Chauvron Leotaud

About Chauvron Leotaud

Senior construction risk and litigation counsel representing owners, general contractors, construction managers, public authorities, and insurers in high-exposure construction and catastrophic loss matters throughout New York. My practice centers on defending catastrophic construction accident claims arising under New York Labor Law §§ 200, 240(1), and 241(6), as well as complex general liability and toxic tort exposure.I collaborate closely with risk managers and carriers from the earliest stages of a loss, frequently responding to serious construction incidents through immediate site investigations, evidence preservation strategy, and early-stage exposure assessment. My work emphasizes liability evaluation, Industrial Code analysis, contractual indemnification, and additional insured positioning to control indemnity exposure in multi-party litigation through disciplined motion practice, strategic deposition planning, and pragmatic resolution positioning aligned with business objectives and risk tolerance.I provide strategic analysis aligned with business objectives and risk tolerance, including settlement valuation, trial risk assessment, and coordinated risk transfer enforcement. Having litigated significant injury matters on both the plaintiff and defense sides, I bring a comprehensive understanding of damages modeling, negotiation leverage, and catastrophic severity evaluation.Admitted in New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, and in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey and the Eastern District of Pennsylvania

Experience

1. Senior Counsel Construction & Complex Liability

   Mintzer Sarowitz Zeris & Willis Pllc

   Dec 2024 — Present · Mellville, NY, US

   Senior litigation counsel representing owners, general contractors, construction managers, public authorities, and insurers in high-exposure personal injury and property damage matters throughout New York. Practice includes emergency response to serious construction accidents, conducting immediate site investigations, coordinating with risk management teams, preserving critical evidence, and positioning matters strategically from day one.Defend complex claims arising under New York Labor Law §§ 200, 240(1), and 241(6), as well as general liability, premises liability, toxic tort, and product liability matters involving catastrophic injury and multi-party litigation. Advise carriers and insureds on insurance coverage analysis, additional insured tenders, contractual indemnification, and risk transfer strategy, while leading dispositive motion practice, jurisdictional challenges, and appellate advocacy. Draw upon prior plaintiff-side litigation experience to anticipate damages theories, deposition strategy, and settlement leverage in catastrophic exposure cases.

Education

• Concordia University

  Bachelor of Arts, Sociology and Communications

  1997 — 2001

• Vanier College

  Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies

• Riverdale High School

  High School Diploma

• Father MacDonald High School

  High School Diploma

• Syracuse University College of Law

  JD, Law

  2001 — 2004

Skills

• Entrepreneurship
• Public Speaking
• Courts
• Legal Advice
• Criminal Defense
• Negotiation
• Microsoft Office
• White Collar Criminal Defense
• Mediation
• Gaming Law
• Trial Advocacy
• Asbestos Litigation
• Hearings
• Insurance
• Toxic Tort
• Legal Writing
• Litigation
• Legal Research
• Civil Litigation
• Product Liability
• Trials
• Criminal Law
• French
• Legal Issues