Mark Leffler has been protecting consumers in Virginia since 2000. Mark’s practice is focused on representing consumers whose identities have been stolen or whose credit has been unlawfully impacted by inaccurate reporting, primarily under the Fair Credit Reporting Act. Earlier in his career, Mark represented thousands of Virginians in bankruptcy, where he helped individuals and couples achieve a fresh start from overwhelming debt while protecting their family homes and small businesses. Mark has brought important litigation against debt collectors and predatory lenders, obtaining favorable decisions and significant financial awards for his clients.
Mark has been President of the NACTT Academy for Consumer Bankruptcy Education since 2016, is a frequent author for the NACTT Academy’s webzine at http://considerchapter13.org/, and has served as a panelist at numerous national legal conferences such as the National Association of Chapter Thirteen Trustees (NACTT) and the National Consumer Law Centers (NCLC). He has also served on the American Bankruptcy Institute’s Commission on Consumer Bankruptcy – Chapter 7 Committee, the Board of Governors of the Virginia State Bar – Bankruptcy Section, the Virginia Bar Association Bankruptcy Section’s Board of Directors, the Local Rules Committee for the U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Eastern District of Virginia, and the Richmond Bankruptcy Court Liaison Committee.
Mark was raised in Williamsburg, VA, and lives in Norfolk, VA with his wife, Leigh. In his free time, he enjoys staying physically active, he attends live music events as often as he can, and he loves traveling with his wife.
Education
- Bachelor of Science, Eastern Mennonite College, Harrisonburg, VA
- Juris Doctor, Duquesne University School of Law, Pittsburg, PA
Professional Memberships
- National Association of Consumer Advocates
- National Association of Chapter 13 Trustees
- Virginia State Bar, Bankruptcy Section
- Richmond Bar Association, Bankruptcy Section
Professional Recognitions
- AV® rated by Martindale Hubbell
- Best Lawyers in America, bankruptcy and debtor’s rights, 2017 – 2023
- Virginia Lawyers Weekly, “Leaders in the Law – Class of 2020”
- Member, American Bankruptcy Institute’s Commission on Consumer Bankruptcy – Chapter 7 Committee
- Legal Elite, Virginia Business Magazine, 2007-2012
- Editor, Bankruptcy Law News (VSB Bankruptcy Section), 2010 to 2013
- Casenotes Editor, Bankruptcy Law News (VSB Bankruptcy Section), 2007 – 2010
- Past Member, Local Rules Committee, Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Virginia
- Past Member, Liaison Committee, Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, Richmond Division
Bar & Court Admissions
- Virginia State Bar, 1996
- U.S. Supreme Court
- 4th Circuit Court of Appeals
- Eastern and Western Districts of Virginia
Speaking Engagements and Authorships
- Panelist, National Association of Chapter Thirteen Trustees annual seminar, 2009-2024
- Panelist, “Mediation in Commercial and Consumer Cases”, Tidewater Bankruptcy Bar Association Annual Seminar, 2020
- Panelist, “ABCs of Consumer Protection”, Hampton Bar Association, 2019
- Panelist, “FDCPA Violations Arising from Filing a Proof of Claim in Bankruptcy: What does Midland v. Johnson Mean?”, Consumer Rights Litigation Conference, 2018
- Featured Author, “Inside the Minds: Chapter 7 Consumer Bankruptcy Strategies, Leading Lawyers on Filing Chapter 7 Cases in Today’s Consumer Bankruptcy Climate” (2012 ed.), published by Thomson Reuters.
- Speaker and author on consumer protection matters for Virginia state and local bar CLE programs
- Co-author of the Virginia CLE publication, “Bankruptcy Practice in Virginia”
- Former Editor, Virginia State Bar Bankruptcy Section’s Bankruptcy Law News
