About Leslie J
Leslie J Anderson completed her undergraduate studies at Drury University, earning a B.A. in Psychology and Criminology with honors in 1994. She went on to Lewis & Clark Law School, where she received her J.D. in 1999 and studied International Business, Trade, and Tax Law. While in law school she interned with the Oregon Department of Justice’s Financial Fraud Division in 1996, an early exposure to white-collar investigation and regulatory work.
She launched a private practice in 1999, opening the Law Office of Leslie J. Anderson. That early firm work established her as a resource for individuals navigating the criminal justice system and for clients facing complex legal questions. The move into solo practice came immediately after law school and set the tone for a career that has moved between public service and private defense.
In 2012 Anderson joined the Missouri Public Defender’s Office. There she worked on state criminal matters and learned the rhythms of courtroom work and client advocacy under pressure. Her membership in the Missouri Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers began that year and has continued into the present. That affiliation reflects ongoing engagement with peers who practice criminal defense across Missouri.
After her time with the public defender, she entered private practice roles again. In 2015 she worked at The Benson Law Office. Three years later she took a position at Silvernail Law Office, LLC. Those positions expanded the range of her work and returned her to a setting where she could represent private clients alongside occasional public appointments.
Her background combines courtroom experience, private practice, and an early specialty exposure to financial fraud matters. The law school coursework in international business and tax law adds a different dimension to her training, although her professional record centers on criminal defense and related client representation. Colleagues and clients have noted her ability to explain legal options plainly and to manage cases through each procedural stage.
As of 2026 she is practicing at Silvernail Law Office, LLC. Her work continues to involve criminal defense and representation of clients in state matters, drawing on years in both the public defender’s office and private practice.
