Leslie Smith is a partner with Foley & Lardner LLP. Leslie litigates a range of commercial matters at both the trial and appellate levels in both federal and state courts. Her franchising and distribution practice provides clients with counseling and litigation services, from initial negotiations through resolution, including mediation, arbitration and trial. Leslie has represented franchisors and distributors in a variety of commercial disputes involving trademarks, trade secrets, covenants not to compete and vicarious liability claims. She is a member of the Distribution & Franchise Practice and the former managing partner of the Miami office.
Repräsentative Erfahrung
- Obtaining a favorable verdict for a hospitality franchisor client on its counterclaim for breach of a franchise agreement preceded by the entry of summary judgment in favor of the franchisor, its parent company and two former employees on the franchisee’s complaint alleging RICO violations. The counterclaim was tried non-jury after the court granted our clients’ motion to strike jury demand
- Obtaining a summary judgment on a franchisor’s claims for post termination trademark infringement and counterfeiting against its former franchisee
- Obtaining injunctive relief on a distributor’s claims against a former employee for misappropriation of trade secrets and violations of a covenant not to compete
- Successfully defending a franchisor client from a competitor’s motion for injunctive relief arising out of claims of false advertising
- Obtaining a summary judgment for a franchisor in a wrongful death action involving Florida’s Dram Shop law
- Obtaining a preliminary injunction against a former employee of a logistics client for violation of the employee’s covenant not to compete who claimed the covenant to be unenforceable on the grounds of workplace harassment
- Winning preliminary injunctions on behalf of many franchisor clients to prevent former franchisee’s unauthorized use of the franchisor’s registered trademarks
Auszeichnungen und Anerkennungen
- Selected as a 2023 “Franchise Law Lawyer of the Year” by Best Lawyers.
- Recognized by Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business as one of the top franchise attorneys nationwide (2010 – 2023)
- Selected by her peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America© in the field of Franchise Law (2013 – 2024)
- Recognized as a Top Lawyer – Franchise in South Florida Legal Guide (2015 – 2018)
- Named to BTI Consulting Group’s coveted Client Service All Star Team in 2017, this honor is bestowed upon individual attorneys who deliver outstanding client service according to corporate counsel interviewed at large organizations with $1 billion or more in revenue
- Peer-Review-Rating als AV Preeminent®, die höchste Leistungsbewertung in Martindale-Hubbell® Peer Review Ratings™
- Recognized by The International Who’s Who of Franchise Lawyers (2009 – 2013, 2016 – 2017)
- Selected for inclusion in the Florida Super Lawyers list (2014 – 2017)
- Recognized by her peers as one of Franchise Times Legal Eagles (2013 – 2014)
Zugehörigkeiten
- Member, Forum on Franchising
- Mitglied, Amerikanische Anwaltskammer
- Member, International Franchise Association
- Member, Board of Governors Young Lawyers Division Executive Committee
- Mitglied der Women Presidents' Organization
- Member 100+ Women Who Care
- Past member, Governing Committee
- Past member, Florida State Bar Association
- Past-president, Dade County Bar Association
Präsentationen und Veröffentlichungen
- Co-author, “Annual Franchise and Distribution Law Developments,” American Bar Association (2004)
Leslie Smith spricht über das Wachstum des Rechtsmarktes in Florida
Leslie Smith, geschäftsführende Partnerin der Kanzlei Foley & Lardner LLP in Miami, sprach mit Law360 für dessen Artikel „Fla. Law Firm Leaders Envision Continued Growth In 2024” (Führungskräfte von Anwaltskanzleien in Florida erwarten für 2024 weiteres Wachstum).
Foley-Anwälte werden in den 2024 Best Lawyers in America aufgeführt
Foley & Lardner LLP gab heute mit Stolz bekannt, dass 236 Anwälte der Kanzlei aus 20 US-Büros in der Ausgabe 2024 von The Best Lawyers in America© ausgezeichnet worden sind.
Foley erhält Top-Platzierungen bei Chambers USA 2023
Foley & Lardner LLP freut sich, bekannt zu geben, dass sie von Chambers & Partners in der Ausgabe 2023 von Chambers USA, America's Leading Lawyers for Business, erneut als eine der besten Anwaltskanzleien des Landes ausgezeichnet wurde.
Foley-Anwälte in den 2023 Best Lawyers in America aufgenommen
Foley & Lardner LLP gibt mit Stolz bekannt, dass 250 unserer Anwälte aus 20 Büros in der Ausgabe 2023 von The Best Lawyers in America ausgezeichnet worden sind.
Foley zählt in Chambers USA 2022 zu den besten Anwaltskanzleien des Landes
Foley wurde erneut von Chambers & Partners als eine der besten Anwaltskanzleien in der Ausgabe 2022 von Chambers USA, America's Leading Lawyers for Business, ausgezeichnet.
Words Matter: Crafting Arbitration Agreements That Stick — A View from the Trenches
Join Foley’s Roland Potts, Leslie Smith, and Michael Lockerby on May 19 in a detailed discussion of arbitration agreements and how to ensure they remain enforceable, mean what they say, and say what they mean.