Mary Leslie Smith
Associé/retraité
Leslie Smith est associée chez Foley & Lardner LLP. Leslie plaide dans divers litiges commerciaux devant les tribunaux fédéraux et étatiques, tant en première instance qu'en appel. Dans le cadre de son activité dans le domaine de la franchise et de la distribution, elle fournit à ses clients des services de conseil et de contentieux, depuis les négociations initiales jusqu'à la résolution du litige, y compris la médiation, l'arbitrage et le procès. Leslie a représenté des franchiseurs et des distributeurs dans divers litiges commerciaux portant sur des marques, des secrets commerciaux, des clauses de non-concurrence et des actions en responsabilité du fait d'autrui. Elle est membre du groupe Distribution & Franchise et ancienne associée directrice du bureau de Miami.
Expérience des représentants
- 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
Prix et reconnaissance
- 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
- Classé AV Preeminent® par ses pairs, la plus haute note de performance dans 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)
Affiliations
- Member, Forum on Franchising
- Membre de l'American Bar Association
- Member, International Franchise Association
- Member, Board of Governors Young Lawyers Division Executive Committee
- Membre de l'Organisation des femmes présidentes
- Member 100+ Women Who Care
- Past member, Governing Committee
- Past member, Florida State Bar Association
- Past-president, Dade County Bar Association
Présentations et publications
- Co-author, “Annual Franchise and Distribution Law Developments,” American Bar Association (2004)