Leonard Decof

Leonard Decof (1924 – December 31, 2010) was an American trial lawyer from Rhode Island, known for his many notable cases.

Early life and education Decof was born in Providence, Rhode Island, the son of Morty and Rose Metz Decof.

Career Decof served as a captain in the United States Marine Corps. He served during World War II in the Pacific Theater of Operations in Guam from 1943 to 1946 and at Parris Island, South Carolina from 1950 to 1952.

In 1975, Decof represented Lawrence Ketvirtis in a $1.5 million lawsuit against the basketball player Marvin Barnes. Ketvirtis alleged that Barnes attacked him with a tire iron, causing permanent physical injury, while the two men were teammates at Providence College. He won the case, with the jury returning a $10,000 verdict for Ketvirtis.

In 1991, at the request of Governor Bruce Sundlun, Decof represented the State of Rhode Island in litigation following "the collapse of the insurance system that backed state credit unions." He recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for the state, for which he received a public commendation from Governor Lincoln Almond in February 2001. He also represented Nike Golf and several professional golfers, including Adam Scott, Greg Norman, Sam Snead, Billy Casper, and Gardner Dickinson.

Decof was a member of the Rhode Island Bar Association, American Bar Association, Association of Trial Lawyers of America, International Academy of Trial Lawyers, Inner Circle of Advocates, and the International Society of Barristers, a diplomate of the American Board of Trial Advocates, and a fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers and American Law Institute. He lectured before several bar associations and at several law schools and wrote a number of published legal pieces.

Personal life and death Decof had residences in Providence, Rhode Island and Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. He was Jewish.

He died on December 31, 2010, at the age of 86.