Ira H. Leesfield

Ira Leesfield is founder and managing partner of Leesfield Scolaro, P.A., with offices in Miami, Key West, South Beach and Central Florida.  Recently, Mr. Leesfield received the prestigious “Judge Learned Hand Award” presented by American Jewish Committee in recognition of his values and standards of excellence associated with Judge Learned Hand and the principles he represented: the rights of the individual and the importance of democratic values in an orderly society.  Big Brothers/Big Sisters will honor Ira with the “Miracle Maker” award for his tireless support and contribution to the organization in April 2010. 

He is board certified by the National Board of Trial Advocates and now serves as board member of the certification board; a past President of the Florida Justice Association, formerly known as,  Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers; an EAGLE Patron; and now serves as Senior Florida Governor of the American Association for Justice, serving over 20 years.

In 2001, Mr. Leesfield received the Anti-Defamation League’s prestigious “Jurisprudence Award.”  He was also honored by the Florida Region of American ORT as the first recipient in Florida of the “American ORT Jurisprudence Award” for his lifetime of dedication to his profession, his nation and his community, and recognizing his outstanding initiative in prosecuting cases that benefit public interest.  In 2002, he was also awarded the “Melvin Belli Award” for outstanding practitioner of advocacy and for exercising extraordinary initiative in prosecuting cases that benefit public interest.

In 2004, the Florida Justice Association  recognized his lifetime achievement by awarding the Al J. Cone Lifetime Achievement Award for his life-long crusade in helping the less fortunate and his commitment to preserving our civil justice system.  He was nominated as "Lawyer of the Year" by the Trial Lawyers for Public Justice, after he obtained a $19.8 million verdict against Honda Corp., and selected as one of America’s Top Ten Trial Lawyers.  He has published numerous articles and treatises in the area of trial strategy while appearing as a guest commentator on national news programs, including ABC’s Nightline with Ted Koppel.  He is past Chair of The Florida Bar CLE Committee; serves as a life member of The Roscoe Pound Foundation; and is an adjunct professor of law at the University of Miami School of Law. 

Ira Leesfield served President Clinton in two important posts from 1992 to 2000, the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports and the Presidential Advisory Commission on Holocaust Assets.  He co-authored the President’s Report on Holocaust Assets.  In 1989, he was appointed as Chair of the Third District Court of Appeals Judicial Nominating Committee and was reappointed for a second term in 1995 by Governor Chiles.   In 1998, he served as a member of the Florida Constitution Revision Commission.

Mr. Leesfield has twice been awarded the prestigious Wiedman Wysocki medal for outstanding advocacy.  He is a Life Member of the Fellows of the American Bar Foundation.   Mr. Leesfield was the keynote speaker at the Florida Supreme Court Justices Teaching Institute  in Tallahassee, Florida where top educators from around the State of Florida convene annually for an intensive study of the judicial system.  Recipient of the 2003 Crystal Eagle Award of the Florida Justice Association, in recognition for his exceptional generosity on behalf of Florida's families. He is Immediate Past  President of  the Melvin M. Belli Society.