Gretchen Rutz Leist

Gretchen is an associate in the Vorys Columbus office and a member of the firm’s commercial transactions and privacy and data security practices.  

As part of her practice, she drafts and negotiates a wide range of agreements in connection with corporate, commercial, and retail transactions, including non-disclosure and confidentiality agreements, license agreements, terms of use, terms of sale, sourcing agreements, and services agreements.  Gretchen also drafts and negotiates agreements with design professionals and construction contractors in collaboration with other Vorys attorneys involved in real property development matters that require expertise across multiple legal disciplines.  Additionally, she has experience drafting and negotiating event agreements and influencer agreements, and she closely follows developments in the social media influencer industry across various platforms.

Gretchen’s practice includes a strong focus on data privacy.  She has experience crafting website terms and data processing agreements, conducting legal research, and advising clients on the application of U.S. state and federal privacy laws, including the CCPA, CPRA, BIPA, CDPA, FERPA, TCPA, and COPPA, as well as advising on GDPR compliance.  Prior to joining Vorys, Gretchen served as a judicial extern for the Supreme Court of Ohio, where she performed legal research, edited drafts of majority and dissenting opinions, and drafted memoranda analyzing discretionary and certified conflict appeals.

Gretchen graduated summa cum laude with her J.D. from The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law, where she was a member of the Student Bar Association and an online editor of the Ohio State Law Journal.  She graduated summa cum laude with her Bachelor of Music from Capital University, conducting her student teaching in band and choir. 

Honors & Recognitions

The Best Lawyers In America: Ones to Watch, Privacy and Data Security Law, 2026

Columbus CEO, Best Lawyers, Information Technology, 2022

CALI Excellence for the Future Awards in Legal Negotiations, 2019

CALI Excellence for the Future Awards in Energy Law, 2019

The Ohio State University Chapter of The Order of the Coif, 2019

John J. Adams Memorial Award, 2019

CALI Excellence for the Future Awards in Law & Religion, 2018

CALI Excellence for the Future Awards in Advanced Constitutional Law, 2018

CALI Excellence for the Future Awards in Privacy Law, 2018

CALI Excellence for the Future Awards in Advanced Legal Writing, 2018

CALI Excellence for the Future Awards in Big Data Law and Policy, 2018

CALI Excellence for the Future Awards in Trademarks, 2017

CALI Excellence for the Future Awards in LAW II, 2017

CALI Excellence for the Future Awards in Transactional Practice, 2017

Professional & Community Activities

Early Music in Columbus, Board Member

Columbus Symphony Chorus, Member 

ProArteOHIO, Member