I watched the GMA interview with Teresa’s newest lawyer James Leonard today. There wasn’t anything particularly interesting or new to report. The drive took about 90 minutes. They we an hour early for the check-in time. Teresa ate at a diner along the way. Joe was very somber. Then at the very end, the interviewer asked Leonard “if there is any chance of her getting out early.” His response was, “that will ultimately be up to Judge Salas and/or the Bureau of Prisons, that sentence could potentially be altered down the road.” Um, I pretty sure once you AGREE TO A PLEA DEAL that you don’t get to go back and ask for a better one after surrendering at the prison. I can only assume that he was talking about “good time” which is customary for all federal prison terms that would have her serving only 80% of her time.
I wasn’t going to even bother to post about this interview at all, but I became curious about the new attorney when I saw him on TV. He has a VERY interesting bio that you really must click through to read. The fact that he has been on RHONJ three times is the least interesting part of the whole timeline. Trust me.
Here is his bio from his website.
James J. Leonard Jr. began his career in Criminal Law in 1999 with a two-year internship at the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office, where he successfully prosecuted hundreds of cases involving adult and juvenile offenders.
Upon graduating from the prestigious Villanova University School of Law in 2001, Mr. Leonard became an associate at a well-known Camden County law firm specializing in criminal defense work.
In 2002, Mr. Leonard was one of three attorneys on a defense team that successfully represented two defendants in separate capital murder cases, one in Camden County Superior Court, the other in Burlington County Superior Court.
In October of 2002, Mr. Leonard left the firm and started his own practice at the age of 28, specializing in aggressive criminal defense litigation.
In 2003, Mr. Leonard won two jury trials that established his reputation as a highly skilled trial attorney and made him one of the most sought after criminal defense attorneys in the State of New Jersey.
In one case, Mr. Leonard represented a Camden man who was charged with possession of a firearm and distribution of heroin in a school zone. In another case, Mr. Leonard represented a member of the notorious Pagans motorcycle gang who was charged with armed robbery and various other offenses. The defendant, a convicted murderer, was facing a life sentence if he was found guilty on the armed robbery charge.
In both cases, the juries found each defendant not guilty of all charges.
Later that year, Mr. Leonard successfully represented a woman who was charged with aggravated assault and weapons offenses after allegedly stabbing a man outside an Atlantic City casino.
An Atlantic County Superior Court Judge found the woman not guilty by reason of insanity.
In 2004, Mr. Leonard successfully represented Vincent McDaniels, a/k/a Omar Salaam, the reputed former head of the Salaam’s, a well known Atlantic City drug gang. Mr. McDaniels was charged as a drug kingpin in a massive 154-count indictment and faced life in prison if he was convicted at trial.
Mr. Leonard aggressively negotiated a plea bargain for Mr. McDaniels and had 152 of the 154 charges dismissed, including the kingpin charge, and Mr. McDaniels was released from prison after serving four years and six months.
In 2005, Mr. Leonard opened an office on North Carolina Avenue in Atlantic City, the city where he was born and where his father served honorably as an Atlantic City Police Officer for more than 30 years before his retiring in 2004.
Later that year, Mr. Leonard’s services were retained by Grammy Award winning rap star Kimberly “Lil’ Kim” Jones to help her secure an early release from the Federal Detention Center in Philadelphia, where she was serving a sentence following a perjury conviction in New York.
On July 3, 2006, the federal Bureau of Prisons gave Ms. Jones an early release.
Shortly after her release, Mr. Leonard was filmed interacting with Ms. Jones inside her home for her television series Countdown to Lockdown / Season Two.
Mr. Leonard would go on to successfully represent Ms. Jones in a subsequent criminal investigation launched by the US Attorney’s Office in Brooklyn, New York stemming from a shooting incident allegedly involving a former associate of Ms. Jones, who was alleged to have fired shots at rap superstar Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson outside a hotel in Jersey City. No charges were filed against Ms. Jones and she would go on to appear as a contestant on the popular reality television show Dancing With the Stars.
