Ira Leesfield, the Founding Partner at one of Coconut Grove’s esteemed law firms, Leesfield & Partners, has transformed his journey from humble beginnings into a testament of generosity and legal prowess. For over four decades, Leesfield has dedicated his legacy to fostering community support and service, championing education initiatives, public safety, and social justice reform. He holds a number of record-breaking verdicts accumulated over 40 years in court.

A Champion of Public Safety and Justice

Throughout his career, Leesfield has defended the rights of personal injury clients, families seeking justice for loved ones lost due to negligence, and victims of child sexual abuse, among others. Leesfield’s work has influenced legislation in Florida, after defending victims of carbon monoxide poisoning in the Florida Keys. His efforts led to the passage of statute 553.885, which now requires a carbon monoxide alarm installed within 10 feet of each room in new building plans. His firm leads in product safety and eliminating design defects.

Ira Leesfield’s Commitment to Passing on the Torch

Leesfield reflects on his own law school journey, funded by the Hollywood Women’s Professional Scholars Program. Through their generosity, he pursued a law degree at the University of Florida and made a career for himself. His experience instilled in him a deep sense of responsibility to pay kindness forward and fund ongoing opportunities for underprivileged students to pursue education and careers in the legal field. The Foundation has awarded over 60 scholarships to recognized law students.

Driven by a sense of gratitude, he and his family founded The Leesfield Family Foundation (LFF), an organization that funds scholarships for women and minorities, provides aid for natural disaster victims, and contributes to causes like childhood cancer and international conflicts. LFF partners with the American Association for Justice (AAJ) to sponsor scholarships for law students from across the country interested in trial advocacy and the civil justice system.

The Foundation makes significant contributions to at-risk community members. Most recently, they contributed a significant gift to the Lotus House and Sundari Foundation, which allowed the organization to accommodate nearly 500 unhoused women and children in Miami and provided them with the resources to rebuild their lives.

Building The Foundation, Leesfield has previously said it was a “natural outlet” for him and his family to give back considering the generous community he was raised in that helped support him through school.

“I have a deep feeling of gratitude for what was done for me, and as soon as I could, I began to pay that generosity back,” he said.

Building a Long-lasting Impact on the Community

Leesfield’s commitment shines through his long history of supporting integral nonprofit organizations in the community that place safety, environmental sustainability, and children’s welfare at the forefront of community issues. Leesfield currently serves on the board of directors for the Underline, a transformative Miami project aimed at converting 120 acres of land into a world-class, multimodal urban trail. Leesfield’s contributions have been instrumental in optimizing community land use and funding the linear park’s expansion into Coral Gables.

In addition to his work with the Underline, Leesfield has actively contributed to Baptist and organizations such as Kristi House, Voices For Children Foundation, the Melissa Institute, Overtown Youth Center, Fatherhood Task Force, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Live Like Bella, Amigos for Kids, Children’s Home Society, Project Yes and Nicklaus Children’s Hospital, among others.

This year, his efforts were recognized by the Fatherhood Task Force of South Florida, awarding him the 2024 Leader Award for his financial contributions and the significant time and energy dedicated to their organization.

In starting The Fatherhood Task Force of South Florida, its CEO and President, Holly Zwerling previously said she relied on Leesfield and that he was there “from the very beginning” of her organization.

“Sometimes, you get help that lasts one year, or two, but The Leesfield Family Foundation has been a consistent supporter of our work, and they align with many of our partners,” she said.

Leesfield’s story is one of resilience, generosity, and a lifelong commitment to justice and community service. Through the success of his law practice, he has created a lasting impact that will be felt for generations to come.

For media inquiries contact: Maria Forero, maria@ingage.biz