Phone: 859-219-9090
Fax: 859-219-9292
Email: E-mail Me
Mr. Leckrone has been a litigation attorney at Richardson Law Group, PLLC since 2012. Since graduating from the University of Cincinnati College of Law in 2005, Mr. Leckrone has litigated in the areas of automobile and commercial insurance law, coverage issues, bad faith claims and medical malpractice law.
Professional Experience
Member, Richardson Law Group, PLLC, Lexington, Kentucky, June 2016 - Present
Senior Associate, Walters Meadows Richardson, PLLC, Lexington, Kentucky, 2012-2016
Associate, Sweeney & Fiser, PLLC, Crescent Springs, Kentucky, 2005-2012
Areas of Practice
Automobile Insurance Defense
Commercial Insurance Defense Medical Malpractice
Bad Faith Claims
Insurance Coverage Issues
Civil Rights Law
Criminal Law
Municipal Law
Litigation Percentage
100% of Practice Devoted to Litigation
Education
University of Cincinnati College of Law, Cincinnati, Ohio, Juris Doctor, May 2005
University of Cincinnati, Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, with Honors, June 2002
Bar Admissions
Ohio
United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky
United States District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky
Commonwealth of Kentucky
Honors and Awards
Host of the 2015 American Mock Trial Association, National Championship Tournament
University of Cincinnati Moot Court Board, Order of the Barristers, 2005
Moot Court Board Judges Coordinator, 2004-2005
Tenant Information Project President, 2004-2005
Anderson Moot Court Competition Winner, 2003
Robert Patterson McKibben Medal Winner, 2002
Pi Sigma Alpha Political Science Honor Society, 2002
University of Cincinnati Mock Trial Association President, 1999-2002
Phi Alpha Delta Pre-Law Honor Society, 1998-2002
Professional Associations and Memberships
Kentucky Bar Association
Northern Kentucky Bar Association
American Mock Trial Association, Board of Directors
American Mock Trial Association, Chair, Site Selection and Host Committee
Previous Employment Positions
Ohio Attorney General's Office, Cincinnati, Ohio, 1999-2002
Teaching Experience
University of Cincinnati, Adjunct Professor of Trial Advocacy, 2004-present
Thomas More College, Adjunct Professor of Trial Advocacy, 2002-2004
Representative Matters
February 2024, Perry Circuit Court, KY: Noble v. Westfield Insurance Company. Mr. Leckrone defended an insurance company against claims of uninsured motorist’s benefits and bad faith violations arising from a motor vehicle accident where liability on the part of the uninsured driver had already been determined. Mr. Leckrone successfully raised and argued a motion to exclude all but a small amount of past medical expenses claimed by Plaintiff pursuant to Fratzke v. Murphy, and thereafter, obtained a unanimous total defense verdict.
April 2020, Eastern District of Kentucky: Humphrey v. Nationwide. Joshua Leckrone successfully obtained summary judgment for their client on a novel auto insurance coverage issue in federal court. The Plaintiff moved in with her boyfriend. The boyfriend then had her and her car added to his policy, but she was not the policyholder and was not related to the policyholder. The Plaintiff’s shopping cart was struck by a vehicle in the parking lot as she was exiting a grocery store, allegedly injuring her Achilles tendon as she fell with the cart. The Plaintiff had already been treating for an unrelated injury to her Achilles tendon. After the accident, she underwent surgery and settled with the driver who hit her shopping cart for his policy limits. The insurer for the Plaintiff’s vehicle denied her claim for underinsured motorist benefits. The Plaintiff filed suit against her insurer making both underinsured motorist and bad faith claims. After discovery and a deposition were conducted, the court agreed that the policy did not provide underinsured motorist coverage for the Plaintiff, who was not the policyholder, not related to the policyholder, and not occupying a covered vehicle. Therefore, all claims, including the bad faith claim, were dismissed.
July 2019, Boyle Circuit Court, KY: Estate of Frick v. Estate of Darland. Mr. Leckrone defended the Estate of a young man who perished, along with two others, after a high speed single vehicle accident in which he was driving. Although funeral expenses were stipulated, the issue of the two decedents' impairment to earn income in the future was tried to a jury. Mr. Leckrone obtained a jury verdict awarding zero for the destruction of earning capacity for both decedents.
March 2019, Fayette Circuit Court, KY: Phillips v. Smith, Mr. Leckrone defended a homeowner/landlord against negligence claims when her downstairs tenant slipped and fell on wet grass en route to her basement apartment. Mr. Leckrone obtained a unanimous jury verdict on liability.
July 2018, Fayette Circuit Court, KY: Micatrotto v. Grange, Mr. Leckrone represented an insurer in a claim against it for basic reparations benefits arising out of a claim for someone who alleged injury while jumping out of the way of an oncoming vehicle. Mr. Leckrone successfully argued at the trial court level, and at the appellate court level, that a claims for basic reparations benefits requires some contact between an allegedly injured party and a motor vehicle. This was an expansion of the “contact rule” previously applied to uninsured motorist claims.
January 2018, Boyle Circuit Court, KY: Biggs v. Robinson, Mr. Leckrone defended an insured party against claims of negligence arising from a motor vehicle accident. Within the first two hours of jury trial in Boyle Circuit Court, Mr. Leckrone successfully raised and argued a motion to exclude all Plaintiff’s claimed damages pursuant to Fratzke v. Murphy, resulting in a complete dismissal of the Plaintiff’s case. See KCTR Report.
Mr. Leckrone represented a municipality arising out of a claim of violations of Kentucky's Open Meetings Act. Mr. Leckrone successfully assisted in defending the claims, at the trial court and appellate level, on the basis that, although the details of the settlement of a zoning dispute were discussed in private amongst city council members, the final and binding vote to approve said settlement was conducted in public. In affirming summary judgment on behalf of the municipality, the Kentucky Supreme Court held that the Open Meetings Act did not require that discussions of pending litigation be held at a public meeting. Cunningham, et al. v. Whalen, et al., 373 S.W.3d 438 (Ky. 2012).
Mr. Leckrone represented a vehicle driver and his employer in obtaining summary judgment in their favor in a lawsuit for personal injuries filed by a co-worker arising out of an automobile accident. Mr. Leckrone successfully assisted in defending the claims, at the trial court and appellate level, on the basis that the plaintiff's claim for damages in Kentucky was barred as a result of his previously obtaining Workers Compensation benefits in Ohio. Ison v. Pennington and Capitol Tunneling, Inc., 2007 Ky. App. Unpub. LEXIS 1067 (Ky. App. July 27, 2007).
Spare Time
In his spare time, Josh coaches the mock trial team at the University of Cincinnati, where his team competes both locally and nationally. Josh was a member of the UC mock trial team for four years, and has been coaching at the collegiate level for over 12 years.