Evers' judges: Gordon R. Leech

"Evers' judges" is our effort to present information about Gov. Tony Evers' appointees to the bench. The information is taken from the appointees' own judgeship applications.
 
Italics indicate direct quotes from the application.​ Typos, including punctuation errors, come from the original application even though we have not inserted “(sic)” after each one. WJI has left them as is.

Name: Gordon R. Leech
 
Appointed to: Washington County Circuit Court
 
Appointment date: July 11, 2025 (effective Aug. 8), to a term ending July 31, 2026
 
Education:
Law School – University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Undergraduate – Pennsylvania State University, State College, Pennsylvania
High School – Franklin Regional, Munysville, Pennsylvania
 
Recent legal employment:
September 2022-present – Prosecutor, assistant district attorney, State of Wisconsin, Fond du Lac County District Attorney’s Office
July 2010-September 2022 – Leech Law Office, West Bend, Wisconsin
July 2009-July 2010 – Rose & deJong, S.C., Milwaukee, Wisconsin
2005-June 2009 – Samster, Konkel & Safran, S.C., Milwaukee, Wisconsin
 
Military service: U.S. Marine Corps, active duty 1992-1995 serving as Judge Advocate (trial counsel and base labor counsel); active reserve 1998-1999; highest rank Major
 
Bar and administrative memberships:
State Bar of Wisconsin
U.S. Supreme Court
Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin
U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida
Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals (lapsed)
Pennsylvania Bar (lapsed)
Florida Bar (lapsed)
 
General character of practice:
Current: Prosecution of criminal offenses in the circuit court. Formerly practice principally included criminal defense, consumer law litigation and employment law litigation. I’ve represented a clients in workers compensation benefit claims and social security disability claims during the first four years I practiced in Wisconsin. I have also represented people in ch. 13 bankruptcies. For about 2 years in Florida, I worked in an insurance defense firm handling liability and coverage claims.
 
Describe typical clients:
Currently representing the State of Wisconsin and its citizens. Formerly specialized in criminal defense on direct retainers, court appointments and State Public Defender appointments. Also represented people in employment and consumer litigation.
 
Number of cases tried to verdict: approx. 35 JT (jury trials), many more administrative and court trials
 
List up to three significant trials, appeals, or other legal matters in which you participated as a judge or lawyer in the past seven years:
Termination of Parental Rights case (closed proceedings). This case was both a trial and an appeal. I was Lead Trial Counsel and sole counsel for the state on appeal. Fond du Lac County Circuit Court. … Five-day trial in 2023 followed by an appeal. Another ADA and I took over the prosecuting this case after our Juvenile Prosecutor determined he had a conflict just prior to trial. The case was significant because the child was placed with foster parents who provided a stable, loving home, and had been for several years while the sole parent contesting the termination had been incarcerated until recently. The child and foster parents had a close bond, the foster parents were going to adopt, and the evidence showed that the child experienced significant emotional distress when the contesting parent was in contact with him. The foster parents had the child for years, waiting for the TPR to be prosecuted and finalized so they could finalize the adoption, which the child strongly wanted. The case was important to all involved. For me, it was my first TPR matter as a prosecutor. The significant legal issue involved a novel question of whether the incarcerated parent should be relived of the requirements he failed to satisfy while incarcerated when he committed the crime causing his incarceration on the very day the conditions of return were imposed on him. One of the conditions included not to commit any crimes. The facts of this case had not been addressed directly by appellate decisions. We won the trial and subsequent request to terminate parental rights. The contesting parent appealed. I handled the appeal alone, and the Court of Appeals affirmed. The SCOW denied the petition for review. The foster parents were then able to finalize the adoption, and the child is living with them now as one of their own.
 
State v. Orlando Daniel; Trial Counsel for the State; Fond du Lac County Circuit Court … May 27-28, 2025. Prosecuting a domestic violence case where the victim waited until testifying to recant her complaint entirely. The defendant was charged with drugs, possessing a firearm as a felon, going armed while intoxicated, and first degree reckless endangering safety of the victim by pointing a loaded firearm at her head repeatedly. The case was significant because the defendant posed a significant threat to the victim and public at large with his actions and the related involvement of firearms and drugs. The victim's recanting testimony jeopardized the entire case. The case was significant to try. It was challenging as a trial attorney to impeach the victim, who was the state's primary witness, and convince the jury that her prior statements were the truth. Keeping calm despite an antagonistic witness and focusing on the rules of evidence, logic and persuasive arguments, I was able to prevail. It was important to stop the cycle of violence against the victim and preventing harm to others in the future.
 
