Bio
Leksa Pravdic supports clients through sensitive internal
investigations, government regulatory action, and high-stakes litigation. To
every matter, Leksa brings strong legal reasoning, research, and drafting
skills along with a problem-solving and strategic mindset.
Leksa has represented clients in domestic and international
government investigations and enforcement actions, including both civil and
criminal matters. She has represented individual clients in U.S. Department of
Justice (DOJ) investigations, with outcomes including DOJ’s decision not to
prosecute one client and a favorable misdemeanor plea bargain for another.
Leksa is also experienced in conducting sensitive internal investigations for
corporate and government clients, including those resulting from whistleblower
complaints and Board of Directors’ concerns. In commercial litigation matters,
Leksa brings her robust drafting, research, and strategic skillset to advise
clients on litigation risk and strategy, draft dispositive motions, spearhead
the discovery process, and prepare for trial.
Experience
Representative Engagements
- Represented investment firm in complex SEC subpoena response.
- Represented Big 4 accounting firms in variety of regulatory investigations brought by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB), SEC, DOJ, and Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations (PSI).
- Defended national retail store and employees against federal lawsuit alleging discrimination and civil rights abuses.
- Represented investment firm in civil litigation suing former executives for financial malfeasance and related torts in Illinois state court.
- Represented commercial real estate purchaser in federal lawsuit against real estate seller for breach of contract, surviving motion to dismiss.
- Represented financial exchange firm in internal investigation into whistleblower allegations of internal audit misconduct and controls failures.
- Represented Board of Trustees of a university in internal investigation into allegations of misconduct and ethical violations by university leadership.
- Represented Board of publicly traded company in internal investigation into allegations of mismanagement by former C-suite executives
- Defended former executive of company under investigation by DOJ for food safety-related violations, successfully obtaining closure of DOJ’s investigation without charges.
- Represented former logistics manager under investigation by DOJ for violations of Customs and Border Patrol laws, obtaining favorable misdemeanor plea bargain.
- Represented witness in COVID-related fraud DOJ case, including responding to document subpoena and preparation for grand jury testimony.
- Represented wrongfully convicted client throughout Post Conviction Proceedings.
- Represented transgender woman from Honduras in asylum petition and appeal.
- Represented prisoner in Section 1983 civil litigation.
Credentials
Education
Northwestern Pritzker School of Law, J.D., 2021, magna cum laudeOrder of the Coif
Northwestern University Law Review, Associate Editor
Corporate Criminal Law Research Assistant
Center on Wrongful Convictions Clinic (2019-2021)
The College of William and Mary, B.A., Hispanic Studies, 2012, magna cum laude
Phi Beta Kappa