Leo K. Barnes Jr.

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Mr. Leo K. Barnes, Jr. is a commercial litigator, focusing on complex business litigation in Federal Court, the Commercial Division of the New York State Supreme Court, and various arbitration forums. An experienced jury and bench trial attorney, he represents businesses of all sizes in complex commercial litigation, including breach of contract; business divorces; fraud; claims premised upon federal and state statutes (including RICO, the Fair Labor Standards Act (“FLSA”), the New York Labor Law; the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, the Martin Act); and multidistrict litigation. In addition, Mr. Barnes frequently litigates restrictive covenant claims, unfair competition matters, tortious interference, trade secret and breach of duty of loyalty actions, and likewise pursues and defends claims seeking provisional relief related to the same, including preliminary injunctions, temporary restraining orders, attachment, replevin and receivership. 

Over the course of 25 years, Leo Barnes has earned a number of awards and appointments: 

  • Appointed to the Judicial Screening Committee for the Suffolk County Bar Association (January 2023).
  • The firm has been voted one of the Best Litigation Law Firms and Best Construction Law Firms since 2020 by The Long Island Business News.
  • In 2022, Leo was among 25 prominent LI lawyers who were profiled in The Power List published by the Long Island Business News.
  • In 2021, Leo was honored by the Long Island Business News as a Leadership in Law recipient.
  • Named to the Super Lawyers list in the area of Business Litigation every year since 2011 through 2023 (no more than 5 percent of the lawyers in New York State are named to the list).
  • Appointed by Suffolk County’s Administrative Judge to the Roster of Mediators for the Suffolk County Commercial Division.
  • A member of the pro bono trial counsel program for the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York.
  • Panel member at the New York State Bar Association’s Judicial Institute of Professionalism CLE presentation, addressing challenges encountered by solo and small firm practitioners.
  • Assigned by a Commercial Division Justice to act as a discovery master in a dissolution proceeding to resolve disputes regarding discovery production and the ongoing operation of the business during the dissolution proceeding.
  • Court-appointed Receiver in Federal Court involving a seven-figure mortgage foreclosure action within the City of New York, which resulted in the documentation of a rent collection diversion scheme intended to deprive the lending institution of operational income; that finding resulted in the recovery of all counsel fees related to the documentation of the rent diversion scheme.
  • Court-appointed Receiver by a Commercial Division Justice related to the diversion of more than $20 million from a family owned business located on Long Island.
  • Mediator for the New York State Unified Court System’s Attorney/Client Grievance Mediation Program.

Mr. Barnes has been quoted in a variety of media outlets including Law360.com and New York Law Journal. He has contributed dozens of articles on commercial litigation in the Suffolk Lawyer, the Suffolk County Bar Association monthly newspaper, and is a regular contributor to the Barnes & Barnes PC newsletter and the firm’s commercial litigation blog.

Mr. Barnes is a member of the Suffolk County Bar Association’s Commercial Division Committee; the Eastern District of New York Chapter of the Federal Bar Council; the Commercial & Federal Litigation Section of the New York State Bar Association; the Suffolk County Bar Association; and Chaminade High School’s Alumni Association for Lawyers.

Mr. Barnes recently served as vice president of Chaminade High School’s 22,000+ member Alumni Association and well as the Ice Hockey Reunion Chairman. 

Mr. Barnes earned his J.D. from Hofstra University School of Law. He is licensed to practice in New York and New Jersey, and is admitted to the United States District Courts for the Southern District of New York, the Eastern District of New York, and the Second Circuit Court of Appeals. Mr. Barnes has litigated claims in various Courts nationwide on a pro hac vice basis. 

Leo K. Barnes

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Leo K. Barnes Jr.
Rated by Super Lawyers


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Leo K. Barnes Jr.
Rated by Super Lawyers


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Leo K. Barnes Jr.
Rated by Super Lawyers


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10.0Leo K. Barnes Jr