Alicia McElwaine-Leto

Ms. McElwaine-Leto is a member of the Beverly Hills Bar Association, Pasadena Bar Association, American Bar Association and Los Angeles County Bar Association and is licensed to practice before all Courts in the State of California as well as the United States District Court, Central, Southern and Eastern Districts. In 2017 Ms. McElwaine-Leto earned Lawyers of Distinction Recognition. In 2019 Ms. McElwaine-Leto was named a "Top Attorney" ranked in the top 5% by attorneys.com. Ms. McElwaine-Leto was a recipient of Avvo's Client Choice Award in 2017, 2018, 2020, and 2021. From 2019, through 2025 she earned Super Lawyer status being named to the prestigious "Rising Star" category - available only to those in the top 2.5% of the industry. In 2021 she was recognized by America's Top 100 Personal Injury Attorneys. In 2022 & 2023 she was named Top 40 under 40 by the National Trial Lawyers in the field of Criminal Defense. In 2023, 2024 and 2025 Ms. McElwaine-Leto was recognized by Best Lawyers - Ones to Watch in America for her work in Plaintiff's Personal Injury Litigation. Ms. McElwaine-Leto has resolved 100s of client disputes with banks, bill collectors and credit agencies pre-litigation in addition to being named counsel of record in over one hundred filed civil cases. With over a decade of courtroom experience Ms. McElwaine-Leto has gained an astute knowledge and understanding of both criminal and civil cases overseeing all aspects of litigation from client affairs to winning at trial after jury deliberation. Having spent thousands of hours in the courtroom, Ms. McElwaine-Leto has appeared in 100s of both felony and misdemeanor criminal cases frequently representing clients who were wrongfully accused and often facing life sentences behind bars. Representing defendants against the government and plaintiffs against banks, insurance companies and big businesses, Alicia has dedicated her practice to being an advocate for those who do not have the ability to represent themselves. Ms. McElwaine-Leto represents several international clients but has deep roots in Southern California where her family made a name for themselves as top executives in Hollywood with an impressive client list that included Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, Judy Garland and Steven Spielberg. Alicia has based her legal career on the objectives her family was known for, being "scrupulously loyal to clients as well as a tough, shrewd negotiator".