Andy Leonards, whose roots are here in Lake Charles, joined The Johnson Firm in 2023 after more than 20 years in law enforcement as a Master Trooper for the Louisiana State Police. The 2018 recipient of the prestigious Liberty Bell Award holds several degrees, along with his Juris Doctorate from Southern University Law Center, including a master’s in instructional technology as well as a Bachelor of Science in criminal justice (with dual minors in psychology and sociology) from McNeese State University. He is also a graduate of St. Louis High School.
His guiding life principle? “Do the right thing for the right reason,” an aim that has served him well. When asked about what drives him, he says, “I have always been passionate about providing a voice to individuals who were either too afraid to advocate for themselves or never had the chance to.” Andy had the privilege of doing this throughout his law enforcement career, speaking on behalf of fellow officers as well as citizens he encountered while performing his duties. And now, as a criminal defense attorney, he has no plans to stop.
Andy is married to Erika (Fruge) Leonards, and they have two children. In his free time, he enjoys sharing his knowledge of and experience with the Intoxilyzer 9000 and Standardized Field Sobriety Testing and Drug Recognition methods, presenting to numerous law enforcement agencies, school boards, school nursing systems, and legal and judicial organizations throughout Louisiana.