Dec 2021–Present
Current role
Partner
Duane Morris LLP
InvestigationsCriminal DefenseWhite Collar Crime
About
Leigh M. Skipper practices in the Trial Practice Group. He represents individuals and entities subject to compliance inquiries by local and federal law enforcement agencies. His practice is concentrated in white-collar criminal and civil litigation areas. Mr. Skippers clients include health care, pharmacy, energy and financial services providers.
Prior to joining Duane Morris, Mr. Skipper served as the Chief Federal Defender for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. During his tenure, he oversaw one of the largest federal defender offices in the country and was responsible for the training, strategy and supervision of more than 65 attorneys as well as investigators, technology and administrative support staff in the trial, appellate and capital habeas units. He successfully defended hundreds of cases involving fraud, tax, corruption, drug and other offenses and tried approximately 35 federal jury trials. Mr. Skipper was responsible for the training, management and selection of the attorneys on the Criminal Justice Act Panel and was accountable for all operational matters, including budgetary and personnel decisions.
The Honorable Arianna Freeman of the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, the Honorable Kai N. Scott and the Honorable Catherine Henry of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania are products of his Office.
Mr. Skipper is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers. He serves on the Colleges Pennsylvania State and Teaching of Trial and Appellate Advocacy Committees and was the former Chair of the Public Defender Committee. For ten years (2014-2024), he taught as an Adjunct Law Professor at the Drexel University Kline School of Law, teaching classes on Sentencing and Federal Criminal Law. He is a past president of the Barristers Association of Philadelphia and the National Association of Federal Defenders and has served as a past chairman of the Philadelphia Bar Associations Judicial Selection and Retention Committee. In 2024, Mr. Skipper was listed in Chambers USA: America's Leading Business Lawyers for Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations.
Mr. Skipper is a graduate of Howard University School of Law and a graduate of the University of Connecticut.
Roles
Dec 2013–Nov 2024
Former role
Adjunct Professor
Drexel University Kline School of Law
Civil LitigationInvestigationsWhite Collar CrimeLitigation Support SpecialistAppellate Litigation
Jan 2009–May 2022
Former role
Chief Federal Defender
U.S. District Court
(appointed)Pennsylvania Eastern District
Planning, Policy, StrategyInvestigationsEducation and TrainingAppellate Litigation
Oversee one of the largest Federal Defender offices in the country, responsible for the training, strategy and supervision of over sixty attorneys as well as Investigators, technology and administrative support staff, all committed to providing the highest quality of federal criminal representation in the Trial, Appellate and Capital Habeas Units. Accountable for all operational matters, including case development, personnel and budgetary management. Administer the review, investigation, qualifications and training of all attorneys on the Criminal Justice Act Panel.
Represent clients throughout all proceedings, including grand jury and trials. Assist attorneys with case specific strategy issues.
Jan 1991–Dec 2008
Former role
Assistant and Supervisory Assistant Federal Defender
U.S. District Court
(appointed)Pennsylvania Eastern District
InvestigationsCriminal LawAppellate Litigation
Jan 1988–Dec 1990
Former role
Assistant State Defender
Defender Association of Philadelphia-Jury and Bench Trials, Philadelphia
(appointed)Pennsylvania
InvestigationsLitigation Support SpecialistAppellate Litigation
Representative matters
Representations
March 2025
• Successful misdemeanor disposition in a federal corruption case. • Defense trial co-counsel in racial discrimination multi-defendant federal jury trial, securing a complete defense verdict. • State AG EPA regulatory investigation concluded with no action. • Extensive direct case experience in wire, bank, bribery, tax, health care, RICO and securities fraud investigations and prosecutions. • Obtained a full acquittal as sole counsel in a federal bank fraud prosecution. • Successful disposition in a massive “pump and dump” securities fraud prosecution. • Obtained a not guilty verdict as sole counsel on a false filing tax count and aggravated identity theft count (a two-year mandatory minimum) on behalf of a former IRS employee. A one-year probationary sentence was imposed. • Obtained reversal after trial for Brady violation as sole counsel for wire fraud prosecution. Probationary sentence imposed. • Sole Trial Counsel in a case challenging the unreliability of latent fingerprint evidence under the Daubert standard. • Participated as lead counsel in the successful challenge of the reliability of hearsay evidence at a sentencing proceeding. • Successfully limited the admissibility of portions of audio recordings leading to a deadlocked jury. • Obtained complete acquittals as both sole and lead counsel in federal prosecutions involving firearms and Hobbs Act related offenses. • Sole counsel trial counsel in reversal of conviction on standard for reasonableness of search for parolee. • Obtained dismissal of indictment in false statement and conversion of government funds case.
