Overview
Leo is a trial attorney, trusted advisor, and strategic counselor who represents employers in traditional labor relations, employment litigation, workplace counseling, and emerging employment and antitrust matters.
She partners with employers to develop practical, business-focused strategies that manage legal risk, strengthen workforce stability, and support long-term business objectives. Leo advises employers on a broad range of workplace matters, including collective bargaining, union relations, labor arbitrations, employment litigation, workplace investigations, and day-to-day employment counseling. She represents employers before federal and state courts and administrative agencies and counsels executives, human resources professionals, and in-house counsel on employee relations, workplace policies, workforce restructurings, restrictive employment agreements, government investigations, government litigation, and other complex workplace issues.
Leo advises employers on compliance with federal and state employment laws, including Title VII, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), USERRA, and related employment laws. Her traditional labor practice includes collective bargaining negotiations, grievance administration, labor arbitrations, contract interpretation, union-management relations, and the defense of unfair labor practice charges. She also counsels employers on workplace investigations, employee discipline, accommodations, leave management, reductions in force, restrictive covenants, trade secret protection, and employment issues arising from mergers, acquisitions, strategic partnerships, and other business transactions, including labor market competition and workforce mobility considerations.
Before joining Constangy, Leo served as a Senior Trial Attorney with the Federal Trade Commission, where she represented the agency in significant antitrust investigations and litigation involving labor market competition, workforce mobility, restrictive employment agreements, and other complex competition issues. Earlier in her career, she represented employers in municipal government and private practice, handling traditional labor relations, employment litigation, workplace investigations, collective bargaining, labor arbitrations, unfair labor practice proceedings, government litigation, and other workplace matters before state and federal courts and administrative agencies. Her experience as both a trial attorney and strategic counselor enables her to provide practical, business-focused guidance throughout every stage of the employment relationship.
Honors & Recognition
- Joan (Jodie) Z. Bernstein Award, Federal Trade Commission (2024)
- Janet D. Steiger Team Award, Federal Trade Commission (2024)
- Suzanne E. Olive Award for Exemplary Leadership in Equal Employment Opportunity, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (2022)
- Bronze Medal for Commendable Service, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (2016)
About Me
Outside of her practice, Leo enjoys traveling, mentoring, and exploring Chicago’s restaurants, museums, and cultural institutions. She is passionate about leadership development, higher education, and community engagement, and enjoys spending time with family and her dogs.
Experience
Representative Matters
- Represent employers in collective bargaining negotiations, including master, mid-term, impact, and successor bargaining.
- Defend employers in unfair labor practice proceedings, grievance arbitrations, labor disputes, and matters before the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), Federal Labor Relations Authority (FLRA), Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), and other administrative agencies.
- Serve as first-chair trial counsel in federal and state courts, administrative proceedings, labor arbitrations, and government litigation involving employment and traditional labor matters.
- Advise employers on compliance with Title VII, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), USERRA, and other federal and state employment laws.
- Counsel employers on workforce restructurings, reductions in force, restrictive covenants, employee mobility, employment policies, employee relations, and strategic workforce planning.
- Conduct workplace and government investigations involving allegations of discrimination, harassment, retaliation, misconduct, fraud, and other employment-related matters.
- Advise employers on labor market competition, restrictive employment agreements, workforce mobility, trade secret protection, and employment issues arising from mergers, acquisitions, strategic partnerships, joint ventures, and other business transactions.
- Represent employers in employment litigation, government investigations, and administrative proceedings involving discrimination, retaliation, wage and hour, whistleblower, leave, disability accommodation, and other workplace claims.
Credentials
Education
- University of Iowa College of Law
- J.D., Iowa Law Review, 2006
- Cornell College
- B.A., Political Science, Honors, 2003
Media
News
Legal Analysis
Professional & Civic Associations
Professional
- American Bar Association
- American Bar Association, Labor and Employment Law Section, Antitrust Section, Litigation Section
- Black Woman's Law Association
- Chicago Bar Association
- Federal Bar Association
- Illinois State Bar Association
Services
- Advice & Counsel
- Artificial Intelligence (AI)
- Cannabis & Employee Substance Abuse
- Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Compliance
- EEO/Contractor Compliance, Reporting & Analytics
- Employment Litigation Prevention & Defense
- Investigations
- Labor Relations
- Trade Secrets & Unfair Competition
- Whistleblower & Retaliation
Industries
Admissions
- Illinois, 2006
- U.S. District Court – IL – N.D. (Trial Bar)
"Excellence is never an accident. It is always the result of high intention, sincere effort, and intelligent execution."
Aristotle
