Mr. DeLeonardo, the Managing Partner of DeLeonardo, Smith & Associates, has an extensive professional background that enables him to serve the various legal needs his clients face. Prior to law school, he worked for a number of years as a commercial realtor, and in doing so, handled the location and acquisition of investment properties including office buildings and shopping centers. He ultimately attended the University of Baltimore School of Law, where he graduated in the top 4% of his class. As a result of this prior professional background, he sought legal coursework that included contracts, criminal law, business law, real property, and estate planning.
During law school, he received the American Jurisprudence Award for obtaining the top score in his class in Constitutional Criminal Procedure and Federal Civil Procedure, twice competed with the National Moot Court Team, and was twice named among the Who's Who of American Law Students. Mr. DeLeonardo, as a law student, wrote an article that was accepted for publication by the University of Baltimore Law Journal concerning the use of baton techniques by the Baltimore City Police Department, and how such techniques would constitute deadly force. He also had the opportunity to work for several law firms that concentrated on business, real estate, and estate planning matters, and witnessed the costly litigation and unnecessary turmoil that often stems from a lack of planning by those involved in both business and estate matters.
After graduation, Mr. DeLeonardo was offered a one year clerkship with the Honorable Charles E. Moylan, Jr., sitting for the Court of Special Appeals for Maryland. During his time in this clerkship, he was able to work closely with Judge Moylan on a number of significant criminal and civil appeals being handled by the Court, and as such, was able to garner a solid understanding of the appellate process and the keys to successful appellate advocacy.
Upon completion of this clerkship, Mr. DeLeonardo developed extensive litigation experience. He first accepted a position as a prosecutor with the Carroll County State's Attorneys' Office where he ultimately obtained the job of Senior Assistant State's Attorney. During his time with the office, he was responsible for prosecuting a wide range of cases including arson, burglary, drug possession and distribution, DUI/DWI, driving suspended and revoked, juvenile matters, murder, robbery, and white-collar crimes. As a senior prosecutor, Mr. DeLeonardo was taught, and utilized daily, prosecutorial techniques that he currently confronts representing his clients. Indeed, he attended numerous training seminars around the country that concerned issues such as DUI/DWI, vehicular manslaughter, homicide investigation techniques, grand jury practices, DNA evidence, and forensic evidence collection. Mr. DeLeonardo was also asked to testify before the Maryland House of Delegates on issues involving legislation concerning drunk driving.
Mr. DeLeonardo was then offered and accepted a position in the Criminal Investigations Division of the Maryland Attorney General's Office. In this position, he was requested by the Attorney General to establish and supervise the Firearms Trafficking Unit, which is a unit dedicated to the investigation and prosecution of gun-related crimes throughout the State. Mr. DeLeonardo headed several significant investigations and prosecutions involving illegal gun trafficking, many of which involved cooperative efforts of federal and state law enforcement agencies. Indeed, during this time Mr. DeLeonardo worked closely with the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Maryland State Police, the Baltimore City Police, the Baltimore County Police, and many prosecutors' offices throughout the State.
Throughout his legal career, Mr. DeLeonardo has been sought after to teach on a range of legal issues including confession law, search and seizure law, firearms laws and regulations, proper investigative techniques, and courtroom preparation and testimony. He currently serves as an Adjunct Professor at the University of Baltimore School of Law, and teaches law students proper methods for writing appellate briefs and arguing legal issues before appellate courts. Mr. DeLeonardo has been requested to train police investigators from a wide range of law enforcement agencies, including the Delaware State Fire Academy, Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Maryland State Police, the Maryland Fire and Rescue Institute, Prince George's County State's Attorneys' Office, the Westminster City Police, and the Wyoming State Fire Marshall's Office.
Mr. DeLeonardo currently represents individuals facing a range of criminal
charges, as well as assists business owners and families in their business
ventures, real estate matters, and estate planning needs. Mr. Deleonardo is
a member of the Maryland State Bar Association, and a participant in the Business
Law, Estate and Trust, and Real Property sections. He is also an active member
of the Maryland Association of Criminal Defense Attorneys and the National
Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.
Mr. Smith's experience in the justice system has spanned over 24 years, where he has served as a Police Officer, prosecutor and defense attorney.
Mr. Smith pursued his undergraduate studies at the University of Maryland, College Park. He served as a Teaching Assistant within the University's Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology before graduating in 1984 with a Bachelor of Arts in Law Enforcement.
Mr. Smith joined the Ocean City, Maryland Police Department in 1983, and continued his employment with the Department as a Police Officer after graduating from UMCP. He thereafter joined the Howard County Police Department as a Police Officer, where he obtained several technical certifications and served as a Field Training Officer teaching new officers in police techniques and procedures. Mr. Smith entered the University of Baltimore School of Law in 1989, and worked simultaneously as a police officer and law student intern with the Office of the State's Attorney for Howard County before leaving the Howard County Police Department in 1990.
Mr. Smith next joined the Office of the State's Attorney for Baltimore County and worked in that office as a salaried Law Clerk until 1993, when, after graduation from law school, he joined the Office of the State's Attorney for Carroll County as an Assistant State's Attorney. He was later promoted to the position of Senior Assistant State's Attorney. Mr. Smith prosecuted a wide variety of crimes at all levels of the adult and juvenile court system, ranging from Driving Under the Influence to Murder.
Mr. Smith left public service to enter private practice in 1997. He formed his own law firm in 1999, and has engaged extensively in civil and criminal trial practice since that time. He has represented clients in a wide range of cases, including those involving child custody, visitation, custody, and divorce. He has been appointed regularly by the Circuit Court for Carroll County to represent children and disabled adults in custody and guardianship proceedings. Mr. Smith's experience also includes general civil litigation, and of course, the defense of persons who have been charged with a wide variety of crimes in the Juvenile and adult courts throughout the State of Maryland. Additionally, he has represented numerous clients before the Office of Administrative Hearings in MVA and other administrative matters.
A number of state, local, and national law enforcement and community agencies have called upon Mr. Smith over the years to assist them as an instructor at police academies, during in service training, and during other seminars. Organizations for which Smith has rendered instruction have included the Maryland State Police, the Baltimore County Police Department, the Howard County Police Department, the Carroll County Sheriff's Department, MAGLOCLEN, the Maryland Network Against Domestic Violence, and the National Rifle Association.
Mr. Smith continues to serve in the community as well. He has, in the past, been twice-elected President of the Montpelier Village Condominium Association. He also served as a Trustee and Administrative Board member at the Emory United Methodist Church. Mr. Smith believes strongly in the value of competitive athletics in the molding of his own children and of those in the community. He continues to serve as a youth sports coach and assistant coach, having taught a wide variety of sports including soccer, basketball, football, Tee-ball and baseball.
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