Leonard Bates
Shareholder
Phone: (515) 883-2000
Email: lbates@newkirklaw.com
Leonard Bates was born in Kansas City, Missouri. He grew up in Omaha, Nebraska, and graduated from Drake University in 2005. Leonard then attended Drake University Law School where he was a member of the ABA National Appellate Advocacy Team.
After Leonard earned his J.D. with Honors in May 2008, he became an attorney for Newkirk Zwagerman. He is a member of the National Employment Lawyers Association (NELA), Iowa Employment Lawyers Association, Iowa State Bar Association, and the Iowa Association for Justice. In 2023, after moving to Minnesota, Leonard joined the Minnesota Bar and the Minnesota Chapter of the National Employment Lawyers Association.
Leonard has pursued litigation against numerous employers who wrongfully terminated employees or fostered hostile work environments. Leonard has also taken on numerous cases challenging criminal background screenings that target disproportionately high numbers of African Americans and Hispanics for non-job-related reasons.
Areas of Practice:
Employment Law
Discrimination
Civil Rights
Bar Admissions:
State of Iowa (2011)
State of Minnesota (2023)
Education:
Drake University Law School, Des Moines, Iowa, J.D. with Honors
Drake University, Des Moines, Iowa, B.A.