
Michael I. Leonard
Chicago Federal Criminal Lawyer
Practice Areas
Criminal Law Federal, Drug Crime, Marijuana, Retail Theft, Burglary, Violent Crimes, Weapon Charges
Main Office
Leonard Trial Lawyers
120 North LaSalle Street, Suite 2000
Chicago, IL 60602
Phone: 312-815-6572
Fax: 312-264-0671
About Michael I. Leonard
Mike Leonard is a highly esteemed trial attorney with a national reputation. His legal practice primarily focuses on Federal and State criminal cases, as well as civil matters such as employment disputes, whistleblower claims, retaliation cases, qui tam (False Claims Act) lawsuits, commercial and business disputes, and personal injury cases. Over the course of his thirty-year career, Mike has dedicated himself to the courtroom, serving as a trial attorney and litigator.
Notably, Mike is recognized as a unique practitioner, as he is believed to be the only attorney currently practicing who has achieved six or more complete not guilty jury verdicts across all counts and charges in Federal criminal prosecutions initiated by the United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Illinois. In recent Federal criminal jury trials, Mike secured four not guilty verdicts on all counts and charges, obtained a dismissal of all charges during a trial, and encountered a mistrial. This impressive track record includes one of the rare Federal criminal not guilty jury verdicts in the Northern District of Illinois in 2020.
In the realm of civil trials, Mike's accomplishments have been equally noteworthy, encompassing Illinois State courts in Cook, Kane, DuPage, and Lake Counties, as well as Federal courts across the United States, including Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, and Virginia. His clients have emerged victorious before juries in these jurisdictions in cases related to employment discrimination, retaliation and whistleblowing claims, securities fraud, civil rights violations, breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty, and various other commercial disputes.
Mike has received consistent acclaim as an exceptional trial attorney, earning recognition from esteemed organizations such as Super Lawyers, Leading Lawyers, American’s Top Criminal Defense Lawyers, Top 100 Trial Lawyers, and America’s Top High Stakes Litigators.
Education
Loyola Chicago School of Law, J.D.-1991University of Iowa, B.A.-1988
Bar Associations
Illinois State Bar AssociationHonors & Awards
International Human Rights Law Group Pro Bono Service Award- PresentSuper Lawyers- Present
Leading Lawyers- Present
America's Top Trial Lawyers- Present
Criminal Defense Top 10- Present
Professional Associations
American Bar AssociationNational Association Criminal Defense Lawyers
U.S. District Court Northern District of Illinois
U.S. Court of Appeals 10th Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals 7th Circuit
U.S. Supreme Court
U.S. Court of Appeals 3rd Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals 6th Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals 9th Circuit
