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Office of the City SolicitorEconomic Development & Investments Unit
James P. Leonard Chief Deputy City Solicitor
Assistant: Barbara LePera 215-683-5056 Fax: 215-683-5069
Divisional Deputy City Solicitor Real Estate and Economic Development
Assistant: Marilyn Reid 215-683-5055 Fax: 215-683-5069
Christopher R. DiFusco, Divisional Deputy City Solicitor Pensions and Investments
Assistant: Marilyn Reid 215-683-5055 Fax: 215-683-5069
James P. Leonard serves as Chief Deputy City Solicitor to the Economic Development and Investments Unit of the City of Philadelphia Law Department. He supervises much of the City's real estate transactional practice, along with a variety of economic development initiatives. He serves as the City Solicitor's designee on the board of directors of the Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation. He oversees representation of the City's Board of Pensions and Retirement, which includes day to day counseling on benefits and investment matters, and he serves as the City Solicitor's designee on the Pension Board Investment Committee, which manages a $4.7 billion fund and the City's deferred compensation plan. Mr. Leonard also supervises all public information requests under the Pennsylvania Right to Know Act, as well as matters relating to open meetings under the Pennsylvania Sunshine Act. He served as Chief of Staff to the City Solicitor from 2005 through 2007.
Previously, Mr. Leonard was in private practice with a focus on real estate transactions. He attended Villanova University (B.A., summa cum laude, 1996), and Villanova University School of Law (J.D., summa cum laude, 1999).
The Real Estate and Economic Development Division, represents the City in all transactional matters related to office, facilities and land leasing and licensing, land use and development projects, surplus property disposition, transportation right of way acquisition, capital and economic development grant funding agreements, and all matters related to the recording of documents in the Department of Records. The Division acts as general counsel to the Department of Public Property, Commerce Department, Art Commission, City Planning Commission, Department of Parks and Recreation and the Records Department.
The Pensions and Investments Division, under Divisional Deputy City Solicitor Christopher R. DiFusco, is responsible for the counsel and representation of the $4.7 billion City pension fund. The division provides legal advice to the Board of Pensions and Retirement on all benefit and investment issues. This includes the creation and review of contracts, regulatory and tax issues, federal, state and local statutory matters, and management of the City's deferred compensation plan. Attorneys in this division also represent the board before the Court of Common Pleas and Commonwealth Court on statutory appeals.
The Pensions and Investments Division is also responsible for responding to requests under the Commonwealth's Right to Know Act and provides training to City officials on complying with the law. Division attorneys also handle matters related to the state "Sunshine" (Open Meetings) law.
Chair, Corporate and Tax Group
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