Overview
Kathy McLeroy has extensive experience resolving disputes as a litigator, mediator, and arbitrator. Kathy regularly represents creditors and parties in interest in bankruptcy cases and adversary proceedings in the bankruptcy courts of Florida as well as other states. As a trial lawyer, she has substantial experience representing creditors in disputes with debtors in all forums, including state court, federal court, bankruptcy court, and in arbitration proceedings. She works with judgment holders to enforce and collect large commercial judgments, both domestic and international.
She also represents commercial banks, mortgage holders, property owners, title insurers, and real estate developers in real property disputes and mortgage foreclosures. Clients seek her guidance on matters involving receivership law, and she serves as a real estate receiver and counsel for receivers.
Kathy earned her MBA and worked as a commercial and consumer loan officer with Commercial National Bank (now Regions Bank) in Shreveport, Louisiana, prior to attending law school. This experience informs her understanding of her banking clients' perspectives, processes, and business needs and goals, particularly when handling disputes, collections, and foreclosures.
Kathy is certified by the Florida Supreme Court as a circuit civil and county court mediator. She is also certified to serve as a mediator in matters pending before the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Middle District of Florida, and the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Florida. She mediates a variety of commercial disputes including commercial foreclosures, contract disputes, title disputes, and bankruptcy disputes. She is also qualified by the Florida Supreme Court to serve as a court-appointed arbitrator.
Kathy has represented numerous individuals in pro bono matters, including landlord-tenant disputes, mortgage foreclosure actions, consumer matters, and collection matters.
Experience
Represented secured lenders and indenture trustees in workouts, foreclosures, and bankruptcy matters involving condominium projects, subdivisions, multifamily, commercial, office, and retail properties.
Represented commercial landlords in disputes with tenants.
Represented mortgage holders, property owners, title insurers, and real estate developers in real property disputes.
Representative Cases
In re Anchor Glass Container Corp., 375 B.R. 683 (Bankr. M.D. Fla. 2007).
Townsend v. U.S. Department of Agriculture, No. 2:05-cv-00439, 2007 WL 177857 (M.D. Fla. Jan. 19, 2007).
Naimoli v. Administrative Committee of the Anchor Glass Container Corp., No. 8:05-cv-01879, 2006 WL 2092638 (M.D. Fla. July 27, 2006).
In re Anchor Glass Container Corp., 342 B.R. 878 (Bankr. M.D. Fla. 2005).
In re Anchor Glass Container Corp., 342 B.R. 872 (Bankr. M.D. Fla. 2005).
In re Apache Products Co., 311 B.R. 288 (Bankr. M.D. Fla. 2004).
Amendment to Rules Regulating the Florida Bar, 797 So. 2d 551 (Fla. 2001).
FDIC v. Levine, 763 So. 2d 344 (Fla. 4th DCA 1998).
FDIC v. Levine, 680 So. 2d 536 (Fla. 4th DCA 1996).
Delfrate v. Letts, No. 8:95-cv-00185, 1996 WL 420880 (M.D. Fla. Mar. 25, 1996).
Levine v. FDIC, 651 So. 2d 134 (Fla. 4th DCA 1995).
Additional Matters
Defended, on a pro bono basis, a mortgage foreclosure action against a 60-year-old grandmother who was the head of a household consisting of her daughter, her intellectually disabled adult son, and two grandchildren. The lender, an individual who had purchased the mortgage and note from a governmental entity, had begun charging excessive fees that were not provided for in the loan instruments. The lender began applying the mortgage payments to these fees rather than to principal and interest. The lender declared the loan in default and commenced a foreclosure proceeding. After 13 months of litigation, Kathy had the loan, which was at all times current but for the excessive fees, reinstated.
