Biography
Linda Leali is the founding shareholder of Linda Leali P.A. Ms. Leali has extensive experience and expertise with bankruptcy reorganizations, receiverships, debt restructuring and creditors’ rights. She has been involved in some of the largest cases in U.S. history including the bankruptcies of a Fortune 100 publicly traded energy producer, a publicly traded real estate development company, large privately owned physician staffing company and automotive parts manufacturer. Ms. Leali also regularly serves as a court-appointed receiver. She frequently lectures to both attorneys and judges on both bankruptcy and receivership law.
In 2014, Ms. Leali was appointed to the Resource Board of the National Association of Women Judges. NAWJ is the leading voice for women jurists throughout the United States. Ms. Leali co-chairs the NAWJ’s flagship voter education project titled Informed Voters, Fair Judges.
In 2018, Ms. Leali was also appointed to the council of the Business Law Section of the American Bar Association. Prior to that time she served as the Chair and Co-chair, respectively, of the Consumer Bankruptcy Committee and Avoidance Power Sub-committee of the American Bar Association.
Ms. Leali is the recipient of the prestigious Judicial AV Preeminent® Rating by Martindale-Hubbell®. In 2013, Ms. Leali was honored as a Leader in the Law by the Florida Association for Women Lawyers. She is also the recipient both in 2014 and 2011 of the President’s Award presented to the outstanding member of the Miami-Dade Chapter of the Florida Association for Women Lawyers.
Ms. Leali was born in Coral Gables, Florida, earned her J.D. Degree, magna cum laude from the University of Miami School of Law where she was a member of the University of Miami Law Review. She earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting from the University of Central Florida.
Prior to founding the Firm in 2013, Ms. Leali practiced law at the Miami office of White & Case LLP for nearly 13 years. Ms. Leali is admitted to the Florida Bar, District of Columbia Bar, and the federal bars of the Southern District of Florida, Middle District of Florida, and Northern District of Florida.
Practice Areas
Business Bankruptcy & Financial Restructuring
Buying and Selling Distressed Property
Assignment for the Benefit of Creditors
Fiduciary and Receiver
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Education
University of Miami School of Law, J.D., magna cum laude
University of Central Florida, B.S., Concentration in Accounting
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Admissions
The Florida Bar
District of Columbia Bar
United States District Court, Southern District of Florida
United States District Court, Middle District of Florida
United States District Court, Northern District of Florida
United States District Court, Southern District of Michigan
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Professional Involvement
National Association of Women Judges: Resource Board Member (2015-present); Co-chair of Informed Voters, Fair Judges Project (2013-2019).
American Bar Association: Council member, Business Law Section (2017-present); Chair, Consumer Bankruptcy Committee (2014-2017); Co-chair, Bankruptcy Avoidance-Power Committee of the Business Bankruptcy Committee (2014-Present); Chair, Women Business and Commercial Advocates, 2015-2017.
Florida Association for Women Lawyers: Board of Directors of Broward County Chapter (2019-Present); Board of Directors of Miami-Dade Chapter (2012-2017); Leadership Chair for Miami-Dade Chapter, (2013-2017); Founder of Annual Leadership Summit (2013-present).
Community Involvement
Florida Youth Orchestra, Board Member, 2014 – present
Southeastern Division of Children’s Home Society, Board Member, Miami, FL 2013 – present
Board of Directors of Legal Services of Greater Miami, 2011-2013
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Representative Speaking Engagements
Annual Bankruptcy Appellate Case Law Updates, 2019, 2017, 2016, 2015, ABA Business Law Section Annual Meetings
Judges and Justices Under Attack, Whose Business Is It?, ABA Business Law Section, October 2018
Nuts and Bolts of New Proceedings Supplementary Statute, Stat. s. 56.29, Presentation for the Judges of the 11th Judicial Circuit Court, Miami, Florida, January 2017
Florida Receivership Law, Annual Florida Circuit Court Conference, August 2016
“Supreme Court Takes Aim at Fraudulent Conveyance Schemes, ABA Business Law Section Consumer Bankruptcy Committee Webinar, June, 2016.
Opportunity and Obligation: Appointments of Counsel as Receivers, Trustees, Special Masters or Members Boards and Commissions – Pointers and Pitfalls, 2016 American Bar Association, Business Law Section Spring Meeting, Montreal, QC, Canada, April, 2016 and November 2016 (webinar)
Florida Receivership Law, 11th Judicial Circuit Court for Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami, Florida, March 2015 and March 2016
Advising Closely Held Corporations, Speaker, Bankruptcy Bar Association, Miami, Florida, January, 2015
Nuts and Bolts of a Chapter 7 Discharge, American Bar Association Annual Meeting, Chicago, Illinois, September 2014
Florida Receiverships, The Florida Bar Annual Meeting, Orlando, Florida, June 2014
Statutory Receiverships, Florida Bar Business Law Section Receivership Panel, Miami, Florida, May 2014
Beginner Fraudulent Conveyance Law, Speaker, National Association of Bankruptcy Trustees’ Annual Conference, Coral Gables, Florida, April 2014
Beginner Fraudulent Conveyance Law, National Association of Bankruptcy Trustees’ Annual Conference, Coral Gables, Florida, April 2014
Florida Receivership Law, 11th Judicial Circuit Court for Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami, Florida, March 2014 and March 2015
Bankruptcy Lawyers are Litigators Too, American Bankruptcy Institute Caribbean Insolvency Conference, San Juan, Puerto Rico, February 2014
Bellingham Arkinson, National Conference of Bankruptcy Judges, Atlanta, Georgia, November 2013
Blood From a Stone: Hidden Value in Distressed Assets, Turnaround Management Association, May 2008
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