Marty B. Leewright, M.A., J.D.,
Attorney, Mediator, Collaborative Law
Law Offices of Bob Leonard, Jr., PLLC
2800 South Hulen, Ste 210
Fort Worth Texas 76109
Tele: 817-336-8500  Fax:  817-336-8511  marty@bobleonard.com

Mediator, Collaborative Lawyer and Attorney licensed in Texas with background in Psychology and Sociology, extensive experience including Alternative Dispute Resolution, Mediation, Arbitration, Litigation, Collaborative Law, Negotiation, Settlement, Criminal Prosecution, as well as Teaching, Speaking, Authorship, and Community, Educational and State Bar leadership.

PROFESSIONAL LICENSES

Court-approved certified Mediator; Advanced Mediator Certificate; Advanced Arbitrator Certificate.  Licensed to practice law in the United States Supreme Court; All U.S. Federal District Courts and State Courts in Texas.  Also the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, Washington, D.C.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

2008-Present, Attorney, Mediator & Collaborative Law, Law Offices of Bob Leonard, Jr., PLLC, general practice handling automobile and vehicle collisions, consumer, contract, education (Higher Educ.), family law, identity theft, insurance, landlord-tenant, personal injury, probate, small claims court, wrongful death, etc; also practicing Mediation and Collaborative Law.  Teaching of Mediation and alternatives in dispute resolution, Texas Wesleyan University School of Law and Texas Woman's University.

2005-2007, Mediator & Attorney, Private general Mediation and Law Practice, of counsel to various firms, defense and prosecution of lawsuits in State and Federal Court, preparation for litigation, arbitration; mediation, negotiation and settlement of various legal disputes.  Counseled clients on legal issues.  Statutory Mediation Trainer, Texas Wesleyan University School of Law and Texas Woman's University. 

2001-2005, Attorney, Erskine & McMahon, LLP, Longview & Marshall, Texas, prosecution and defense of lawsuits, tried numerous jury trials to successful jury verdicts, many in excess of previously demanded policy limits; represented numerous clients in mediation, depositions, litigation; negotiated and settled numerous lawsuits involving torts, employment, premises, injury, wrongful death, insurance, premises liability, contract, consumer, etc., numerous appearances in State and Federal courts.  Handled serious cases involving more than one million dollars.

1990-2000, University of North Texas, Legal Advisor for Students, Counsel, Attorney and Mediator, advised and counseled on educational legal matters, litigation; prosecution and defense of lawsuits; served on numerous University leadership committees such as Sexual Harassment, Diversity, Dean Selection, FERPA, Campus Crime Reporting, ADA, etc.  Key in developing a University-wide Alternative Dispute Resolution Program (included faculty and staff), Director, Pilot Mediation Program; mediated hundreds of disputes to efficient and amicable resolution; spoke to constituent groups regarding mediation and effective conflict resolution, negotiated with criminal prosecutors to avoid student/staff criminal records; published numerous legal articles, research; conducted statutory Mediation Trainer; authored numerous self-help legal booklets and an award winning legal services website; taught legal subjects including personal, business and education law. 
 
1987-1990, Attorney, Law Offices of Don R. Windle (now Hon. Judge Don R. Windle), Denton, Texas, prosecution and defense of lawsuits, mediation, general civil litigation, wrongful death, premises liability, and personal injury; firm merged with Hammerle & Associates, Denton and Lewisville, Texas.

1985-1987, Attorney and Criminal Prosecutor, Commissioned by the State of Texas, Williamson County, Texas, criminal prosecution of offenses against the peace and dignity of the State of Texas including juvenile prosecution, also represented Texas Department of Child Protective Services; special assignment as a Special Investigator, Texas House Appropriations Committee, of the Texas Legislature.

EDUCATION

Doctor of Jurisprudence, Texas Tech University School of Law (1985)
Master of Arts, Interdisciplinary in Legal Studies, 3.84 GPA, University of North Texas (1982)
Bachelor of Arts, Sociology and Psychology, University of North Texas (1980)
All course work completed on Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration (ABD), Univ. of N. Texas (1992-99)

MILITARY SERVICE & EXPERIENCE:

U.S. Army Combat Engineer, combat service; National Defense Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal,  & Campaign & Combat medals;  Also, U.S. Army Reserves and Texas Reserves, underground Federal Intelligence and Communications facility, Top-Secret Military Security Clearance, Honorable Discharge.  (1968-1982)

MEDIATION, LITIGATION, COLLABORATIVE LAW TRAINING

Basic & Advanced Court-Annexed Mediator Training, Advanced Family Law Mediation Training 1989
Basic & Advanced Arbitrator Training- 1992
Collaborative Law Training (Chip Rose) 2008
Mediation/ADR Trainer and numerous TAM, SPIDR & SBOT ADR Seminars 1989 to present
Psychodrama and Advanced Psychodrama Training, National Psychodrama Training Center 1995-2004
Resolving Disputes without Litigation, Advanced Negotiation Strategies & Tactics 1996
Sexual Harassment, Americans with Disabilities Act, and Multicultural Diversity Training 1994-1998
Graduate, National Trial Lawyers College, Dubois, Wyoming 1995
Graduate, Advanced Graduate Course in Trial Advocacy, Trial Lawyers College, Dubois, Wyoming 1996
Intensive Trial Advocacy Program, University of Texas School of Law 1989
Federal Civil Law Practice Seminars 2000-2004

AWARDS & HONORS

University of North Texas, Star Award for Special Achievement, for "Consistent Exceptional Service"
Texas Tech University School of Law, "Humanitarian Award"
Judge Meade F. Griffin Award, for "Professionalism"
"Most Outstanding Student Legal Services Office" Southwestern United States (30 Universities) Selected (one of 50 lawyers in U.S.) to attend national intensive Trial Lawyers College 1995
Elected to Council, ADR (Alternative Dispute Resolution Section), State Bar of Texas 1994-1998
Appointed to State Bar of Texas Supreme Court Advisory Committee on ADR 1996-1998
Editor, "Dispute Resolution Texas Style", official ADR (mediation) publication of the State Bar of Texas1997, revised 2006
Member, College of State Bar of Texas since 1994, named a Fellow 2004

COMMUNITY SERVICE & COMMITTEE ACTIVITIES

Chair-Elect, ADR (Mediation) Section, Tarrant County Bar Association 2007
Member, Collaborative Law Institute of Texas (CLI TX) 2008
Member, Halo Society, CASA of Tarrant County (assisting abused and neglected children.) 2007
Volunteer Mediator, Public Dispute Resolution Centers, Tarrant and Denton Counties 1990-2000
Charter Member, Tarrant County Association of Mediators (TCAM), Fort Worth, Texas 1992 to present
Board Member, Tarrant County Association of Mediators (TCAM), Fort Worth, Texas 2008
ADR Council, State Bar of Texas, Publications Chair, Arbitration, CLE, Planning, Committees 1994-1998
Texas Supreme Court Advisory Committee on ADR 1996-1998
Task Forces, ADR & ADA, Federal Campus Crime Reporting Committee, Univ. of N. Texas 1990-2000
Advisory Board Member, North Central Texas College, Paralegal Program 1990-2000
Pro-Bono Attorney, Martin Luther King Legal Clinic & West Texas Legal Services 1990-2000
Founder, Texas Tech University School of Law "Freedom Scholarship" (Endowed) 1984 to present
Advisory Council, University of North Texas College of Music 1990-2000
Past Co-Chair, Denton County Settlement Week Committee 1992-1996
Member, Tarrant, Denton and Dallas County Bar Associations (current)
Member, Tarrant County Family Bar Association (current)