About Ellen L. Leesfield
Former Judge Ellen L. Leesfield has recently been tapped as a member of the prestigious National Association of Distinguished Neutrals, an invitation-only professional association of the most trusted neutrals in our legal community. She has been Mediating and Arbitrating for over 11 years since leaving the Miami-Dade Circuit Court Bench where she served as an Administrative Chief, a Judge in the Lengthy, Complex Civil Division, as well as the Criminal Division. In the Civil Division, Ellen presided over hundreds of trials, including the celebrated civil trial against the government of Cuba under the Helms-Burton Act involving over 10 million dollars in damages. In the criminal division she presided over the trial of the infamous “Spider Man Cat Burglar” and countless Commercial, Professional Malpractice, Products Liability, Employment, and Partnership Dissolution cases.
Throughout her tenure on the bench, Judge Leesfield trained incoming judges at the Florida Judicial College and her colleagues at judicial conferences. She also taught for over 10 years at the University of Miami Litigation Skills Program.
During her recent years in practice, she has arbitrated over 100 cases and mediated over 1,000 cases including issues involving Business Disputes, Construction, Employment, Franchise, Insurance, Health Care “Payor/Payee,” Personal Injury, Products Liability, and Real Estate. Her settlement rate is extraordinary. Ellen also served as special master in a hotly litigated dispute brought by the Miccosukee Indians and positioned it for final resolution.
As a panel member of the American Arbitration Association, Ellen has been admitted to the International Panel, as well as the Healthcare Panel, the Lengthy Complex Commercial Panel, the Employment Panel, and the General Civil Panel.
Ellen has been honored with numerous awards including the Judge Steve Levine Award for Integrity, Fairness and Professionalism; the Justice Gerald Kogan Judicial Distinction Award; and the Judge Mattie Belle Davis Award for Community Service.
Education & Qualifications
- J.D. ~ Nova Law School (with Honors)
- Undergraduate ~ University of Florida (with Honors)
- Florida Supreme Court Qualified Arbitrator
Professional Memberships
- American Arbitration Association
- Cuban American Bar
- Florida Association for Women Lawyers, Miami Chapter: Founding President
- Legal Services of Greater Miami
- Miami Dade Bar
- The Florida Bar: Alternative Dispute Resolution, Business Law, Health Law, Labor and Employment Law sections
- Wilkie D. Ferguson, Jr. Bar Association
Bar Admissions
- The Florida Bar
- U.S District Court, Southern District of Florida
- U.S. District Court Middle District of Florida
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit Court
- U.S. Supreme Court
Practice Areas
- Business Disputes/ Partnership dispute resolution
- Complex Commercial
- Employment
- Personal Injury
- Hospital/Insurer
- International Arbitration
- Injured Seaman
- Professional Malpractice
- Products Liability
Schedule your mediation session with Ellen L. Leesfield