Leonard J. French

I Answer My Own Phone

When you call my office, you reach me — not a secretary, not a paralegal, and not an answering service. I believe that when someone is dealing with the stress of a federal copyright lawsuit, they deserve to speak directly with the attorney who will handle their case.

I have been defending individuals accused of BitTorrent copyright infringement since 2011, in Strike 3 Holdings, Malibu Media, and other copyright troll cases filed in federal courts across the country: more than 1,650 clients defended since 2011.

The Malibu Media Bellwether Case.

Defense counsel in the 2013 Malibu Media 'Bellwether' proceedings in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, the first BitTorrent copyright case in the country to reach trial.

To the Eve of Trial Against Strike 3.

With Of Counsel J. Curtis Edmondson, we took a Strike 3 Holdings case to the eve of a jury trial in the Middle District of Florida in 2023. It resolved the day before trial.

This matters because Strike 3 and their attorneys know who I am. When I contact them on your behalf, they know I am willing and able to litigate, defending all the way to trial if necessary. That makes a difference in negotiations.

Nationwide Practice

We represent clients nationwide, in every federal district where Strike 3 Holdings files. We appear directly in courts where one of our attorneys is admitted. Elsewhere, we appear pro hac vice or with local counsel, as each court’s rules require. Most anonymous settlements are negotiated before any court appearance is needed.

We are a virtual practice: we work with clients nationwide by phone and video.

Flat-Rate Fees

I charge a flat fee by stage, not hourly. Flat fees by stage: $2,500 before your identity is released, $3,000 after, $3,500 if named, $4,000 if served. If your case progresses, you will never pay more than if you had waited; you only pay the difference. Flat fees by stage. Court costs, pro hac vice fees and local counsel fees, where a court requires them, are quoted in writing before they are incurred. Details are on the pricing page.

Philosophy

Copyright trolls rely on fear, confusion, and shame. They count on people being too embarrassed to seek help and too intimidated to fight back. My job is to cut through the fear, explain your options clearly, and resolve your case as quickly and quietly as possible.

Every case I take is confidential. My goal is to get you through this with your privacy intact and your life back to normal.