Leonard E. Hudson
High-Stakes Litigation & Business Disputes
High-Stakes Litigation - Business Disputes - Franchise Litigation
I represent individuals and companies in high-stakes lawsuits, business and investment disputes, and franchise matters. I trained at a top global law firm where I practiced complex commercial litigation for a decade. I practice now at a boutique law firm where I help entrepreneurs and small businesses with their most important "bet the company" matters.
My practice includes:
- Contract disputes
- Fraud cases
- Franchising and dealer terminations and regulatory compliance
- Securities & commodities litigation / enforcement and regulatory compliance (SEC, FINRA, CME, ICE)
- Intellectual property
- Trademark enforcement
- Trade secrets
- Technology disputes (software development, technology licensing)
- Non-competes / Restrictive covenants trade secrets
- Antitrust and Unfair Competition
- Product liability
- Arbitration (AAA, JAMS, and FINRA)
- Contract negotiations
- E-Discovery
Some of my successes include:
-Recovered millions of dollars for a small business owner in litigation against a public company
-Secured a seven-figure settlement for a technology firm in a software dispute with a government agency and former customer
-Recovered 100% of the amounts owed to a supplier by a customer
-Won a trial on behalf of a product supplier accused of negligence
-Defended a local manufacturer in "bet the company" $300 million antitrust lawsuit by a competitor
-Served as national franchise relationship counsel to a $150 million franchisor with over 3,000 units
-Represented a public company CEO in a securities fraud class action
-Negotiated a global settlement in a mass action of over 30 franchisees
My pro bono work includes appealing a death sentence imposed upon an Alabama man who did not receive a fair trial and defending the treasurer of an environmental NGO accused of accounting misconduct.
- Arbitration & Mediation
- Business - Arbitration/Mediation, Consumer - Arbitration/Mediation, Family - Arbitration/Mediation
- Business Law
- Business Contracts, Business Dissolution, Business Finance, Business Formation, Business Litigation, Franchising, Mergers & Acquisitions, Partnership & Shareholder Disputes
- Products Liability
- Drugs & Medical Devices, Motor Vehicle Defects, Toxic Torts
- Intellectual Property
- Antitrust Law
- Appeals & Appellate
- Civil Appeals, Federal Appeals
- Insurance Claims
- Bad Faith Insurance, Business Insurance, Disability Insurance, Health Insurance, Life Insurance, Motor Vehicle Insurance, Property Insurance
- Stockbroker & Investment Fraud
- Personal Injury
- Animal & Dog Bites, Brain Injury, Car Accidents, Construction Accidents, Motorcycle Accidents, Premises Liability, Truck Accidents, Wrongful Death
- Litigation
- Franchise Disputes
- Free Consultation
- Illinois
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- U.S. District Court Eastern District of Wisconsin
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- U.S. District Court Northern District of Illinois
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- English: Spoken, Written
- Senior Associate
- The Collins Law Firm, P.C.
- Current
- Counsel, Complex Litigation Group
- Reed Smith LLP
- Current
- The John Marshall Law School
- J.D.
- Distinguished Scholar (full tuition scholarship) Judicial Extern to Hon. Anne M. Burke, Illinois Supreme Court Judicial Extern to Hon. Themis Karnezis, Illinois Appellate Court CALI Awards for the highest grade in Torts, Property, and Constitutional Law
- Honors: magna cum laude
- Activities: Law Review Executive Editor
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- Illinois State University
- B.S.
- Honors: magna cum laude
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- Distinguished Scholar - Full Tuition Scholarship
- The John Marshall Law School
- Illinois State Bar
- Member
- Current
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