With extensive experience in labor and employment law, Leena partners with employers to anticipate risk, resolve disputes, and build compliant, productive workplaces.
Overview
With a demonstrated history of providing strategic guidance to both private and public sector clients, Leena’s clients value her thoughtful approach to problem-solving.
She previously served as a supervisory attorney in the Office of the General Counsel at the Social Security Administration where she advised on discipline and performance matters and litigated cases involving civil rights, retaliation, discrimination and other employment claims before the EEOC, MSPB, and federal district and circuit courts. Her experience as a manager and as in-house employment counsel for a large organization has sharpened her ability to navigate complex employment issues with clarity and precision.
Leena has extensive experience defending employers in litigation, providing trusted advice and guidance throughout the process. She aims to deliver clear, practical solutions and achieve optimal outcomes for clients across industries.
Experience
Recently, Leena successfully secured early and favorable settlements for a national fast-casual restaurant chain and a national bakery franchise in disputes involving allegations of harassment, discrimination, and retaliation.
She also advised a regional addiction treatment provider on updating its employee handbook and implementing new workplace policies to ensure compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws.
In her previous role, she provided legal advice to the Commissioner of Social Security and other high-level executives on sensitive employment discrimination and retaliation cases involving senior agency officials and supervised the successful resolution of such matters while minimizing legal and reputational risk.
Leena also volunteers her legal services to The HALO Foundation, a non-profit that provides housing, healing, and education to homeless youth in Kansas City and around the world, to ensure the organization will be able to serve youth for many years to come.
News & Insights
News
Professional & Civic Activities
Professional & Civic Activities
HALO Foundation
- Board Secretary, 2011 - 2016
- Volunteer, 2011 - present
Practices & Industries
Admissions
- Missouri
- U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas
- U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri
- Kansas
Education
University of Kansas School of Law, J.D., 2007
- Order of the Coif
- Raymond Rice Foundation Scholar
- University of Kansas Law Review, Articles Editor
Truman State University, M.A., summa cum laude, 2004
Truman State University, B.A., summa cum laude, 2002
- Phi Beta Kappa
