A seasoned litigator and trusted advisor with a unique perspective shaped by years of experience both as an employment attorney and as a manager, Leena partners with employers to anticipate risk, resolve disputes, and build compliant, productive workplaces.
Overview
Leena defends employers in litigation, including employment discrimination, harassment, and retaliation cases in state and federal courts. She has extensive experience responding to claims filed with the Missouri Commission on Human Rights (MCHR), the Kansas Human Rights Commission (KHRC), the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), and the Department of Labor (DOL). Throughout the process, she provides trusted advice and guidance, delivering clear, practical solutions that optimize outcomes for her clients.
She also acts as a strategic advisor to both private and public sector employers who value her thoughtful approach to problem-solving, informed by her keen understanding of their operational needs and goals. She has advised organizations of all sizes and stages, including city governments, non-profits, family-owned businesses, a large financial institution, a regional property management company, health care practices, food and beverage providers, hotel and hospitality companies, and manufacturers and suppliers in the food processing, electrical, and hydraulic industries.
She previously served as an in-house attorney in the Office of the General Counsel at the Social Security Administration where she spent 15 years advising executives and managers on discipline and performance matters for a workforce of over 60,000 employees, 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 supervisory attorney managing successful teams for a large organization has sharpened her ability to navigate complex employment issues with clarity and precision, and a true understanding of the issues that employers face.
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 fulfill its mission for many years to come.
Experience
- Successfully secured early and favorable settlements for a regional property management company, an animal health laboratory, a national fast-casual restaurant chain, and a national bakery franchise in disputes involving allegations of harassment, discrimination, and retaliation.
- Reviewed employee handbooks and provided tailored advice on implementing new workplace policies to ensure compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws for a variety of employers, including those in the rehabilitation, property management, non-profit, and hospitality industries.
- In her previous role, provided legal advice to the Commissioner of Social Security and senior executives on sensitive employment discrimination and retaliation cases involving agency officials and supervised the successful resolution of such matters while minimizing legal and reputational risk.
News & Insights
News
Publications
Speaking Engagements
Professional & Civic Activities
Professional & Civic Activities
HALO Foundation
- Board Secretary, 2011 - 2016
- Volunteer, 2011 - present
Practices & Industries
Admissions
- Kansas
- Missouri
- U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas
- U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri
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
