Overview
Leslie specializes in health care law and commercial litigation. In her health care practice, Leslie employs her deep understanding of the industry and regulatory environment to counsel a wide variety of health care industry clients in matters before state and federal regulatory agencies. She has extensive experience guiding clients through complex regulatory processes, including Change in Effective Control and Certificate of Need proceedings and throughout Hospital Conversions Act reviews. Leslie also routinely represents clients in Medicare appeals, as well as throughout the Medicare and Medicaid provider enrollment process. She employs her extensive knowledge of the health care industry when representing providers and other entities in business disputes and before state and federal regulatory agencies involving issues of professional liability and licensing.
Leslie’s litigation practice encompasses a wide array of matters that include health care litigation, contractual claims, business torts, employment discrimination, fraud, and administrative law. She has successfully guided clients in state and federal courts across Rhode Island and Massachusetts through all stages of proceedings, including dispositive motions, both jury and bench trials, and appellate proceedings. Her practice spans a broad array of industries, where she helps businesses navigate complex legal challenges and protect their interests.
As co-chair of the firm’s Cannabis Practice Group, Leslie also has significant experience in advising cannabis clients on the legal and regulatory framework relevant to conducting a legal cannabis business, including issues of licensing, litigation, and regulatory compliance.
Experience
- Leslie has guided multiple clients through Hospital Conversion Act reviews. Significantly, she successfully represented the Transacting Parties in the Hospital Conversions Act review of a national health system’s change in ownership before the Rhode Island Department of Health and Rhode Island Office of Attorney General.
- Leslie obtained a complete defense verdict following a two week jury trial in the United States District Court for the District of Rhode Island for a large financial institution in a lawsuit filed by a former employee alleging hostile work environment, quid pro quo harassment, and retaliation under both state and federal law.
- Leslie obtained summary judgment in favor of an international toy manufacturer on misappropriation of trade secret, breach of contract, and fraud claims and successfully defended the decision on appeal in the Rhode Island Supreme Court. Wild Horse Concepts, LLC v. Hasbro, Inc., 286 A.3d 848 (R.I. 2023)
- Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Leslie advised healthcare facilities and providers, as well as some of the largest Rhode Island employers, regarding COVID-19 regulatory and vaccine requirements.
- Leslie defended a major health care insurer in a lawsuit alleging tort claims and an antitrust conspiracy to prevent an out-of-state hospital system from entering Rhode Island.
- Leslie has obtained numerous successful results on behalf of nursing facilities appealing civil monetary penalties in both the informal dispute resolution process and before Administrative Law Judges.
- Leslie obtained a temporary restraining order against the Rhode Island Department of Health on behalf of a practice offering IV therapy relating to licensure of the practice.
- Leslie regularly provides regulatory guidance to aesthetics providers, including, for example, advice related to scope of services and defense of complaints issued by the Rhode Island Department of Health.
- Leslie won summary judgment for an international flooring manufacturer on claims by a distributor on unfair trade practices and tortious interference, among other claims, and also prevailed on summary judgment on the manufacturer’s counterclaims. (Named one of the Top 100 Most Important Decisions of 2017 by Rhode Island Lawyers Weekly).
- Leslie has successfully defended health care providers in numerous regulatory and licensing proceedings.
- Leslie obtained summary judgment on behalf of one of the largest privately held companies in the United States on land use and environmental claims.
Case Studies
Credentials
- Boston College Law School (J.D., 2010)
- University of Michigan (B.A., 2007)
- Rhode Island
- Massachusetts
- U.S. District Court, District of Rhode Island
- U.S. District Court, District of Massachusetts
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit
- Recognized by Chambers USA America’s Leading Business Lawyers in the area of Litigation: General Commercial.
- Selected by her peers for inclusion in the 2024 and 2025 editions of The Best Lawyers in America® in the field of Health Care Law.
- 40 Under Forty, Providence Business News, 2022.
- Professional Excellence in the Law, Health Care, Rhode Island Monthly 2019 – 2024.
- Named Rhode Island Rising Star 2014 – 2020, by the publishers of Super Lawyers.
- USLAW NETWORK’s Virtual Retreat “Short Takes” Video, Cannabis Law for 2021 and beyond.
- Editor-in-Chief, Journal of Law and Social Justice (formerly known as the Boston College Third World Law Journal).
- “Putting Poverty in Museums: Strategies to Create the For-Profit Social Business,” 29 Boston College Third World Law Journal 357 (2009).
- Member, American Health Lawyers Association.
- Treasurer, Rhode Island Chapter of the Federal Bar Association.
- Former Secretary, Rhode Island Chapter of the Federal Bar Association.
- Former Young Lawyers Committee Chair, Rhode Island Chapter of the Federal Bar Association.
- Fellow, Rhode Island Bar Foundation.
- Member, Rhode Island Bar Foundation.
- Member, Governor’s Insurance Council.
- Member, Board of Governors, Rhode Island Hospital Foundation.
- Leadership Rhode Island , Pi II Class (2020).
- Former Member, Generation Citizen New England Board.
- Chair, Rhode Island Chapter of the Boston College Law School Alumni Association.
- Former Board Member and Secretary, Women’s Center of Rhode Island.
- Former Committee Member, Crossroads Committee on Domestic Violence.