In April of 2007, Mr. Leonard was retained to represent a Salem County man named Terry Oleson, who was suspected of murdering four prostitutes and dumping their bodies in a drainage ditch behind a stretch of seedy motels on the Black Horse Pike in West Atlantic City in November of 2006.
Dubbed by reporters as a serial killer and given the moniker “The Black Horse Strangler”, the Oleson case received international attention and Mr. Leonard was profiled on 48 Hours, America’s Most Wanted, Good Morning America and in print publications all over the world, including the New York Times.
Mr. Leonard aggressively fought for Mr. Oleson’s release from jail, telling the Press of Atlantic City that Oleson’s bail was “a ransom”. Mr. Oleson was eventually freed from jail, and murder charges against him have never been filed. Mr. Oleson told one Philadelphia reporter, “This man right here, Jimmy Leonard, he saved my life.”
Mr. Leonard would go on to successfully defend Oleson against charges filed by a prostitute who claims Oleson assaulted her and threatened to kill her after he allegedly confessed to her that he had killed the four women in West Atlantic City.
Outside the courthouse after Oleson had been cleared of assault, Mr. Leonard told reporters that the woman, an admitted crack addict / prostitute, was “the personification of reasonable doubt.”
In October 2007, Mr. Leonard was retained to act as an advisor to Atlantic City City Council President William “Speedy” Marsh after the city’s Mayor Bob Levy disappeared. “The Case of the Missing Mayor” became a national news story and a source of great embarrassment for the City of Atlantic City.
Several weeks later Bob Levy would resign in disgrace and Mr. Leonard stood proudly by William Marsh’s side as he was sworn in as the new Mayor of Atlantic City.
In early 2008, Mr. Leonard was retained to represent a North Jersey man named Edwin “Money” Spears, described by then Attorney General Anne Milgram as a “5 Star General” and boss of the Nine-Trey Bloods street-gang in a racketeering case that involved both members of the Bloods and members of the Lucchese Crime Family.
In April of that year, Mr. Leonard would be retained to represent a Philadelphia man named Anthony Nicodemo, described by the FBI as a solider in the Bruno / Scarfo La Cosa Nostra Crime Family and a close associate of jailed mob leader Joseph “Skinny Joey” Merlino on racketeering charges stemming from a $60 million-dollar gambling / loan sharking ring that was operating inside the Borgata Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City.
After twelve-months of aggressive plea negotiations, Mr. Leonard was able to convince the Judge to suspend Mr. Nicodemo’s 5 Year sentence over the vehement objection of the Deputy Attorney General and Mr. Nicodemo was not sent to state prison.
The case would be featured on Philly.Com’s Mob Talk hosted by Philadelphia Inquirer crime reporter George Anastasia.
Also in April of 2008, Mr. Leonard was retained to represent a Georgia man named Vicente Perez, who fatally stabbed a man following a dispute inside the poker room at the Taj Mahal Hotel and Casino.
Mr. Leonard was successful in asserting a self-defense claim and Mr. Perez was able to plead guilty to Manslaughter, for which he received a sentence of 5 Years in state prison.
In January of 2009, Mr. Leonard created The Boardwalk Journal, a monthly lifestyle magazine that features editorial about the happenings in and around Atlantic City and content relevant to life at the Jersey Shore. The inaugural issue featured Donald Trump on the cover and subsequent issues have featured profiles on political figures such as Governor Chris Christie, Senate President Steve Sweeney, retired State Senator Bill Gormley, political powerbroker George Norcross and Assemblyman John Amodeo, who is Mr. Leonard’s uncle / godfather.
Other individuals featured / profiled in The Boardwalk Journal include the late boxing great Arturo “Thunder” Gatti, the iconic Tony Bennett, reality television star Kim Kardashian, Philadelphia based disc jockey Jerry “The Geator with the Heator” Blavat, film star Chazz Palminteri and dozens of other local / national and international personalities.
