Bio

Mark Leadlove, Co-Leader of the firm's Business & Commercial Disputes Practice Group, is a trial lawyer with more than 30 years of experience as an advocate. He practices in federal and state courts and arbitration tribunals throughout the United States. He also appears before administrative agencies in the State of Missouri. Since joining in 1988, Mark has represented clients in disputes in numerous areas of commercial litigation and has served a number of industries. His practice currently focuses on high value, complex commercial disputes for public and closely held corporate clients, including litigation of all types that arise out of mergers, acquisitions and other transactions. In this area, Mark has experience with earn-out litigation; working capital adjustment disputes; litigation and arbitration relating to claims of breaches of representations and warranties in purchase agreements; litigation over buy-sell agreements; and disputes related to letters of intent. Mark is experienced with franchise litigation, including claims of fraudulent inducement to enter into franchise agreements; breach of franchise agreements; statutory claims; misappropriation of trade secrets and trade mark infringement. He also has defended manufacturers and wholesalers against claims raised by terminated distributors. His experience includes jury trials in cases tried under the Uniform Commercial Code and the UN Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods. Mark's practice experience also includes a substantial number of restrictive covenant and non-compete trials and municipal tax litigation. He has significant experience with real estate related litigation, including lease disputes, property tax issues, eminent domain matters and development disputes. Mark also has served as a member of an arbitration panel in an extremely complex commercial dispute involving claims of breach of contract, quasi contract and related issues. Mark started his legal career on active duty with the U.S. Army JAG Corps, during which he tried approximately 100 courts-martial and administrative separation actions before military panels and boards. He also spent one year as a management consultant in the St. Louis area prior to joining. A leader in the community, he was an officer in the Army Reserve until his retirement in 2005, and has served in leadership positions on the boards of numerous charitable organizations.