Insights
Fourth Circuit Reverses $1 Billion Award for Vicarious Liability Claim for More than 10,000 Works
March 26, 2024
Leia Leitner is an experienced complex commercial litigator in federal and state courts. Her practice focuses primarily on art law, cannabis law, complex tort and general casualty, construction litigation, and intellectual property and brand protection.
Prior to joining Wilson Elser, Leia was an associate at a boutique law firm in Maitland, Florida, where she focused primarily on class action matters filed by consumers relating to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) and the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA). In this capacity, she represented corporations, collection agencies, debt buyers and credit reporting agencies. She also prepared copyright and trademark applications for new business owners and entertainment clients.
Leia also worked as an associate attorney for a boutique intellectual property and technology firm in Orlando, Florida, where she focused on all aspects of copyright, trademark prosecution, business litigation, government investigations, and qui tam actions filed under the False Claims Act. She also drafted settlement agreements and negotiated contracts for matters involving sports, music and entertainment law.
Leia brings a wide range of legal knowledge working in various practice areas.
Areas of Focus
Art Law
Leia provides reliable legal counsel to virtually all participants in the creation, licensing, sale, lending, gifting, merchandising and display of art. Leia represents artists, collectors and buyers, sellers, insurers, gallerists and dealers, consultants and museums.
Cannabis Law
Leia advises new business owners within the legalized cannabis industry and organizations outside the industry on the impact of the rapidly evolving state and federal regulatory landscape.
Intellectual Property / Brand Protection
Leia handles the prosecution and defense of trademark, copyright and trade secret litigation on behalf of restaurants, nonprofit organizations, and clothing and health care companies. She has successfully litigated and defended copyright infringement claims and handled trade secret and trademark infringement litigation on behalf of various companies, and is experienced in Lanham Act litigation.
Complex Tort & General Casualty
Leia handles pre-suit and litigation matters for complex and catastrophic claims involving automobile and trucking accidents, environmental property damage, premises liability and other general liability claims.
- Florida A&M University College of Law (J.D., 2011)
- Book Award, Upper Level Writing Course “Children and the Constitution”; Research Assistant
- University of California, San Diego (B.A. Political Science, 2003)
- Florida
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit
- U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida
- U.S. District Court, Northern District of Florida
- U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida
- Grievance Committee, U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida, 2022–2025
- President, Federal Bar Association – Orlando Chapter, 2023-2024
- Board Member, Lake Mary Woods Homeowners Association, 2016-2023
- Programs Chair, Central Florida Association for Women Lawyers, 2022-2023
- Consumer Protection Law Committee, Florida Bar, 2021–2022
- Intellectual Property Committee, Orange County Bar Association, 2021–2022
- Co-chair, Law Day 5K, Orange County Bar Association, 2021–2022
- Class VIII, The Florida Bar Leadership Academy, 2020–2021
- President, Greater Orlando Asian American Bar Association, 2019-2020
- Selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® Ones to Watch™, 2024-2025
- Selection to Florida Trend’s 2022 Florida Legal Elite
- Super Lawyers® Rising Stars™ Personal Injury Defense and Intellectual Property, Florida, 2022
- Selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America®: Ones to Watch in the area of Commercial Litigation and Litigation - Intellectual Property, 2022-2023
- Selected for inclusion in Super Lawyers® Florida Rising Stars™, 2019–2023