Mr. Leonard serves as the Publisher and Chief Executive Officer of The Boardwalk Journal.
In November 2009, Mr. Leonard successfully defended a man charged with murder in Camden County Superior Court. After a three-week jury trial, Mr. Leonard’s client was found not guilty of committing the murder.
In May of 2010, Mr. Leonard was retained to represent Nicodemo Scarfo Jr., son of jailed Philadelphia / Atlantic City mob boss Nicodemo “Little Nicky” Scarfo on racketeering charges based out of Morris County.
Later that year, Mr. Leonard was retained by Joe and Melissa Gorga to handle their contract negotiations with the Bravo TV network regarding the Gorga’s joining the popular reality television show The Real Housewives of New Jersey. Rich and Kathy Wakile, who like the Gorga’s, joined The Real Housewives of New Jersey, also retained Mr. Leonard.
Mr. Leonard appeared in three episodes of The Real Housewives of New Jersey.
In December 2010, Mr. Leonard was retained by former Jersey Shore Angelina Pivarnick, to represent her on charges stemming from an altercation inside an Atlantic City casino nightclub.
In September 2011, Mr. Leonard successfully represented a man who was charged in the United States District Court, District of New Jersey with embezzling $458,000.00 from a sitting United States Congressman over a period of 15 years.
Under federal sentencing guidelines, the man faced a sentence of 46-57 months, but Mr. Leonard filed an application with the Court seeking a downward departure and the motion was granted.
The defendant received a sentence of 30 months.
The scope of Mr. Leonard’s practice and his reputation have evolved significantly over the last decade, but the primary focus is and always will be aggressive criminal defense litigation for defendants charged in Juvenile Court, Municipal Court, Superior Court of Federal Court.
He appears daily in courtrooms all over the State on behalf of individuals charged with crimes ranging from careless driving to murder. No matter how big or small the case is, Mr. Leonard is a passionate and tireless advocate for his clients.
Always hire the best fame whore. If he gets Tre’s sentence reduced he’ll have a life long job representing bravolebreties.
I believe your right.
Sounds like a real prince among men. I’ll sleep tight tonight knowing what runs free. Thanks Mr. Leonard.
My thoughts EXACTLY.
Maybe they should have hired him from the start
They had to pay out the ass for his services unless a connected friend got him to do it as a favor.
Quite a favor I would say
I wonder if instead of cash payment he contracted with them to appear in future tv interviews or shows with Juicy and Teresa.
It is interesting that he represented Gorga’s and Wakile’s first with their Bravo contract. A pretty big gun to bring to that table. Again, he got on TV.
I bet he created the magazine to hob nob with the famous. He sounds like a fame whore that must be a damn good lawyer. Sounds like the felons Giudice would have got off if he had been involved. Of course, we don’t know what big cases Mr. Leonard (I’d bet there was a name change at some point) has lost.
Wow ! He’s quite successful at keeping scum on the street. Glad I live in the south.
Why would the Gorgas need a criminal defense lawyer for RHONJ?
Kate – his website says they offer a variety of services – one being contract negotiations. Not just criminal defense. I thought the same thing.
A criminal defense lawyer doesn’t do contract negotiating with a production company— it is out of his scope of practice. In his bio I didn’t read anything about negotiating the terms of a contract for TV. He has no experience in that area per his own bio.
He has a firm – he not the only lawyer there. Go to his site. His firm offers contract review and negotiations.
SIGH.
This is HIS BIOGRAPHY.
On Mon, Jan 5, 2015 at 7:01 PM, Tamara Tattles wrote:
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He says that he successfully prosecuted hundreds of cases while he was an intern, before he graduated law school. Uh yeah, maybe the office successfully prosecuted hundreds of cases and he made the copies… Pretty blatant self aggrandizing.
