The firm is pleased to announce that Roy Leonard will moderate a panel discussion on Artificial Intelligence and Legal Practice sponsored by the Allegheny County Bar Association Legal Technology and eDiscovery Committee. Panelists Professors Kevin D. Ashley and Michael Madison of the University of Pittsburgh School of Law and Kevin Miller, CEO of LegalSifter will discuss how Artificial Intelligence is transforming the legal profession and how these advancements can lead to greater efficiency, productivity and profitability. The program focuses on new developments in legal text analytics as applied to e-discovery and predictive coding; automated contract review and due diligence analysis; and litigation support. These developments will be illustrated with new commercial and research tools. The program will also address practical considerations, including law firm strategy regarding AI, sourcing strategies and considerations in choosing AI tools. This program will be held from noon to 2:00 p.m. on February 15, 2018, at the Koppers Building, E. P. Mellon Room, 436 Seventh Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15219.

The firm is pleased to announce that Roy Leonard will be presenting on the topic of Ethics of the Cloud: Technology Competence and Safeguarding Client Confidentiality at the 20th Annual Employment Law Institute - West, sponsored by the PBI, November 17-18, 2016, The presentation will cover current issues in lawyers’ legal and ethical obligations to protect the security of data.

On an issue of first impression in Pennsylvania concerning the attorney-client privilege, Roy Leonard successfully represented on appeal before the Pennsylvania Superior Court, real estate services companies Red Vision Systems, Inc. and TitleVision Texas in a breach of contract case titled Red Vision Systems v. National Real Estate Information Systems, Case No. 416 WDA 2014.

In a case filed on behalf of a trust beneficiary in the Probate Division of the Common Pleas Court of Hamilton County, Ohio, Roy Leonard successfully defeated a motion to dismiss filed by Fifth Third Bank in a case in which the bank, as trustee of multiple Trusts, is accused of breaching its fiduciary duties by failing to diversify the trusts’ equity holdings which resulted in the Trusts permanently losing tens of millions of dollars in asset value.

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.