women Lawyers of Franklin County, the Ohio State Bar Association, and the Columbus Bar Association. Prior to law school, Santina attended Tiffin University where she graduated cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in Forensic Psychology. Santina played soccer for Tiffin University and was a 2-year captain of the Women’s Soccer team.

Santina is originally from Rockford, Illinois where most of her family still lives. Since 2017, Santina has lived in Columbus, Ohio with her partner, Brendton, and their dog, Caesar. Santina enjoys working out, traveling, reading, and coaching soccer.