My first thought about him. Interesting he prosecuted before attending law school. Maybe its a Jersey thing-didn’t Jim Marchese claim to prosecute mortgage fraud without being admitted to the bar?
Maybe he was in “How to getaway with murder” class as an intern
If an intern is doing well in law school and shows an affinity for the job, the DA will let them take care of low level cases, and on occasion more difficult cases. My husband did the same thing while a law student.
Interesting indeed. Wow.
This guy’s on a roll BIGTIME !!! So then I don’t get it …why would he take on Teresa Giudice as a client… with all her shenanigans, suing previous attorneys, acting like a pouty irresponsible little girl etc,, etc, etc, etc ???? Are there still some big bucks out there from someone or somewhere willing to pay him??? Thanks so much, TT, for taking the time to give us such a thorough background on this unique man.
Apparently Teresa needed a driver to get to prison. Why not hire this guy? He can later say he was instrumental in getting her to her 15 month prison stay. If he gets 1 month knocked off it will become he helped go from a 41 count indictment to a 14 month sentence.
He likes being on TV. Driving Teresa to prison got him on TV. And on blogs. It’s pretty simple.
On Mon, Jan 5, 2015 at 5:13 PM, Tamara Tattles wrote:
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So…you’re thinking with him it’s a one time, one day thing …nothing beyond today??? If so, that makes a lot more sense to me and doesn’t challenge or mess with my preconceived notions about what is, and what is not, within the realm of what is reasonable, do-able, preferable, falls with recognizable domains of what constitutes a good decision and what constitutes a bad decision…until it’s about something/anything to do with Teresa Giudice. Quite simply, I don’t trust anything about her. There’s no way I could sit with her for any length of time in a car. I recognize my negative feelings about her are not so healthy…go beyond the negative feelings other people may have about her. And then to think that some very successful person who probably has quite a few choices and opportunities coming his way, would freely agree to put up with someone like Teresa who has no problem suddenly without warning turning on someone in an instant , then blaming them as if it has always been their fault totally divorced from anything that’s her responsibility, even going the extent of suing former attorneys. I do hope Leonard got paid very, very well and hope really good things will come his way from today’s publicity. But beyond that I’d have to say….run, Leoard, run. Get while the getting’s still good. Don’t stick around to find out what else might happen.
Goodbye, Teresa Giudice. Hopefully you’ll find a way to stop manipulating especially your children and using them as a smokescreen to deflect away from what it is within with inside yourself you’re so desperately trying to avoid.. The best thing about today for me was knowing that at last you’re locked up. Hopefully, in time, your fans will come to understand that their constant adulation and kissing your butt has not helped you at all but has in fact contributed further to your destructive sense of entitlement. I hope we all will begin to turn away from emulating someone like Teresa Giudice then elevating her to some impossible level that is in no way a reflection of our values and what we recognize as the highest good. Maybe writing all this has been helpful or healing for me….this I do know sure, I’m going to sleep very well tonight !!!
Wonder where they got the funds to pay him? He can’t be cheap!
His site says that they have payment plans!
Dayum, he don’t come like no cabbage. It’s wonderful to know that you can commit the most heinous crimes imaginable and Mr. Slimeball Leonard will personally drive you to the prison at 3 am, stop at a diner to get you something to eat on the way; then go see the judge to get your sentence reduced and come back in a few months and pick you up. Problem is Billable Hours = BIG BUCKS!
Where is Teresa getting that kind of dough? Did she even pay her first two attorneys? Something about this buttermilk ain’t clean. That shrewd little felon with a weave on has got some money or that pitbull ain’t gonna’ show up at the fight.
Please someone explain the don’t come like no cabbage thing means
Lmfaooooo
Why did the Gorgas and Wakiles hire him for a contract matter? Friend of the family? Otherwise that makes no sense. Lawyers don’t go representing people convicted of violent crimes one day and then enter into contract review the next day.
