Leah Marie Gistenson

Leah Gistenson is an Illinois business attorney and the founder of Gistenson Law, where she advises owner-led businesses as outside general counsel and commercial counsel.

Her practice focuses on the legal issues that arise as businesses form, grow, operate, and change, including commercial contracts and negotiations, sophisticated formations and ownership structures, governance and business transitions, and tenant-side commercial lease review.

Before founding Gistenson Law, Leah served as General Counsel and Managing Director of a privately held company conducting transactions across the United States. She was responsible for the company’s legal matters and agreements and also worked in business development. Earlier in her career, she worked in legal and business advisory roles involving M&A integration, restructuring, distressed transactions, and commercial matters.

Leah’s approach is practical and business-focused: understand the business first, identify the legal issues that materially affect the decision, and provide clear advice that helps the client move forward.

She holds a J.D. from the University of Iowa College of Law and an MBA from Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business, where she was named a Poets&Quants Best & Brightest Online MBA. She was also selected twice as an MBA World Summit delegate and speaker.

Gistenson Law is based in Northbrook and serves businesses in Chicago, the North Shore, and surrounding communities, as well as clients with Illinois-law matters. The firm does not handle litigation.