Experience in adversary proceedings before administrative bodies:
Revocation of probation hearings and appeals as defense counsel in many cases from 2018-2022. Litigated many cases before the Equal Rights Division from 2004 to 2018, unemployment, and workers compensation benefit claims and appeals. I’ve also litigated federal admin courts to include the EEOC, Social Security Disability, and Merit Systems Protection Board.
 
Describe your non-litigation experience (e.g., arbitration, mediation).
Formerly certified mediator by Fla. Bar and conducted mediation sessions as the mediator in Wisconsin. I’ve participated as attorney to a party in many mediations over the years, probably over 150, in Florida and Wisconsin. I have also handled arbitration claims for stock brokers and for consumers in automotive lemon law claims.
 
Position or involvement in judicial, non-partisan, or partisan political campaign, committee, or organization: None
 
Previous runs for public office: None
 
All judicial or non-partisan candidates endorsed in the last ten years: None listed
 
Professional or civic and charitable organizations:
ABLE (Audio & Braille Literacy Enhancement), member, board of directors, approximately 2007-2008
National Association of Consumer Advocates, peer group leader, 2016
Wisconsin Bar Civil Rights & Liberties Law Section, chair and board member, 2010-2013
Wisconsin Bar Labor & Employment Law Section, board member, 2011-2014
Florida Chapter of National Employment Lawyers Association, president and other roles, 2002-2005
Florida Bar Labor & Employment Law Certification Review Course, co-chair, 2004
Northboro Home Owners Association, president, approximately 1998
 
Significant pro bono legal work or volunteer service:
Volunteer Lawyers Project, gave multiple seminars for volunteer lawyers taking cases in areas typically not served, and I also consulted with an took many consumer related cases on referral as a volunteer lawyer to the project 2010-2018. I accepted appointments in criminal matters at reduced rates through the State Public Defender. There are also many times that I waived my fees or gave a reduced fee to low income clients in consumer and employment matters. I volunteered for several years in mock court competitions in S. Florida as a judge and again in Washington County, WI for high school competitions. For several years I gave presentations on the law and a career in law with Junior Achievement. I spent many days volunteering with my children’s activities to support them in hockey, football and ballet events by working concession stands, announcing games, time and score keeper, and setup/tear down for events. I also volunteer with school events for my soon-to-be step children who are still in middle and high school for various activities.
 
Quotes:
 
Why I want to be a judge:
I want to serve the people of Wisconsin as a judge because I believe my varied life and professional experiences will help guide me to apply the rule of law as given by higher courts to the facts of the cases presented and arrive at fair and equitable decisions whether that be a criminal case, a family dispute, a civil suit or other matter.
I grew up in a very close, middle-class family with three sisters. We typically did not have more than a paycheck to live on. In my own adult life, we had times when money was scarce and times of plenty. College was something l earned, working and finding ways to pay for it on my own. I am a father of three adult children now, all having graduated college in the past six years. I have lived through the experience of a broken marriage and divorce with their mother. I have now learned again what it means to love and be loved once more as I will be married later this year when I will become a stepfather to my fiancé’s three children. I learned about service and teamwork in the Marine Corps. As a lawyer, I have represented many diverse clients in many diverse situations. My clients included businesses in commercial disputes. I have represented people that lost jobs, large sums of money or credit due to wrongful acts of others. Some of my clients were denied medical treatment and benefit claims after being injured at work. I have counseled prospective clients out of lawsuits when I did not see that legal relief was available. I started my career as a prosecutor, then later in life represented people in defense of criminal charges, and I have since returned to representing the people of Wisconsin as a prosecutor—arguably one the best jobs one can have as a trial attorney. I have come to know people at their best and worst, as I have come to know myself from these experiences.
 
With these experiences, I will listen to the people putting their trust in the court; I will judge their disputes fairly; I will treat them with respect; and I will uphold the integrity of the office in which I serve with the highest personal moral standards and work ethic. This is the type of judge I have always most respected regardless of the outcome. People may disagree with the result in a case but accept it because they believe it was a decision free of bias and deliberately made based on the court's understanding of the law. Wisconsin rightfully expects that kind of person in the judiciary, and I believe I can be that judge.
 
Describe which case in the past 25 years by the Wisconsin Supreme Court or U.S. Supreme Court you believe had a significant positive or negative impact on the people of Wisconsin.
In 2023, the Supreme Court of Wisconsin decided State v. Johnson, 2023 WI 39. This case has a significant impact on the people in Wisconsin because it positively impacted the rights of victims of crime by protecting them from incursions into their privately held healthcare records which historically had a negative effect on victims of crime both discouraging prosecution and inflicting emotional distress. At the same time, it negatively affected the rights of those accused of crime to investigate their accusers in ways traditionally done to attack the veracity of the accusations and credibility of the accuser.
The decision is recognized as one of the first cases decided by the SCOW to address the rights of victims under the constitutional amendment and enabling statutes for Marcy's law. However, the court appeared to recognize that victims may have standing to exert rights under Marcy's Law, the court did not decide the standing issue. Instead, the court overruled State v. Shijfra with which courts and parties have wrangled since 1993 when the court said a victim's healthcare records could be subject to discovery by a criminal defendant using an in camera review process.
Although the case overturns almost 30 years of precedent, the court was willing to examine whether the earlier opinion was correctly decided, how workable the decision was when put into practice, and the change in respect given to victim's of crime as illustrated in the enactment of the constitutional amendment with Marcy's Law. The opinion is significant in part because it says being old law alone isn't good enough to justify keeping it and signals that victims may have standing to enforce the rights stated in Marcy's law. It seems to shift some of the weight on the scales of justice to a third plate, that of the victim.
 
Two or three judges whom I admire and why:
Sandra Giernoth, Washington County Circuit Court.
Judge Giernoth is smart, direct, and holds attorneys accountable to the standard she clearly sets for herself. She does not show favoritism to either party. She is always prepared and runs her calendar efficiently. If you respect her preparation, intelligence and time, she respects yours. She also took over the Drug Treatment Program in Washington County. Judge Martens's work before her and now her efforts have helped make that one of the most effect treatment programs I have seen in the courts where I have practiced. I aspire to gain the respect she has as a jurist and would look to her as a mentor and role model.
Judge William Sosnay, Milwaukee Circuit Court.
Early in my career, I appeared before Judge Sosnay as local counsel on behalf of the firm where I worked. It was for a 3-week jury trial involving the death of man from mesothelioma. It was complicated as it was long. Lead counsel was from another jurisdiction, and suffice it to say they played a little rough where he came from. Judge Sosnay was clearly frustrated with lead counsel throughout the case, but he never let on to the jury. He always maintained his calm, professional demeanor. He made his frustrations known and laid out his expectations clearly. Any criticism always occurred in chambers. He was more than patient throughout and never showed anyone disrespect even when he was disrespected. I continued to appear before him in other cases and always left feeling glad to have him as the judge. His judicial demeanor left a great impression on me. I enjoyed practicing in his court knowing that he would be fair to the parties and I always felt respected. If given the opportunity, I hope people will feel the same way in my courtroom.
 
Justice John Roberts, U.S. Supreme Court.
I admire Justice Roberts for his integrity. He has put judicial restraint and respect for precedent above politics of the day. Regardless of affiliation or agreement with the result, having the courage to decide issues based on these principles honors what I believe is the proper role of the court.
 
The proper role of a judge:
The proper role of a judge is primarily to uphold the integrity of the office.
 
The integrity of the office for a trial court is upheld by following the rule of law as given by the higher courts, refraining from legislating from the bench, being free of personal or political influence, and maintaining decorum in the courtroom. A judge must know the law, whether from prior experience or by learning it when knowledge is lacking. A judge must recognize personal prejudices and biases and then understand how these may play a part in the judge's own decision-making to avoid letting them influence judicial decisions. Listening to the parties, witnesses, lawyers, and other participants in the process is also necessary, and communicating decisions in a way that shows the judge has listened and understood the parties even if the judge didn't agree with them. A judge should also treat people with respect, ensure that the parties treat each other with respect, and ensure that the parties also treat the office with respect.
 
Being a judge is a privilege ultimately given by the people. The focus should be on the office, not the person. A judge's role should be to honor the office by example, living according to the values of the community the judge serves, acting with dignity and maintaining a high moral character consistent with the judicial code of ethics. A judge must respect the office as much as the judge expects others to do.

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