Born in Yauco, Puerto Rico. Fluent in English and Spanish. Manolo combines a mathematical mind with genuine warmth to help clients navigate the most complex bankruptcy and litigation matters. He doesn’t just understand the law. He makes it make sense.
Manolo Santiago grew up in Yauco, a small town on the southern coast of Puerto Rico. He earned his degree from the University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez Campus, before making his way to Texas to practice law.
That journey shapes everything about how he works: the cultural awareness, the bilingual fluency, and the ability to connect with clients from every background.
As Managing Attorney at Tittle Santiago, PLLC, Manolo handles the firm’s most complex bankruptcy and litigation cases. Chapter 7, Chapter 13, Chapter 11, Subchapter V, adversary proceedings, motions for relief from stay, creditor disputes.
If a case requires strategic thinking and courtroom skill, it’s likely on Manolo’s desk.
The Mathematical Mind
Manolo sees bankruptcy as a math problem to be solved. Where other attorneys speak in abstractions, Manolo speaks in numbers. He’ll break down your monthly payment to the dollar, calculate the exact impact of surrendering an asset, and walk you through every scenario with concrete arithmetic.
“Four trucks multiplied by 20 is 80. We give them one truck back, three multiplied by 20 is 60. That’s $20 less a month. That’s how it works. It’s math.”
This approach isn’t just impressive. It’s genuinely useful. Clients leave conversations with Manolo understanding not just what’s happening with their case, but exactly why, and exactly what the numbers mean for their family or their business.
Bilingual. Bicultural. Real.
Manolo is fully bilingual in English and Spanish, but it goes deeper than translation. When he speaks Spanish with clients, he doesn’t just switch languages. He shifts into a different register entirely: warmer, more idiomatic, culturally connected.
Puerto Rican expressions, family references, shared experiences. For Spanish-speaking clients in Dallas who are navigating the American bankruptcy system for the first time, having an attorney who truly speaks their language is the difference between confusion and confidence.
“De que parte de Puerto Rico? Yo soy de Yauco…” And just like that, a client who walked in feeling like a case number walks out feeling like they’re working with family.
The Anti-Sales Attorney
One of the things that makes Manolo unusual is his willingness to talk clients out of services they don’t need. He will actively discourage you from spending money on something that won’t help your situation. He’ll tell you the truth about your odds. He’ll give you real numbers, not vague promises.
That honesty builds the kind of trust that drives referrals. When Manolo tells you a strategy will work, you believe him, because you’ve already seen him tell you when something won’t.
Litigation Strategy
Beyond standard bankruptcy filings, Manolo is the firm’s go-to for complex litigation. Adversary proceedings, creditor disputes, contested matters, motions for relief from stay. He builds multi-path strategic frameworks, anticipates opposing counsel’s moves, and prepares for every scenario. His legal research is thorough and precise, and his courtroom strategy reflects years of understanding how local judges think and rule.
Education
University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez Campus
Bar Admissions
- Texas State Bar
- U.S. District Court, Northern District of Texas
Specialties
- Bankruptcy Litigation
- Chapter 7, 13, & 11
- Subchapter V
- Adversary Proceedings
- Business Bankruptcy
- Creditor Disputes