Personal Experience

Leo R. Beus is the co-founder of Beus Gilbert McGroder PLLC, a premier boutique law firm concentrating on High Stakes Litigation, Real Estate and Zoning Law, and Plaintiffs Catastrophic Injury & Wrongful Death. Mr. Beus leads the firm’s high stakes litigation practice, with emphasis on representing plaintiffs in complex litigation involving securities, real estate, investment fraud, lender liability, professional malpractice, antitrust, trademark, intellectual property, and directorship liability. Mr. Beus has been the lead litigator in plaintiffs’ cases resulting in verdicts and settlements totaling in excess of $4 Billion for his clients. In addition, Mr. Beus has successfully represented defendants against antitrust and shareholder derivative claims where the stakes have been up to $1 Billion.

Mr. Beus has received numerous awards and recognitions in his profession and his community. Mr. Beus and his wife, Annette, previously served as co-chairs of the President’s Club of Arizona State University. Mr. Beus is presently a Trustee of Arizona State University.  He is recognized by his peers as an AV® Preeminent Lawyer with the highest rating in Martindale-Hubbell and is ranked among the highest rated lawyers in America in Best Lawyers in America, Chambers & Partners USA Guide and Southwest Super Lawyers. Mr. Beus was named Litigator of the Week by Litigation Daily and in 2016 was named a Benchmark Litigation Star.   He has been recognized in national business and industry media, including the Wall Street Journal, New York Post, Crain’s New York Business, Litigation Daily, Benchmark, Law360, as well as the Arizona Republic, Arizona Attorney, Phoenix Business Journal, Tucson Citizen, and Deseret News.

Mr. Beus was, at one time, fluent in Dutch and Flemish (alas, a bit rusty today).

Admissions

• U.S. Supreme Court
• U.S. Court of Appeals – Second Circuit
• U.S. Court of Appeals – Ninth Circuit
• U.S. Court of Federal Claims
• U.S. District Court – District of Arizona
• U.S. District Court – District of Colorado
• U.S. Tax Court
• Supreme Court of the State of Arizona

Education

Brigham Young University – B.A., magna cum laude, 1967; Phi Kappa Phi Honorary Fraternity
University of Michigan – J.D., cum laude, 1970
Managing Editor University of Michigan Journal of Law Reform, 1969-1970

Representative Matters

On behalf of Plaintiffs

• Representation of a major university and professor in connection with breach of contract and inventorship and misappropriation of trade secrets against pharmaceutical company and its predecessors resulting in settlement of $450 million
• Represented Fortune 500 company regarding recovery of Boeing 747 and jet aircraft engines obtained fraudulently with a value of $420 million
• $338 million jury verdict against a national accounting firm in financial services industry on behalf of international bank
• Representation of Bankruptcy Trustee for a fast food chain against numerous defendants which included national accounting firm, investment bankers, and law firms which resulted in settlements in excess of $280 million
• $213 plus million judgment after jury trial for fraudulent conveyances, breach of fiduciary duty, and unjust enrichment against the parent corporation and director of two bankrupt metals companies, on behalf of Bankruptcy Trustee
• Representation of Bankruptcy Trustee of alternative fuel company against various defendants and professionals resulting in cash settlements in excess of $212 million
• Representation of international corporation against insurers and borrowers for fraud and breach of fiduciary duty which resulted in settlements of over $200 million
• Representation of international bank in an accountant malpractice action against national accounting firm and others resulting in a settlement in excess of $128.1 million
• Representation of numerous plaintiffs against corporation and promoter resulting in recoveries in excess of $112 million
• Represented Fortune 2500 company in recovering $110 million in fraudulently obtained assets
• Represented franchisees against a national manufacturer in an antitrust case with a recovery in excess of $103 million
• Representation of four major institutional money managers who brought claims on behalf of over one hundred beneficial owners of senior subordinated notes against various defendants which resulted in settlements in excess of $100 million
• Represented multi-level marketer against a national multi-level marketer and recovered in excess of $100 million
• Recovered in excess of $90 million for international banking entity against international accounting firm
• Representation of financial institution’s Bankruptcy Trustee against national accounting firm resulting in $75 million settlement
• Represented the State of Texas against a national accounting firm and recovered $75 million for inappropriate auditing
• Obtained $68 million in suit against national supermarket chain on behalf of major corporation
• Representation of paper industry Bankruptcy Trustee against national accounting firm, investment bankers, and others resulting in $55 million settlement
• Recovered $55 million against a Fortune 500 company on behalf of a Fortune 500 company
• Representation of three money managers and their funds against leveraged buyout firms and underwriters which resulted in a jury verdict of $52 million
• Represented a famous golfer in connection with a contribution claim – recovered $50 million against a national accounting firm for not properly auditing and reporting to the board of directors
• Received $45 million from a national law firm for bad tax advice on behalf of major investor
• Represented regional jet airline against international airline and recovered in excess of $35 million
• Representation of two individual entrepreneurs against one of the largest investment banks on Wall Street, resulting in $22 million settlement
• Representation of Bankruptcy Trustee for manufacturing company in connection with litigation arising from accounting malpractice – case settled for $15.55 million
• Represented a university and an investor in suit against professionals for tax advice – recovered in excess of $14 million
• Representation of Bankruptcy Trustee against various defendants and professionals in Florida in the manufacturing and franchise areas. $13.5 million in settlements achieved
• Representation of liberal arts college against national accounting firm for an improper audit leading to $6 million settlement
• Trial of a bad faith claim against an insurance carrier for an injured mother with a recovery in punitive damages in excess of $6 million