News & Insights
News
Publications
Speaking Engagements
"Asset Tug-of-War: Receivers, Trustees, and the Fight for Control in United States and Canadian Courts," American Bar Association Business Law Section Fall Meeting, Toronto, Canada (September 18, 2025)
"Drafting Arbitration Agreements in Business Contracts," American Bar Association Business Law Section (May 2024)
"Effective Use of Forensic Valuation Neutrals: Tips for More Effective Use of Business Valuation Experts in Business and Commercial Disputes," American Bar Association Business Law Section Spring Meeting (April 5, 2024)
"You Have a Judgment, Now What? Mastering the Art of Judgment Collection," American Bar Association Business Law Section (April 20, 2021)
"Developing Leaders in Law Firms and Legal Departments," American Bar Association Business Law Section (December 14, 2020)
"COVID-19: What a Lender Can Do to Prepare for the Inevitable Defaults," Carlton Fields (March 19, 2020)
"Nuts and Bolts of Effective Leadership," American Bar Association Business Law Section Meeting, Washington, D.C. (September 13, 2019)
"Mediating E-Discovery Issues in Post-Merger & Acquisition and Distressed Company Disputes," American Bar Association Business Law Section Meeting, Orlando, FL (April 13, 2018)
"Business Law Pro Bono 2010: Best Ideas," Pro Bono Breakfast Program, American Bar Association Business Law Section, San Francisco, CA (August 9, 2010)
"The Nuts and Bolts of a Commercial Foreclosure Action," Foreclosure Litigation From a Lender's Perspective Seminar, St. Petersburg and Clearwater Bar Associations Real Property Section, St. Petersburg, FL (October 8, 2009)
"Mortgage Foreclosure Intervention Projects," American Bar Association Business Law Panel Discussion, American Bar Association Annual Meeting, New York, NY
View less
Multimedia
Recognition
Honors & Recognitions
The Best Lawyers in America (2019–2027); Tampa "Lawyer of the Year," Arbitration (2026)
Florida Super Lawyers, Super Lawyers Magazine (2012–2026)
Legal Elite Notable Women Leaders in Law, Florida Trend (2024)
Judge Don Castor Justice Award, Bay Area Legal Services (2024)
Pro Bono Award, The Florida Bar Business Law Section (2024)
Women Business and Commercial Advocates Award, American Bar Association Business Law Section (2024)
BTI Client Service All-Stars (2023–2024)
Jean Allard Glass Cutter Award, American Bar Association Business Law Section (2022)
William Reece Smith Jr. Public Service Award, Stetson University College of Law (2017)
Medal of Honor Award, The Florida Bar Foundation (2016)
Leadership Award, The Florida Bar Standing Committee on Professionalism (2007)
President's Pro Bono Service Award, The Florida Bar (2005)
Service and Recognition Award, University of Tampa National Alumni Association (2004)
Jimmy Kynes Pro Bono Service Award, Hillsborough County Bar Association (2004)
Outstanding Pro Bono Service as Client Intake Volunteer, Hillsborough Attorney Volunteer Efforts Program (2001)
President's Award for Excellence, The Florida Bar Foundation (2001)
No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the highest court of any state. See Awards Methodology.
Professional & Community Involvement
Professional & Community Involvement
Kathy is active in pro bono and access-to-justice work. She chairs the board of the Florida Justice Technology Center and co-chairs the Florida Bar's Pro Bono Legal Services Committee. In the American Bar Association's Business Law Section, she co-chairs the CLE Board and serves as vice chair of the Business and Corporate Litigation Committee.
Kathy also serves on the Florida Supreme Court Committee on Alternative Dispute Resolution Rules and Policy and is a member of the Academy of Court-Appointed Neutrals. She is a fellow of the American Bar Foundation and a master of the Ferguson-White American Inn of Court.
Her past leadership includes serving as president of the Florida Bar Foundation and of Bay Area Legal Services Inc., where she led a $500,000 endowment campaign. She is a past chair of the Florida Bar's Alternative Dispute Resolution Section, where she remains an emeritus member of the executive council. She also chaired the Florida Bar's Grievance Committee 13A and the Hillsborough County Bar Association's Corporate Banking and Business Law Section, and she co-chaired the Florida Bar Business Law Section's Pro Bono Committee. In the American Bar Association's Business Law Section, she previously chaired the Pro Bono Committee and served on the section council.
Kathy also served on the executive committee of the Florida Commission on Access to Civil Justice, the Florida Bar's Standing Committee on Professionalism, and the Chief Justice's Advisory Committee for the Tobias Simon Pro Bono Award. In the community, she chaired the University of Tampa board of counselors and served on the University of Tampa board of trustees.
Beyond the Bio
Kathy has been a statewide leader in access to justice, from funding legal aid to using technology to help people find legal help, and she helps shape how Florida resolves disputes outside the courtroom. Drawing on her banking background, she proposed the Florida Bar rule change requiring that lawyers' trust account funds earn interest comparable to what banks pay commercial customers, which has generated tens of millions of dollars for legal aid and became a model for 35 states. At the firm, she previously served on the board of directors and chaired the Pro Bono Committee for several years.
Kathy has served as an adjunct professor at the University of Tampa, where she taught Advanced Business Law. At Washington and Lee University School of Law, she served on the Washington and Lee Law Review.
Related Capabilities
Bar Admissions
Court Admissions
Certifications
Certified Mediator
Education
J.D., cum laude, Washington and Lee University School of Law
MBA, summa cum laude, Louisiana State University
B.S., magna cum laude, Louisiana State University
