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James Bart Leonardi

also known as Bart
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Avvo Rating10
  • Westlake, OH
  • Licensed for 14 years
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About James

Bart Leonardi is a Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust and Probate law by the Ohio State Bar Association. His practice is concentrated in Estate Planning, Probate and Trust law and Probate Litigation.

A native of Cleveland, Mr. Leonardi obtained his B.S.B.A. in Finance from John Carroll University and his J.D. from Ave Maria School of Law. He is admitted to practice in all state courts of Ohio and Kentucky and in the United States District Courts for the Northern District of Ohio and the Eastern and Western Districts of Kentucky.

Practice areas

Estate planningProbate
  1. Probate: 60%

    Estate Administration, Representing Executors, Probate Litigation, Wrongful Death, Minor Settlements,Guardianships

  2. Estate planning: 40%

    Wills, Trusts, Power of Attorney, Health Care Directives, Business Succession Planning, Asset Protection.

Languages spoken

English

Contact

24700 Center Ridge Rd
address map

James Bart Leonardi, LLC

24700 Center Ridge Rd
Suite 250
Westlake, OH, 44145

Resume

License
StateStatusAcquiredUpdated
OHActive200910/19/2020
KYAuthorized to practice law200812/09/2020
ALInactive200611/10/2020
We have not found any instances of professional misconduct for this lawyer.
Avvo Contributions
Legal answers164
Legal guides0
Awards
Award nameGrantorDate granted
Ohio Rising StarSuper Lawyers2019
Ohio Rising StarSuper Lawyers2018
Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust and Probate LawOhio State Bar Association2017
Featured AuthorTarget Law2012
Highlighted AttorneyHG.org2012
Work Experience
TitleCompany nameDuration
Managing MemberJames Bart Leonardi, LLC2011 - Present
AssociateWhonsetler and Johnson, PLLC2008 - 2010
AttorneyRegions Morgan Keegan Trust2006 - 2008
Associations
Association namePosition nameDuration
Catholic Lawyers Guild of the Diocese of ClevelandExecutive Committee - 2014-172012 - Present
Ohio State Bar AssociationMember2009 - Present
Kentucky Bar AssociationMember2008 - Present
Alabama State BarMember2006 - 2013
Publications
Publication nameTitleDate
Attorney at Law MagazineBart Leonardi - Finding His Calling2019
Target LawHow Can You Avoid Probate?2012
Target LawEstate Tax: When and How to Be Prepared2012
bartleonardi.comWhen and Why to Revisit a Will2012
Education
School nameDegreeGraduated
Ave Maria School Of LawJD - Juris Doctor2006
John Carroll UniversityB.S.B.A1994
Speaking Engagements
Conference nameTitleDate
Lorain County Bar Association Annual Probate SeminarCreditor Claims2019
38th Annual Trumbull County Probate Practice SeminarProbate Litigation and Professionalism2018
NBI Estate Planning and Administration CLEEthics2016
NBI Estate Planning and Administration CLEMarshalling Assets and Creditor Claims2016
Catholic Community Foundation Diocese of ClevelandPlanned Giving2016
NBI Probate Boot CampProbate Litigation2014
NBI Probate CLEAsset Based Guide to Probate2013
EMH Medical Staff MeetingPreserving, Protecting and Transferring Assets: An Introduction for Physicians2013

Reviews

(15)
5 Star
100%
4 Star
0%
3 Star
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2 Star
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1 Star
0%
Review James Leonardi

Excellent Attorney

Posted by

For the first time our family needed the help of legal counsel. This was a very stressful time for us and Mr. Leonardi and his legal assistant were available to us at every step along the way. Whatever legal situation you find yourself in I would recommend Mr. Leonardi.
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
Hired attorney

Helped While Living Out of State

Posted by

As busy as he is I truly felt like he made me a priority. I live out of State and he helped me with everything regarding my Mothers Estate. He Had her house sold in 30 days, was able to ship all of her items to me in Arizona and was frequently communicating with me, helping me with my financial needs, and making the entire process as smooth as possible.
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
Hired attorney

