Rena Leizerman
Trial Lawyer
Key Facts
Education
- Washington University in St. Louis, School of Law
- Juris Doctor (J.D.) 2000
- Honors: Order of the Coif | Washington University Journal of Law & Policy, executive editorial board
- Awards: Judge Samuel M. Breckenridge Practice Court Prize (oral argument) | Judge Samuel M. Breckenridge Scholarship Award (highest yearly GPA) | Sol Elson Scholar in Law Award
- Other Awards: F. Hodge O’Neal Corporate Law Prize; ABA Prize for Land Use Law | American Bankruptcy Law Journal Prize | Joseph Kutten Prize in Bankruptcy
- Washington University in St. Louis
- B.A. Philosophy with Honors – 1995
- Admissions
- United States Supreme Court
- United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
- United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
- United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
- United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
- United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
- United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio
- United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Ohio
- State Bar of Illinois
- State Bar of Ohio
Legal and Professional Associations
- Academy of Truck Accident Attorneys Board of Regents (2016 to Present)
- Academy of Truck Accident Attorneys Chair, Amicus Committee (2017 to Present)
- AAJ Truck Litigation Group Executive Board Member, Public Affairs Committee (2018 to Present)
- AAJ Truck Litigation Group Executive Board Member, Co-Chair Amicus Committee (2014 to Present)
Honors
- President’s Award Recipient (2022) National Board of Trial Advocacy
- Munley Award Recipient (2022) ATAA Trucking and Bus Litigation Group
- Board Certified in Trucking Law by the National Board of Trial Advocacy (NBTA)
Biography
Rena Leizerman concentrates her practice in trial and appellate litigation involving serious personal injury and wrongful death related to commercial motor vehicle collisions. She has successfully opposed Petitions for Certiorari to the United States Supreme Court, litigated numerous issues of first impression in courts across the country, and obtained the first punitive damage verdict against a freight broker for negligent selection. She also drafts and submits amicus curiae briefs on behalf of the Academy of Truck Accident Attorneys and consults with other advocacy organizations regarding amicus curiae submissions.
Rena has taught a seminar on the laws and regulations governing truck and automobile collisions at the University of Toledo College of Law for the past seven years. Since Spring 2022, she has been teaching Jurisprudence and Modern Legal Thought. She serves on numerous boards and committees, including the National Board of Trial Advocacy (NBTA), the American Association for Justice (AAJ) Trucking Litigation Group, and the Academy of Truck Accident Attorneys (ATAA).
She also is a founding president of the National Board of Truck Accident Attorneys. She spearheaded efforts in partnership with the NBTA and the ATAA to obtain the first and only American Bar Association-accredited board certification in truck accident law in the country.
Prior to joining The Law Firm for Truck Safety, Rena practiced law at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP for eight years and served as a law clerk to the Hon. Mark Filip in the Northern District of Illinois.