Jeffrey Leon talks with The Lawyer's Daily on his one-year term as only the second Canadian president of the American College of Trial Lawyers (ACTL). Jeff completed his term at the end of September 2019.

His tenure saw him travel some 250,000 kilometres to visit 45 states and nine provinces, affording him a unique insight into the mindset and practices of lawyers on both sides of the border.

“What I tried to do was learn about the legal and corporate culture that exists in different regions,” Leon said. “Internally, one of my goals was to weave Canada into the fabric of the college, partly by ensuring that Canadians are now serving on all of the ACTL’s committees.”

. . . 

What was apparent throughout Leon’s presidency and travels was that Americans inquired and cared about how Canadians viewed them.

“And in the current political climate, Americans seem to care even more than usual how they’re perceived by Canadians,” Leon said.