Consult with Bart - He's an excellent attorney

Posted by

Bart is a terrific estate attorney and probate specialist. He has been our trusted counsel for many years. I highly recommend if you or someone you know is looking for a professional in either of these areas of the legal field that you contact Bart for a consultation. Thanks so much Bart for all you do - We appreciate you and your team most certainly.
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
Hired attorney

One of a kind

Posted by

Efficient, focused and genuinely concerned with the outcome of our case for our daughter
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
Hired attorney

Thank You Great Service

Posted by

James Bart Leonardi Done a five star job for me on a estate where a estate owed me & my Llc a very large amount of money on a claim I filed against the estate for several years & refuse to pay the claim so I consulted with Bart & he told me what he could do for me to get me paid so I hired him and with end forty five days of hiring Bart Leonardi the estate paid me off in full thanks again to the James Bart Leonardi LLC firm job well done and would recommend them for all your estate & probe needs . Dave Reds All American Recycling Co Ltd
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
Hired attorney

Excellent, highly recommended lawyer

Posted by

My brother, who lived in Cleveland, recently passed away in Scottsdale, AZ. As the executor of his estate, I live in Naples, FL. After consultation with another attorney, James Bart Leonardi came highly recommended to me as a Cleveland area lawyer who could administer his estate for me, no matter how complicated. After meeting with Bart, I felt very comfortable and was extremely confident in his abilities. Bart handled everything seamlessly and exceeded my expectations at every turn. The process has been very smooth and very quick. Bart has been very proactive on protecting the estate and looking out for our best interests.
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
Hired attorney

Excellent experience

Posted by

Bart is an excellent attorney, and has helped my family create our wills, powers of attorney, and our trust. He's been incredibly patient as he guided my husband and I through the process of establishing these documents. Bart is very accessible by email and phone to answer any questions we've had, and we are very pleased with our ongoing experience with him. We would highly recommend Bart!
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
Hired attorney

James Bart Leonardi LLC - A Very Good Customer Experience

Posted by

My wife and I solicited Bart's services to help write a will, living will and healthcare power of attorney. We had met with attorneys at a few big firms and found them to be too expensive or unwilling to lean down their offering (we were not looking for complex estate planning work). After doing some research, we decided to go with Bart and were not disappointed. Bart was very professional, diligent and customer oriented. He listened exactly to our needs, provided sound advice and never pressured us into something we didn't want. He took the time to explain the importance and implications of what we were signing and charged a very fair price for his services. I would recommend Bart to those in the market for Probate & Estate Planning services!
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
Hired attorney

Estate Planning

Posted by

Bart put together an estate plan for my family. He gave us the peace of mind of knowing that our estate would be dispersed to our family members according to our wishes. I would high recommend his services.
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
Hired attorney

Outstanding Estate Planning Attorney

Posted by

Bart is an excellent attorney who provided outstanding services to our family in the area of estate planning. He developed a creative estate plan that considers all conceivable events that might happen in the future. He is very organized and our completed documents are indexed for easy reference. I have been referring Bart to my family members. Due to their similar outstanding experience, they are likewise referring Bart to their friends and family with great excitement.
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
Hired attorney
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Attorney endorsements

(5)
Are you an attorney? Endorse this lawyer

David Krueger

Bart is a highly skilled attorney who knows how to evaluate and “get to the heart” of the most complex transactions. He is knowledgeable and has great relationships with his clients. I endorse this lawyer.

John Corrigan, Estate planning Attorney on Nov 5, 2013
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

I endorse this lawyer.

Howard Lewis, Probate Attorney on May 26, 2013
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

I endorse this lawyer. Attorney Leonardi is one of the finest attoreneys in his area. He is a strong and zealous advocate for his clients and a credit to the legal profession. I highly recommend his legal services.

Robert Somogyi, Probate Attorney on Mar 26, 2013
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

I endorse this lawyer. I have discussed Probate Law issues with Mr. Leonardi on many occassions over the past few years and he has always demonstrated insight and a complete knowledge in said area of law. Bart is responsive to his clients needs and has a deep understanding of their wishes and concerns.

David Mushlin, Estate planning Attorney on Mar 26, 2013
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

Bart is an outstanding lawyer, who always puts his clients' interests first. He is well-versed in estate planning, and makes this complicated legal field easy to understand for his clients. He is always willing to take the extra time to explain everything fully to his clients, and handles each case personally.