That’s what I was thinking. Criminal law and contract law are two completely different animals.
Not so much anymore around the Bravo hallways. It seems they need fewer attorneys who can practice in a plethora of fields. I think RHOA ace attorney Phaedra Parks practices both criminal law, contract law-and throw in some family law, copyright law and embalming to complete the package. Of course she never seems to win any of the cases but she does have her fingers in many a legal field.
I am thinking it has to be his snazzy website. This man comes dangerously close to the fictional character “Better Call Saul” in the chutzpah department.
🙂 Exactly – this whole thing is sounding like a page from Breaking Bad.
They hired his firm which would have a few to many other lawyers on hand.
If he could get Tre out early – how would be a wonder – he’d have clients out the door and down the block. He must charge a king’s ransom.
Phaedra may want a business card with the Angela Stanton matter not yet resolved.
The American Dream! To live in Atlantic City, aggressively litigating, robustly defending, vigorously finangling, gonsolidating gonnegtions, being a study in perpetual Motions – could it get more blissful?
So this guy is so anxious to get his name in the papers and his face on T.V. that he will take on a client that, as far as we know, cannot pay him? Some people have all the luck … seems Teresa is one of those people.
It’s good for publicity. I sought him out and I’m not even looking for an attorney. If I ever bump someone off in Jersey, he’s my go to guy though.
On Mon, Jan 5, 2015 at 7:10 PM, Tamara Tattles wrote:
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You make a very good point as always
He really is a famewhore. Clicked his sight and there’s a list of his TV appearances.
Oh my goodness …I’m laughing so hard!
Why are you laughing at “Esquire?” Many attorneys use that appendage. I’m missing the humor in it.
Most US attorneys refer to themselves in advertisements as attorney-at-law. Esquire sounds more high brow. Why am I trying to explain this? Never mind.
I would definitely hire him! He has been “seen on” TMZ!
Bwahahahaha! Yep, that settled it for me!
As a lawyer, I scrolled through most of the info. Bottom line for this type of “representation”, is either the client has it (whatever “it” is) or she doesn’t. The bench and bar could give a “rat’s ass” about this type of lawyer. Not impressed. This guy is not adding anything of substance or skill to the client’s case. What a bunch of shit. Go to jail already, and consider the “fans” of Teresa part of the ignorant trash percentage of society. Honest to God, why, why can’t these people save our time, and taxpayer dollars?
Oh- I forgot to mention, “two jury trials…” really. Again, an impressive resume.
Thank You TT!
This thread is everything! Seriously.
Oh! Who is Raul? We always call Tyrone.
Phaedra Parks has an Esquire after her name too.
I vaguely remember this guy being in a Twitter war with some Bravolebrity, I just can’t remember who. Maybe Danielle Staub? It was gloriously tacky and hilarious.
Regarding that “Esquire” appendage … I think it’s pretty common for attorneys to add that to their names. I know any attorney I have used does so. I want to share a little story about that appendage being helpful – TT if you hate this please delete it but … I used to search for unclaimed money held by state’s treasuries to inform their owners about it so they could claim it. Once I found one for 12k belonging to – I don’t recall the actual name but something like Carson John, Esq. So I knew it was an attorney. I went to the Bar Association to find this guy but no atty by that name in their records. So, I thought – hmmm those names could both be first OR last names, do they have it listed in a switched order? I type in JOHN CARSON and there he is, a retired attorney, and there’s also a lawyer with same name but a JR (His son as it turned out). I found a number for the retired John Carson, Esq. and call him. That money belonged to him. He was amazed at my detective work and once he claimed the money he sent me $2,000. I never asked for a finders fee, I just did it for fun. Anyway – in this case the “Esquire” was what helped me find the rightful owner.
He is no Roy Black, representing high class scumbags. Is he the attorney suing her previous attorney for malpratice? He sounds like a prince of a man.