Law for the 21st Century is about transition and change. In litigation, this means the adoption and effective use of technology and case management solutions paired with a common-sense approach to problem solving that conserves client resources. With decades of trial and litigation experience, Leonard has built a reputation as formidable yet practical advocates. Thorough preparation, strategic analysis and a relentless desire to succeed are the hallmarks of the firm’s commercial litigation practice.
Complementing its litigation practice, Leonard has over twenty years of experience providing general counsel to e-commerce and technology-oriented businesses, startups, and closely held business in industries and professions that may be described not only as traditional but remarkably innovative and disruptive.
Services
Leonard has been providing general counsel to technology-oriented companies since the dawn of the Internet with an emphasis on forming and supporting Internet retailers, data centers and software developers. Leonard’s legal services for technology-related issues are cutting edge, fostered by an in-depth familiarity and understanding of the complexities of technology and businesses that thrive on pushing innovation.
With a solid reputation as a boutique litigation and technology law firm, Leonard is uniquely positioned to assist start-ups and well-established technology enterprises in all phases of the business life cycle.
- Content License, Marketing, and Fulfillment Agreements
- Website Terms of Use, Copyright and Privacy Policies
- Trademark License Agreements
- Colocation/Hosting Services Agreements
- Administrative Services Agreements Formation of closely-held companies
- Employment Agreements
- Asset Purchase and Sale Agreements
From pre-litigation advice to the full spectrum of litigation, mediation and arbitration proceedings, the Leonard firm brings a substantial depth of expertise to our commercial clients.
Whether litigating partnership disputes, shareholder conflicts, unfair business practices, the misappropriation of trade secrets, or business-to-business disputes, Leonard has a willingness to engage issues and opponents head-on when necessary without losing perspective on the value of close and trusting client relationships and shared achievement.
Leonard has successfully represented individuals, partnerships, small and large businesses, start-ups and Fortune 500 companies. Our business litigation services are tailored to meet individual client needs and objectives when disagreement or discord enter a business relationship. Our first step is to understand the big picture and to work with management and legal towards an effective solution.
- Commercial Contracts
- Uniform Commercial Code (UCC)
- Unfair Trade Practices
- Oil & Gas
- Trade Secrets
- Securities
- Employment
- Product Liability
- Healthcare
- Construction
- Real Estate
- eDiscovery policies and procedures
As business law practitioners, Leonard recognizes the transitions and changes in modern business practices and is adapted to working with dynamic and innovative clients who require flexible and non-traditional legal representation. It is not surprising then that successful and energetic entrepreneurs expect available, thoughtful and responsive counsel. The firm continues to innovate and evolve to meet these demands and to exceed expectations.
- Formation of closely-held companies
- Employment Agreements
- Asset Purchase and Sale Agreements
- Social Media, Computer Use, Privacy and Internet Polices
Roy E. Leonard, Esq.
As a trial lawyer I represent individuals and privately-held and publicly traded companies in a broad range of commercial and business litigation matters. The disputes primarily involve contracts, trade secrets, fraud, unfair competition, breach of fiduciary duty, restrictive covenants and shareholder and partnership matters in federal and state courts.
As a complement to my litigation practice, I provide general counsel to closely-held businesses with an emphasis on forming and supporting technology-related clients such as Internet retailers, data centers and software developers.
Community Service & Interests
I have served on the Board of Directors of various charitable and non profit organizations but a few of the most rewarding have been serving as an Advisor to the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra Board of Directors and Chair of its New Leadership Board, and as a member of and counsel to the West Penn Minority Junior Golf Association. When not involved with charitable functions, I prefer spending time bicycling in road and track races or at the helm pursuing my passion for sailing.
- Pennsylvania State Courts
- Ohio State Courts
- U.S. District Court, Western District of Pennsylvania
- U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Western District of Pennsylvania
- U.S. District Court, Northern and Southern Districts of Ohio
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Third & Sixth Circuits
B.S., University of Dayton
- Academy of Trial Lawyers of Allegheny County, Member
- Pennsylvania Super Lawyer
- Pennsylvania Bar Association
- Ohio Bar Association
- Allegheny County Bar Association
- American Bar Association
- The Sedona Conference, Member, and Participating Member of Working Group 11 Data Privacy Team and Dialogue Leader for Data Privacy Primer
- Allegheny County Bar Association, Legal Technology and E-Discovery Committee, (Member, 2011-Present; Chair, 2015-)
Pennsylvania Supreme Court Amends Rules to Address Electronically Stored Information, Lawyers Journal, 2012; Roy E. Leonard, Esq. and Susan A. Ardisson, Esq.
