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Lenard Leeds

Lenard Leeds is an experienced matrimonial and custody lawyer. He has been involved in several landmark equitable-distribution cases, including the valuation of a professional license and rights under pension plans.

Mr. Leeds is a litigator with more than 25 years of trial experience who has handled hundreds of trials and administrative proceedings in New York state and federal courts. He is a senior partner and has recently been featured in the NY Times, NY Law Journal, Newsday and Long Island Business News. He has appeared as a legal expert on dozens of television and radio shows on NBC, CNN, Court TV, MSNBC and FoxNews.

Newsday reported that he was the first lawyer to represent media darling Anna Nicole Smith when she was blocked from money belonging to her husband, billionaire J. Howard Marshall. The New York Law Journal recently wrote: "Mr. Leeds has a reputation as a tough litigator… ." Long Island Business News wrote that Mr. Leeds is one of the island's most respected attorneys, and Newsday added that Mr. Leeds is a prominent specialist who has won millions of dollars for victims of age, sex and racial bias.

Mr. Leeds has represented celebrities and sports personalities such as Anna Nicole Smith, Peter Max, Jackie Mason and Jay Black and was the lawyer in some of the leading New York cases in family law, divorce, child custody, matrimonial law and employment law.

Jeffrey Brown

One of the biggest reasons for the success of Leeds Morelli & Brown as a premier litigation firm in New York is senior partner Jeff Brown. In 1998, he served as lead counsel in a real estate discrimination case in which he recovered $19 million on behalf of 135 Asian condominium owners in Flushing, Queens. The New York Times and New York Law Journal reported on this important case.

Mr. Brown handles class-action cases and high-profile individual actions, primarily civil rights discrimination. In 2005, he sued a private contractor for millions of dollars, claiming the contractor failed to pay appropriate wages owed pursuant to federal and state contracts to 16 Hispanic employees. The New York state comptroller's office stated that Mr. Brown’s recovery was one of the largest ever in a prevailing wage case. Currently, Mr. Brown is representing clients against some of the world's largest corporations. He recently negotiated an agreement with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to prosecute a race discrimination class-action case against Allied Aviation.

Mr. Brown's ability to achieve large settlements for his clients is a big reason the mere mention of the name Leeds Morelli & Brown evokes fear, and a desire to settle, in the hearts of corporate executives.

Additionally, Mr. Brown was honored as the 2006 "Man of the Year" for his dedication and commitment to The Workplace Project. This organization unites immigrant workers and their families for better working and living conditions.

On a final note, Mr. Brown has appeared many times on television and in other media outlets speaking about civil rights and employment issues. He lectures for the New York State Trial Lawyers Association and for civil rights organizations.

Rick Ostrove

Rick Ostrove is lead trial counsel for Leeds Morelli & Brown. He made legal history as lead counsel in the first case where a court ruled that workplace harassment based on sexual orientation violates the 14th Amendment's Equal Protection Clause. Juries agree with his persuasive arguments, and, in one recent case, the jury awarded his client $1.5 million for emotional damages.

Mr. Ostrove has been lead trial counsel in more than 25 jury trials in New York’s federal and state courts. Although he primarily practices in the area of civil rights law, Mr. Ostrove has tried a number of commercial cases, including a complex trademark claim brought under the Federal Lanham Act. This action involved 57 witnesses and 32 experts. After closing statements, U.S. District Judge Leonard D. Wexler stated on the record that Mr. Ostrove’s trial performance was "fantastic, superb and excellent."

Mr. Ostrove regularly speaks on civil rights issues and appears on "The O'Reilly Factor," Court TV and other media outlets. One of his trial victories was featured on ABC's "20/20." Mr. Ostrove teaches employment law to lawyers at continuing legal education classes hosted by state, county and local bar associations. He has lectured at the annual convention of Gender Pac (a Washington, D.C., organization dedicated to eradicating all forms of gender discrimination) and Chubb Insurance Company.

Mr. Ostrove joined Leeds Morelli & Brown in 1996. He graduated summa cum laude from Hofstra University School of Law.