Shanks Leonhardt

As an owner at Sanders & Parks, I focus my practice in commercial litigation, insurance defense, insurance coverage, products liability, employment litigation, professional liability, procurement law, and personal injury matters. In addition to my civil litigation work, I also routinely advise parties on commercial transactional matters related to technology, corporate, copyright, and entertainment law issues.

I am highly experienced in counseling and representing insurers in complex bad faith, construction defect, additional insured, personal injury and primary/excess coverage issues, including a focus on counseling, advising, and litigating cases where insurers that have been subjected to Arizona's Damron and Morris Agreements. My work in these areas includes negotiating favorable resolutions for insurers involving multi-million-dollar exposures arising from Damron and Morris Agreements.

I also routinely handle product liability claims, including successfully resolving commercial and personal injury claims arising out of industrial equipment, aircraft components, and concrete sealant, and employment law matters. I have successfully represented parties at mediations, arbitrations, depositions, appeals, and various hearings before the federal and state courts in Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico.

I earned my Juris Doctor degree from the Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law at Arizona State University. As an avid musician, I participated in programs during law school such as the Volunteer Legal Assistance for the Arts designed to provide free legal services to artists and musicians. I was also a member of the Sports and Entertainment Law Students Association and the Intellectual Property Students Association.