Leslie P. King

Leslie practices all aspects of construction law.  Her clients include residential and commercial owners, contractors, and she has extensive experience representing design professionals, including architects, engineers, landscape architects, and interior designers. She has handled numerous mediations, arbitrations, and litigation matters in state, federal, and tribal court, as well as many significant appeals.

Notably, Leslie was named the 2020 Connecticut Law Tribune “Attorney of the Year” for her victory on behalf of the city of Hartford in a significant, contentious, and complex jury trial that lasted more than four weeks. She served as lead attorney for Hartford for all disputes arising out of the construction of a minor league baseball stadium, including the termination of the developer and contractor. She also negotiated a takeover agreement with the surety, requiring completion of the stadium with a new contractor. In July 2019, Leslie won the high-profile jury verdict in which the fired developer and contractor sought $90 million in damages for an alleged wrongful termination. Not only did the jury find no wrongful termination, but it also awarded damages to Hartford. Leslie also was successful in post-verdict motions concerning the development of parcels surrounding the ballpark, enabling Hartford to move forward with a new developer. Leslie continues to represent the city of Hartford in the appeal arising out of the baseball park litigation.

Leslie regularly presents at the American Institute of Architects Connecticut chapter on legal issues affecting design professionals, and she has lectured at the Yale School of Architecture’s professional practices seminar. She previously served as a member of the board of trustees of Preservation Connecticut, which is dedicated to preserving the state’s historic architecture and neighborhoods. Leslie also is a member of the Grace Farms Foundation Architecture and Construction Working Group, which is working to raise awareness of forced labor in construction supply chains around the world.

Leslie is fluent in French and speaks conversational Spanish.

• Served as lead counsel and obtained high-profile jury verdict for the city of Hartford after five-week trial in 2019 arising out of the design and construction of minor league baseball park and development of surrounding parcels.
• Continue to serve as lead counsel for all appellate matters arising out of the design and construction of the baseball park. Successfully negotiated a takeover agreement with the surety that issued the performance bond for the completion of the $73 million stadium.
• Successfully defended design professional in 2018 appellate case impacting architects’ statute of repose in the state of Connecticut.
• Obtained defense verdict on case involving statute of repose for architect after successfully bifurcating the trial.
• Obtained full summary judgment for design professionals based on argument that fraudulent concealment statute does not toll statute of repose applicable to design professionals.
• Successfully negotiated Defense Advanced Research Projects Administration (DARPA), an agency of the U.S. Department of Defense, contract on behalf of two Yale professors as part of Big Data Initiative.
• Received full defense verdict in a trial on behalf of a land surveyor facing claims of professional liability allegedly worth more than $6 million in damages. Successfully defended verdict on appeal.
• Successfully obtained summary judgment for a civil engineering firm in a $7 million lawsuit alleging professional malpractice and unfair trade practices.
• Won complete dismissal of claims against a landscape architectural firm after an evidentiary hearing regarding the plaintiff contractor’s failure to comply with a dispute resolution clause in the plaintiff’s agreement with the owner.
• Successfully obtained motion in limine forbidding the plaintiff from introducing evidence at trial of more than $40 million in lost profits as speculative damages in a lawsuit filed by a developer against city officials and design professionals.
• Provided pro bono services to a consortium of architects formed to help preserve a historic mid-century library faced with imminent demolition.

• The Best Lawyers in America, Construction Law, Construction Litigation (2021–2024)
• Attorney of the Year, Connecticut Law Tribune (2020)

• "From Proposal to Practice: Navigating to 'Yes,'" Third Annual Design for Freedom Summit, Grace Farms, New Canaan, CT (March 26, 2024)
• "The Risks and Rewards of Digital Practice - Current and Future Issues," Digital Built Environment Institute (October 15, 2020)
• "Confronting Slavery in the Built Environment," Yale School of Architecture (January 28, 2020)
• "Innovation and the Standard of Care," Yale School of Architecture, Professional Practices Seminar (February 2018)
• "School Security in Design," Connecticut Bar Association Construction Law Section (September 2016)
• "Integrated Project Delivery at the Mason Contractors Association of Connecticut, Hartford, CT (June 2016)
• "Evolving Practice and the Standard of Care; Sustainability, Security, and Everything In-Between," Victor O’Schinnerer & Company Inc.’s 54th Annual Meeting of Invited Attorneys (May 28, 2015)
• "Teaching to the Test – Getting your Judge and Jury to Understand Your Expert’s 'Technical Speak,'" American Bar Association, Women of the Section of Litigation Annual Conference (November 2014)
• "State v. Lombardo Bros., Background and Ramifications of the Decision," American Institute of Architects, Connecticut Chapter (December 2012)
• "Legal Aspects of Architectural Practice," American Institute of Architects, Connecticut Chapter (July 2012)
• "How Architects Can Avoid Five Common Legal Missteps," Yale School of Architecture, Professional Practices Seminar (April 2012)
• "New Indemnification Language in State Contracts," American Institute of Architects, Connecticut Chapter (December 2009)
• "Statutes of Repose and the Doctrine of Nullum Tempus Occurrit Regi," American Institute of Architects, Connecticut Chapter (October 2008)
• "There is No Common Law Right to Indemnity Against Design Professionals for Violations of the ADA," The Design and Construction Management Professional Reporter (October 2007)