{Excerpt from an interview with Adam Leasure, attorney with van der Veen, Hartshorn, Levin & Lindheim}
In the summer of 2018, while I was still an undergraduate at Temple University, I found myself determined to gain hands-on experience at a criminal defense firm. I submitted countless applications and personally knocked on the door of every prominent criminal defense firm in the city. Despite my persistence, none of them gave me the opportunity I was hoping for—until I approached the team at van der Veen, Hartshorn, Levin, and Lindheim. It was there that my journey in criminal defense truly began.
I was offered a summer internship, and I seized the opportunity with everything I had. What started as a summer position quickly evolved into a part-time role and then a full-time position. Over the next five years, I had the privilege of working closely with attorney Michael T. van der Veen as his law clerk. Working side by side with him, I was exposed to some of the most high-profile cases in the country. One of the defining moments of my career came when I traveled to Washington D.C. as part of the defense team during former President Donald J. Trump’s historic fourth Presidential Impeachment Trial. Being part of that team and witnessing the trial firsthand was an experience I will never forget.
Recently, I celebrated my one-year anniversary of being admitted to the Pennsylvania bar. Reflecting on the last five years, I realize just how far I've come. Today, I’m proud to handle both criminal defense and civil matters, continuing to apply the lessons I’ve learned and the experiences I’ve gained to fight for my clients every day.