Email Encryption and Client Confidentiality, The Allegheny Lawyer, 1998; Roy E. Leonard, Esq.
Representative Matters
Litigation
Representation of a nation-wide real estate title services company, including an appeal on an issue of first impression in Pennsylvania, successfully overcoming discovery objections based on the attorney-client privilege between a dissolved company and its former in-house counsel.
Representation of multi-state staffing business in successfully enforcing restrictive covenants in employment agreements.
Representation of oil and gas company in disputes with land owners over enforceability of oil and gas Leases.
Lead trial counsel of a machinery manufacturer in nation-wide products liability litigation.
As local counsel of Le’Nature’s Liquidation Trust, assisted New York law firms in an action involving claims of fraud, RICO and legal malpractice arising from massive Ponzi scheme causing more than a half billion dollars in damages to the Le’Nature’s estate.
Successful representation of data center in enforcing terms of hosting services agreement.
Protected trade secrets of manufacturer and supplier of motion controller equipment and services in litigation involving claims of breach of contract, unfair competition, wrongful procurement of information and conversion.
Successful representation of Fortune 500 pharmaceutical distributor in multi-state litigation involving breach of contract and unjust enrichment claims.
Successful defense of tire machinery manufacturer in products liability wrongful death action.
Business and Technology-Oriented Services
Formation and acquisition of Pennsylvania-based on-line retailers, software development companies and data centers.
Acquisition of diversified staffing and recruiting businesses in Pennsylvania and Ohio.
Negotiation and drafting employment agreements on behalf of employers and employees.
Acquisition of Boston-based optometry practice on behalf of Pennsylvania optometry business.
Negotiation and drafting of purchase and sale agreements, content license agreements and fulfillment agreements for on-line retailers and distributors.
Speaking Engagements
Panelist at the 20th Annual Employment Law Institute - West, sponsored by the PBI, November 17-18, 2016, presenting on Ethics of the Cloud: Technology Competence and Safeguarding Client Confidentiality, covering current issues in lawyers’ legal and ethical obligations to protect the security of data.
Speaker at Fox Chapel Area School District, September 2015, presenting to educators and administrators on student data privacy under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA) and Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA).
Dialogue Leader, The Sedona Conference®, Working Group 11 (Data Security and Privacy Liability), presenting on data privacy on June 24-25, 2015.
Panelist at the 4th Annual eDiscovery Symposium, sponsored by the PBI and ACBA Legal Technology and eDiscovery Committee, April 17, 2015, presenting on Data Breaches – Privacy and Liability, covering current issues in safeguarding personal identifiable information, claims and defenses in private data breach cases, data security class actions, and lawyers’ legal and ethical obligations to protect the security of data.
Moderator and Panelist at the 3rd Annual eDiscovery Symposium, sponsored by the PBI and ACBA Legal Technology and eDiscovery Committee, April 25, 2014, presenting on Discovery and Use of Social Media at Trial.
Panelist at the 2nd Annual eDiscovery Symposium, sponsored by the PBI and ACBA Legal Technology and eDiscovery Committee, April 26, 2013, presenting on Discovery and Use of Social Media at Trial.
Panelist at the eDiscovery Symposium, sponsored by the PBI and ACBA Legal Technology and eDiscovery Committee, April 27, 2012, presenting on eDiscovery in Complex Cases and Injunctive Relief Cases in Common Pleas Court.
Speaker at the PBI Solo & Small Firm Conference, July 17, 2012, presenting on the preservation, identification, collection and production of electronically stored information (ESI), the use of ESI at trial, effective protocols and preservation orders, and effective search tools and strategies.
In the News
Roy E. Leonard Elected to Membership in the Academy of Trial Lawyers of Allegheny County
Jun 16, 2021
Roy E. Leonard, founder of Leonard, PLLC, has been elected to the Academy of Trial Lawyers of Allegheny County. The Academy was created in the late 1950's by a number of distinguished lawyers who acti [...]
Roy Leonard to Present on TrialPad for Litigators
Mar 04, 2019
The firm is pleased to announce that Roy Leonard will be a presenter in a skills training program on using the TrialPad app at arbitrations, hearings and trial. Attendees will learn how to download e [...]
Roy Leonard to be a Presenter for Pennsylvania’s Bridge the Gap Program
Feb 04, 2019
The firm is pleased to announce that Roy Leonard will be a presenter for the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania CLE Board’s Bridge the Gap program. Bridge the Gap is a program designed to assist recent law [...]
The Leonard firm is pleased to announce that on December 11, 2018, the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania entered a final order approving a class action settlement o [...]