On behalf of Defendants

• Defended shareholder derivative claim for Fortune 500 company seeking over $1 billion successfully without any payment
• Defense verdict on behalf of national petroleum company in antitrust case where plaintiff’s claim was in excess of $1 billion
• Defense verdict on behalf of national petroleum company in antitrust case where plaintiff’s claim was in excess of $50 million
• Defense verdict on behalf of national petroleum company in antitrust case where plaintiff’s claim was in excess of $25 million
• On behalf of a large international bank defendant, successfully defended a lender liability case and obtained contribution settlement against lawyers and accountants in excess of $45 million
• Defense verdict on behalf of national music publication company in antitrust case

Professional Distinctions

• Ranked AV® Preeminent™ by Martindale Hubbell – *AV® Preeminent ™ and BV® Distinguished™ are certification marks of Reed Elsevier Properties Inc., used in accordance with the Martindale-Hubbell certification procedures, standards and policies
• Selected, Best Lawyers in America – 2011 to 2023 – Lawyer of the Year for 2012 (Litigation)
• Recognized, Chambers & Partners USA Guide (an annual listing of leading business lawyers in the world) – Tier 1 Attorney, Litigation – General Commercial, 2004-2017
• Selected, Southwest Super Lawyers, Top Rated Business Litigation Attorney 2007 – 2020
• Recognized, Litigation Counsel of America, Fellow
• Selected, Benchmark Litigation, Star 2016
• Named, Litigator of the Week in The AmLaw Litigation Daily, 2012 for $450 million settlement of BYU vs Pfizer case
• Named, Litigator of the Week in The AmLaw Litigation Daily, 2015 for $118+ million jury verdict in case against Ira Rennert and the Renco Group

Publications

    Accounting Liability Alert:

• “How a Plaintiff’s Lawyer Sizes You Up Before Filing Suit” (September 1998) Accounting Today
• “Auditing Profession Must Get Tough on Ethics” (October 9-22, 1995)
• “Auditors: Clean Up Your Act or the Government Will” (September 25-October 8, 1995)
• “CPAs: Do You Really Want What You’re Asking For?” (September 11-24, 1995)
• “Failed Audits Are No Basis for Protective Legislation” (February 7, 1994)
• “Price Waterhouse Evades the Issue of Accountability” (March 14, 1994)

Presentations

   ABA

• “From Plaintiff’s Prospective: How to Select Defense Counsel Suitable to Plaintiff” (New Orleans, Louisiana, March 6-7 1997)
• “The Law Expert: A Plaintiff’s Best Friend” (Vancouver, Canada, April 1-3, 1998)

   ALI-ABA Course Materials

• “Doing Documentary Discovery in an Audit Malpractice Case” (March 1995);
• “Independent Auditor: Public Watchdog or Lap Puppy?” (April 19, 2001; January 27, 2000; January 28, 1999; January 31, 1997; February 8, 1996)
• “Litigating an Accountant’s Liability Suit – Complying With the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure” (January 28, 1999; January 29, 1998)
• “Litigating an Accountant’s Liability Suit – Pre-Suit Investigation” (January 28, 1999; January 29, 1998; January 31, 1997)
• “Litigating an Accountant’s Liability Suit – Pre-Suit Investigation and Procedure” (April 19, 2001; January 27, 2000)
• “Litigating an Accountant’s Liability Lawsuit – Recent Amendments to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure” (January 31, 1997)
• “Public Accounting in Crisis” (May 3, 2007)
• “Proximate Cause, Foreseeability, and Deepening Insolvency in Accountants’ Liability Litigation” (July 9, 2009; May 15, 2008; February 10, 2005; May 20, 2004; February 6, 2003; January 24, 2002; February 2, 1995)
• “The Role of the Independent Auditor as the Public Watchdog” (January 29, 1998)
• “The Simple and Wonderful Duty of a Court Appointed Trustee” (September 8, 2005)
• “Workpapers, Audit Manuals, Expense Account Information and Personnel Records Often Provide Helpful Information in an Accountant’s Liability Suit” (January 29, 1998)
• “Workpapers, Audit Manual, Personnel Records and Expense Account Information Can Often Provide Helpful Information in an Audit Malpractice Case” (May 15, 2008; February 10, 2005; May 20, 2004; February 6, 2003; January 24, 2002; April 19, 2001; January 27, 2000; January 28, 1999; January 31, 1997; February 8, 1996; February 2, 1995)