Smithsonian Names Judith Leonard GC
In June, Leonard moves on to her newest appointment, as general counsel of the Smithsonian Institution.
April 30, 2009 at 08:00 PM
3 minute read
Judith Leonard has always been interested in non-profit organizations, even before she became a lawyer. In addition to working as a government lawyer, she worked in-house at the University of North Carolina before her current job as vice president for legal affairs and general counsel at The University of Arizona.
In June, she moves on to her newest appointment, as general counsel of the Smithsonian Institution, where she will manage the 17-person legal department, coordinate litigation with the Department of Justice and represent the institution in administrative proceedings.
“The Smithsonian is an amazing institution,” Leonard says.
It's the perfect place for Leonard, who has long had a passion for education and public institutions.
She attended law school at the University of North Carolina thinking she would work in education law or policymaking, but as far as her specific jobs since school go, she says she has always “taken opportunities as they present themselves, rather than plan it out.”
In addition to working at her alma mater and in Arizona academia, she worked in the Arizona Attorney General's office and the U.S. Department of Education, and later was general counsel of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy.
When she's not working, Leonard enjoys non-fiction, cooking and dance and theater performances. She is lucky enough to find satisfaction in her work as well, and she is glad to stay in the research world, where the people around her are part of cutting edge projects.
“Working in research institutions is extremely stimulating,” she says. “The challenges are superb.”
Judith Leonard has always been interested in non-profit organizations, even before she became a lawyer. In addition to working as a government lawyer, she worked in-house at the University of North Carolina before her current job as vice president for legal affairs and general counsel at The University of Arizona.
In June, she moves on to her newest appointment, as general counsel of the Smithsonian Institution, where she will manage the 17-person legal department, coordinate litigation with the Department of Justice and represent the institution in administrative proceedings.
“The Smithsonian is an amazing institution,” Leonard says.
It's the perfect place for Leonard, who has long had a passion for education and public institutions.
She attended law school at the University of North Carolina thinking she would work in education law or policymaking, but as far as her specific jobs since school go, she says she has always “taken opportunities as they present themselves, rather than plan it out.”
In addition to working at her alma mater and in Arizona academia, she worked in the Arizona Attorney General's office and the U.S. Department of Education, and later was general counsel of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy.
When she's not working, Leonard enjoys non-fiction, cooking and dance and theater performances. She is lucky enough to find satisfaction in her work as well, and she is glad to stay in the research world, where the people around her are part of cutting edge projects.
“Working in research institutions is extremely stimulating,” she says. “The challenges are superb.”
This content has been archived. It is available through our partners, LexisNexis® and Bloomberg Law.
To view this content, please continue to their sites.
Not a Lexis Subscriber?
Subscribe Now
Not a Bloomberg Law Subscriber?
Subscribe Now
NOT FOR REPRINT
© 2024 ALM Global, LLC, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to [email protected]. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.
You Might Like
View AllBeyond the Title: Developing a Personal Brand as General Counsel
Step 1 for Successful Negotiators: Believe in Yourself
Deluge of Trump-Leery Government Lawyers Join Job Market, Setting Up Free-for-All for Law Firm, In-House Openings
4 minute readTrending Stories
Who Got The Work
Michael G. Bongiorno, Andrew Scott Dulberg and Elizabeth E. Driscoll from Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr have stepped in to represent Symbotic Inc., an A.I.-enabled technology platform that focuses on increasing supply chain efficiency, and other defendants in a pending shareholder derivative lawsuit. The case, filed Oct. 2 in Massachusetts District Court by the Brown Law Firm on behalf of Stephen Austen, accuses certain officers and directors of misleading investors in regard to Symbotic's potential for margin growth by failing to disclose that the company was not equipped to timely deploy its systems or manage expenses through project delays. The case, assigned to U.S. District Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton, is 1:24-cv-12522, Austen v. Cohen et al.
Who Got The Work
Edmund Polubinski and Marie Killmond of Davis Polk & Wardwell have entered appearances for data platform software development company MongoDB and other defendants in a pending shareholder derivative lawsuit. The action, filed Oct. 7 in New York Southern District Court by the Brown Law Firm, accuses the company's directors and/or officers of falsely expressing confidence in the company’s restructuring of its sales incentive plan and downplaying the severity of decreases in its upfront commitments. The case is 1:24-cv-07594, Roy v. Ittycheria et al.
Who Got The Work
Amy O. Bruchs and Kurt F. Ellison of Michael Best & Friedrich have entered appearances for Epic Systems Corp. in a pending employment discrimination lawsuit. The suit was filed Sept. 7 in Wisconsin Western District Court by Levine Eisberner LLC and Siri & Glimstad on behalf of a project manager who claims that he was wrongfully terminated after applying for a religious exemption to the defendant's COVID-19 vaccine mandate. The case, assigned to U.S. Magistrate Judge Anita Marie Boor, is 3:24-cv-00630, Secker, Nathan v. Epic Systems Corporation.
Who Got The Work
David X. Sullivan, Thomas J. Finn and Gregory A. Hall from McCarter & English have entered appearances for Sunrun Installation Services in a pending civil rights lawsuit. The complaint was filed Sept. 4 in Connecticut District Court by attorney Robert M. Berke on behalf of former employee George Edward Steins, who was arrested and charged with employing an unregistered home improvement salesperson. The complaint alleges that had Sunrun informed the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection that the plaintiff's employment had ended in 2017 and that he no longer held Sunrun's home improvement contractor license, he would not have been hit with charges, which were dismissed in May 2024. The case, assigned to U.S. District Judge Jeffrey A. Meyer, is 3:24-cv-01423, Steins v. Sunrun, Inc. et al.
Who Got The Work
Greenberg Traurig shareholder Joshua L. Raskin has entered an appearance for boohoo.com UK Ltd. in a pending patent infringement lawsuit. The suit, filed Sept. 3 in Texas Eastern District Court by Rozier Hardt McDonough on behalf of Alto Dynamics, asserts five patents related to an online shopping platform. The case, assigned to U.S. District Judge Rodney Gilstrap, is 2:24-cv-00719, Alto Dynamics, LLC v. boohoo.com UK Limited.
Featured Firms
Law Offices of Gary Martin Hays & Associates, P.C.
(470) 294-1674
Law Offices of Mark E. Salomone
(857) 444-6468
Smith & Hassler
(713) 739-1250