About Michael I.
Michael I. Leonard is a trial lawyer who has spent three decades in Illinois courtrooms. He built a steady career in litigation, moving from courtroom apprentice to law firm partner and then to founding his own practice. He is known in local legal circles for a steady courtroom presence and long experience on civil matters.
Leonard completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Iowa, earning a B.A. in political science in 1988. He went on to law school at Loyola University Chicago School of Law and received his J.D. in 1991. Those years set the foundation for a practice centered on litigation and trial work.
He began his legal career soon after law school as an associate at Phelan Pope & John in 1991. In 1994 he moved to Meckler Bulger & Tilson as an associate and advanced to partner there in 1998. After more than a decade in that firm environment, he formed Leonard Trial Lawyers LLC and became a partner in 2013. The move to his own firm marked a shift to a smaller, trial-focused practice where he could manage cases from intake through trial.
Throughout his career Leonard has worked primarily in Illinois courts. He maintains membership in the State Bar of Illinois. His practice has involved a range of civil litigation matters and courtroom trials, reflecting years spent developing litigation strategies and trying cases. Colleagues and opposing counsel have come to recognize him as an experienced trial attorney who handles the procedural and evidentiary demands of trial practice.
Today he practices from Leonard Trial Lawyers LLC. His work centers on trial litigation in Illinois and includes case development, pretrial preparation, and courtroom advocacy. He currently practices at Leonard Trial Lawyers LLC, concentrating on trial litigation in Illinois.