Recognition
Honors
Diversity in Business Honoree
The Philadelphia Business Journal
March 2025
Selected as a Diversity in Business Honoree by the Philadelphia Business Journal, 2025
America's Leading Lawyers for Business
Chambers USA
January 2024
Listed in Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business, 2024
Diversity Initiative Professional Excellence Award
The Legal Intelligencer
January 2023
Recipient, Diversity Initiative Professional Excellence Award, The Legal Intelligencer, 2023
Top 10 Lateral Hires of the Year in Philadelphia’s Legal Industry
The Philadelphia Business Journal,
January 2022
Top 10 Lateral Hires of the Year in Philadelphia’s Legal Industry, The Philadelphia Business Journal, 2022
Pennsylvania Innocence Project, Maureen Rowley Award
January 2023
Recipient, Pennsylvania Innocence Project, Maureen Rowley Award, 2023
A. Leon Higginbotham, Jr. Barristers Award for Commitment to Social Justice
January 2019
Recipient, A. Leon Higginbotham, Jr. Barristers Award for Commitment to Social Justice, 2019
Temple Beasley School of Law Gideon Award
January 2012
Recipient, Temple Beasley School of Law Gideon Award, 2012
Cecil B. Moore Barristers Award for Service to the Philadelphia Legal Community
January 2011
Recipient, Cecil B. Moore Barristers Award for Service to the Philadelphia Legal Community, 2011
Publications & speeches
The Future Structure of Private Equity Investment in College Sports
The Temple 10-Q
March 2025
Co-author, "The Future Structure of Private Equity Investment in College Sports," The Temple 10-Q, March 17, 2025
Diversity in Business Awards 2025: Leigh Skipper, Duane Morris
Philadelphia Business Journal
February 2025
Quoted, "Diversity in Business Awards 2025: Leigh Skipper, Duane Morris," Philadelphia Business Journal, February 20, 2025
Third Circuit Holds That Government Breached Spirit of Plea Agreement by Pushing for Longer Sentence
Duane Morris Alert
July 2024
Co-author, "Third Circuit Holds That Government Breached Spirit of Plea Agreement by Pushing for Longer Sentence," Duane Morris Alert, July 1, 2024
A Practitioner’s Reflections on How the Federal Sentencing Guidelines Have Transitioned Sentencing Over the Last 30 Years (~1991-2023)
For the Defense - Vol. 8
June 2023
Co-author, "A Practitioner’s Reflections on How the Federal Sentencing Guidelines Have Transitioned Sentencing Over the Last 30 Years (~1991-2023)," For the Defense - Vol. 8, Issue 2, June, 2023
Artificial Intelligence in Criminal Practice
Philadelphia Bar Association Federal Bench Bar Conference
October 2023
Moderator, Judicial Panel, “Artificial Intelligence in Criminal Practice,” Philadelphia Bar Association Federal Bench Bar Conference, November 2023
What to Do When the Government Comes Knocking
Energy and Environmental Industries General Counsel Boot Camp
April 2023
Co-presenter, "What to Do When the Government Comes Knocking," Energy and Environmental Industries General Counsel Boot Camp, Webinar, May 19, 2023
Fireside Chat with Darrin Howard
Federal Criminal Law Committee
December 2022
Co-presenter, “Fireside Chat with Darrin Howard,” Federal Criminal Law Committee for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania Quarterly Meeting, January 2023
The Impact of Covid on the Judiciary
Attorney General Alliance-Africa Partnership-Effective Administration of Justice for the Nigerian Judiciary of Imo
November 2022
"The Impact of Covid on the Judiciary," Attorney General Alliance-Africa Partnership-Effective Administration of Justice for the Nigerian Judiciary of Imo, December 2022