Thomas L. Leonard , III

Former Speaker of the Michigan House of Representatives Tom Leonard is a partner in Plunkett Cooney's Lansing office who serves as the firm’s Government Relations, Public Policy and Regulatory Practice Group Leader.

Mr. Leonard leads a team of Plunkett Cooney attorneys who share his passion for public affairs, solving problems and tackling cutting edge issues. Members of the group focus on policy development, strategic collaboration, building relationships and coalitions, legislative monitoring, and bill tracking.

Mr. Leonard served three terms in the Michigan House of Representatives from 2013-2018. In his third and final term, his colleagues unanimously selected him to serve as the state’s 75th House Speaker. Mr. Leonard earned a reputation as a straight shooter who often worked across the aisle to solve complex problems. Reforming Michigan’s teacher pension fund, creating a bi-partisan task force to tackle Michigan’s broken mental health system, updating “Kevin’s Law,” ending driver’s responsibility fees, modernizing the state’s health insurance code, and re-writing the state’s preliminary exam law are just some of his signature achievements during his tenure.

Prior to running for public office, Mr. Leonard served as an assistant attorney general for the state of Michigan and as a prosecutor in Genesee County, where he was assigned to the Special Crimes Division. Mr. Leonard graduated from Michigan State University College of Law in 2007 and earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan in 2004.