When someone gets hurt on the job or in a serious accident, they often call us at one of the most uncertain moments of their life. They do not know what comes next, how they will pay their bills, or how to deal with the Illinois Workers’ Compensation system. For almost three decades, attorney Joseph J. Leonard has been the person who steps into that moment and says, “That’s where I come in.”
Joseph serves as a senior attorney at Leonard Law Group, working out of our office in Teamster City in Chicago. He focuses his practice on Workers’ Compensation and Personal Injury for injured workers across Illinois. To really understand who he is and how he approaches that work, it helps to hear directly from him.
Meet Joseph In His Own Words & See What Drives Him
In the video, Joseph introduces himself in a straightforward way: “My name is Joseph Leonard. I’m the senior managing partner at Leonard Law Group.” From there, he walks through a career decision that has shaped everything he does for our clients.
After graduating from The John Marshall Law School and Dominican University with a joint Juris Doctor and Master of Business Administration in 1993, he went to work at a prominent defense firm in Chicago. For five years, he defended employers and insurance companies in major loss Workers’ Compensation cases throughout Illinois. The partners at that firm trusted him with high-profile matters for major clients, and a team of Illinois Risk Managers even chose him as their designated attorney for a large Workers’ Compensation caseload.
That experience gave him a deep view of how insurers and employers approach injury claims. But it also led to a turning point he describes clearly in the video: “I decided at that point in time, after defending insurance companies and the employers for five years, that my heart was really in championing the rights of the injured worker as opposed to limiting him. And that’s been my passion, and I’ve never looked back.”
Those are not just words for him. In 1998, he joined his brother Andrew in developing and promoting the plaintiff-side firm their late father, Dr. Eugene Thomas Leonard III, helped inspire. That firm is now known as Leonard Law Group. Joseph has spent his career since then representing injured workers and seriously injured people across Chicago and Illinois.
Family, Teamwork & A Law Practice That Will Not Slow Down
One of the most human parts of Joseph’s video comes when he talks about family. He shares that his son, Joey, works at the firm and often asks him, “Dad, when are you going to retire?” Joseph’s answer is honest and direct: “I’m not going to retire. I like coming in. I like getting into work. I like doing what I do, I’m good at what I do…”
He also talks about working side by side with his brothers: “We just have a great relationship with my brother Matt and my brother Andy. We’re a team.” That family foundation mirrors the story in his bio. Joseph and Andrew built on the vision their father had for a law practice that serves working men and women. Today, that legacy continues at our office in Teamster City, where we stay closely connected to union and non-union workers who keep Chicago moving.
Clients who watch the video see more than a resume. They see a lawyer who still enjoys the work, values the people around him, and comes into the office each day with energy and purpose.
How Joseph Helps Injured Workers Navigate The Journey
When a worker gets hurt, the process ahead can feel confusing. In the video, Joseph describes the calls he receives: “When somebody calls me hurt, injured, they don’t know what they’re going to do. They don’t know how to navigate the Workers Compensation Act. That’s where I come in.”
That sense of guidance runs through both his words and his track record. Over the years, he has represented thousands of union and non-union workers. He has argued and won cases before the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission, the Illinois Circuit Court, and the Illinois Appellate Court. According to his bio, he has a 98% success rate on Workers’ Compensation claims he has taken to trial and is recognized by his peers as one of the most knowledgeable Workers’ Compensation attorneys in Illinois.
Joseph focuses on difficult, career-ending Workers’ Compensation claims and permanent total disability claims, often taking on cases other attorneys have already rejected as “unwinnable.” He also handles serious Personal Injury matters, including:
- Construction site accidents: representing carpenters, ironworkers, laborers, and other tradesmen and women
- Scaffolding accidents, crane accidents & trucking accidents
- Car & bus accidents
- Medical malpractice & premises liability cases
In the video, he explains how years of focusing on this work change your perspective: “I’m very good at it. It’s very easy. It’s very repetitive. And when you do it for 30 years, it’s a joy.” For a client who feels overwhelmed, those words offer something steady. What feels new and frightening to them is something he knows well and handles every day.
What It Feels Like To Work With Joseph & Our Team
Beyond results and experience, Joseph talks about how he wants clients to feel from the first call to the final resolution. “I have a passion in making sure that they are comfortable because I’m familiar with the journey, they are not, and my goal is to hold their hand and take them through the journey with me, and in the end they leave happy.”
That approach reflects how we practice law at Leonard Law Group. Clients build a relationship with the attorney they hire, not a rotating list of faces. Joseph’s focus on guiding injured workers through every step of the process fits our commitment to personal contact, clear communication, and steady advocacy.
When you combine his early defense experience, years of representing plaintiffs, and strong family ties to the firm, you get a lawyer who knows how to prepare a case and who also understands the stress a serious injury places on a household. His calm, confident style in the video is the same approach he brings to client meetings, negotiations, and trials.
Get To Know Joseph Before You Pick Up The Phone
Choosing a lawyer after a serious injury means choosing a person you will trust with your health, your income, and often your ability to support your family. We want you to feel like you know Joseph before you ever walk into our office or dial (312) 487-2513.
Watch the video above to hear his story in his own words, see how he talks about injured workers, and decide if his approach feels right for you. If you or a loved one suffers a work injury or serious accident in Chicago or anywhere in Illinois, our team is ready to talk through what happened and explain your options.
When you are unsure what to do next, that is exactly the moment Joseph describes: “When somebody calls me hurt, injured, they don’t know what they’re going to do… That’s where I come in.”