Leah R. Imbrogno is a partner, supply chain attorney, and commercial litigator with Foley & Lardner LLP. She assists corporate clients, specifically manufacturing and automotive companies, throughout all phases of complex commercial litigation, mediation, arbitration, and international arbitration. She also specializes in negotiating and drafting supply chain contracts. Leah has successfully litigated and tried cases in state and federal courts, and various domestic and international arbitration venues. She is a member of Foley’s Manufacturing Sector and Business Litigation & Dispute Resolution Practice Group. Leah also serves as Pro Bono Coordinator for the Detroit office.
Leah has substantial experience in breach of contract, supply chain, warranty, recall and products liability litigation, as well as in defending manufacturers against class actions and managing trade secret claims and shareholder disputes. Leah also supports clients through all phases of commercial negotiation and mediation, with the goal of prompt and creative resolution of business disputes.
Prior to joining Foley’s Detroit office, Leah began her practice as a litigator in Pittsburgh.
Representative Experience
- Successfully trying $20 million recall dispute between original equipment manufacturer and supplier, resulting in jury verdict in favor of supplier
- Arbitrating breach of contract and misappropriation of trade secrets claims, including against Korean supplier before the Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC) resulting in an award of millions of dollars in damages and future royalties
- Defending automotive suppliers in lawsuits brought by original equipment manufacturers and Tier 1 suppliers regarding payment for warranty campaigns and recalls, including extensive work with experts to determine root cause and damages
- Negotiating and litigating commercial disputes between tiered suppliers, including issues relating to distressed suppliers and pricing disputes
- Litigating complex recall and products liability claims relating to alleged medical device defects and automotive warranty issues
- Aggressively taking and defending discovery and depositions in complex commercial disputes, including successfully handling discovery motions, motions in limine, and motions for summary disposition
- Managing large scale domestic and international electronic discovery efforts, resulting in the retrieval and review of millions of documents
Awards and Recognition
Leah was selected for inclusion in the 2013 and 2014 Pennsylvania Super Lawyers – Rising Stars® lists for her work in business litigation. Upon moving to Michigan, Leah also was selected for inclusion in the 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020 Michigan Super Lawyers – Rising Stars® list for her work in business litigation. She also has been named a “Top Women Attorney” in Michigan Super Lawyers – Rising Stars®.
Through Leah, Foley’s Detroit office was recognized for its pro bono work with the Detroit Legal Services Clinic, receiving the 2019 Pro Bono Office of the Year Award from the Detroit Bar Association.
Affiliations
Leah is a member of the Federal Bar, Pennsylvania State, Allegheny County, Oakland County, and Detroit Bar Associations.
Presentations and Publications
- Co-author, “Changing Requirements: Recent Disruptions to the Law of Requirements Contracts,” End-to-End Manufacturing Manual, (July 2024)
- Co-author, “Sixth Circuit Finds Automotive Supplier’s ‘Blanket Contract’ Did Not Create Requirements Contract, Citing Airboss,” Foley Dashboard Insights (June 2024)
- Co-author, “Warranty and Pricing Disputes Between Suppliers and OEMs: Trends, Pitfalls and Preparation,” Auto Trends Series, (February 2023)
- Co-author, “Key Terms and Conditions for Buyers and Sellers in the Supply Chain,” Supply Chain Disruption Series, (November 2022)
- Co-author, “Three Key Defenses to Contractual Performance: Force Majeure, Commercial Impracticability, and Frustration of Purpose,” Supply Chain Disruption Series, (September 2022)
- Co-author, “Going the Distance: Managing Freight Costs and Delivery Delays in 2022,” Supply Chain Disruption Series, (June 2022)
- Co-author, “Inflation Woes: Four Key Ways for Companies to Address Inflation in the Supply Chain,” Supply Chain Disruption Series, (June 2022)
- Co-author, “Preparing for the Supply Chain of the Future: Negotiating and Drafting Supply Chain Contracts in 2022 and Beyond,” PLI Chronicle, (March 2022)
- Co-author, “OEMs Expanding Supplier Responsibility for Ordinary Warranty Claims,” Foley Auto Whitepaper: Top Legal Issues Facing the Automotive Industry in 2022, (March 2022)
- Presenter, “Supply Chain Disruptions: Shortages, Risk Mitigation and Litigation Strategies,” Milwaukee Bar Association, (January 2022)
- Co-author, “A Manufacturer’s Pandemic Survival Guide: Supply Chain Contracting Strategies and Considerations for Mitigating Future Risk,” Michigan Business Law Journal, (Fall 2021)
- Co-presenter, “Supply Chain Agreements: Manufacturing and Market Disruption,” PLI, (July 2021)
- Co-author, “Supply Chain Disputes, Defenses to Performance & Risk Mitigation in Manufacturing,” Bloomberg Law, (July 2021)
- Co-presenter, “Supply Chain Shortages: Short and Long-Term Strategies for Mitigating Risk,” May 2021
- Co-presenter, Webinar: “Practical Advice for Managing Employment and Commercial Law Issues in the Wake of COVID-19: Best Practices for Restarting and Continuing Business Operations,” LIFT, (May 2020)
- Co-author, “50-State Emergency Order Tracker: Roadmap to Restart,” Foley’s Coronavirus Resource Center, (2020)
- Co-author, “The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (‘CARES Act’) is Enacted into Law,” Foley’s Coronavirus Resource Center, (March 2020)
- Co-author, “Families First Coronavirus Response Act is Enacted into Law,” Foley’s Coronavirus Resource Center, (March 2020)
- Co-author, “Managing the Commercial Impact of the Coronavirus: Summary of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act & Employment Provisions,” Foley’s Coronavirus Resource Center, (March 2020)
- Co-presenter, “When Your International Distribution Contract Goes South,” 28th Annual Law of Product Distribution and Franchise Seminar, (2019)
- Co-author, “Another Win for Arbitration: Supreme Court Rejects ‘Wholly Groundless’ Exception to Arbitrability,” Foley’s Distribution & Franchise Insights, (February 2019)
- Co-author, “Contracting for International Arbitration in the Global Supply Chain,” Michigan Bar Journal, (September 2018)
- Co-presenter, “The Global Supply Chain: Lessons Learned and Best Practices in International Arbitration,” 27th Annual Law of Product Distribution and Franchise Seminar, (2018)
Changing Requirements: Recent Disruptions to the Law of Requirements Contracts
Sixth Circuit Finds Automotive Supplier’s “Blanket Contract” Did Not Create Requirements Contract, Citing Airboss
MEMA OE Mobility Supplier Forum
Foley Announces 23 New Partners
Michigan Supreme Court Overrules Longstanding Interpretation of “Blanket” Purchase Orders for Supply Contracts
