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Published on: July 17, 2015

GoFundMe as an alternative to predatory Lawsuit Loans

With the development over the past few years of online crowd funding, websites like GoFundMe have gained in popularity at an exponential rate. Since its inception, GoFundMe claims to have raised over $1.2 billion through its website. Quite remarkable.

As a personal injury firm established in South Florida for over 38 years, Leesfield & Partners has seen first hand how a catastrophic event can transform an otherwise financially sound family into needing quick cash to pay next month’s mortgage or pay last month’s car payment that is over due.

In Florida, the Florida bar prohibits attorneys to loan money or advance cash to their clients. The only option to clients in the most dire situations was to contact a financial firm specialized in short-term loans based on lawsuits, more commonly called lawsuit loans. These loans are essentially an exchange of money for a promise of repayment + interest. While the idea of helping out people in temporary need until their case settles is a very noble one, abuse quickly became the norm. Today, these lawsuit loans are mainly operated by small entities who charge an exorbitant interest rate.

Published on: December 22, 2014

A year of growth in many ways

By Leesfield & Partners

We hope you noticed that Leesfield & Partners is now Leesfield & Partners, recognizing Tom Scolaro’s 15-year career at our firm which began as a law clerk and research assistant. Tom has excelled in every way recognized by the trial bar and fully earned his placement as a named partner.

During his career, Tom has tried numerous multi-million dollar verdicts, setting records throughout the state through his proactive and highly assertive litigation and trial skills. According to Founding Partner, Ira Leesfield, “Tom is a trial lawyer who consistently says ‘give me the ball.” He works tirelessly and never complains. His productivity demonstrates an understanding that the firm’s clients need to get their cases resolved: timely, but resolved fully.

The announcement of Leesfield & Partners has been well received with responses coming from Europe, Canada and throughout the United States, and, of course, from all points of Florida.

Published on: February 10, 2014

Ira Leesfield recognized amidst the release of George Clooney’s The Monuments Men

By Leesfield & Partners

Appointed by President Clinton to investigate and track down looted Holocaust art and cultural treasures stolen during World War II across Europe, Ira Leesfield was recently recognized by the Miami Herald for the role he played in the U.S. Presidential Advisory Commission on Holocaust Assets from 1998 to 2000.

The release of George Clooney’s latest movie, The Monuments Men, has led many men and women to being honored at various Washington institutions that played major roles in the protection, investigation, and in several cases, rescue of European treasures during and after World War Two.

The Commission made several significant findings, some of which are below: