Thomas M. Leith

Thomas M. Leith serves as Associate Teaching Professor and Director of the Criminal Defense Clinic at Syracuse University College of Law, commencing Fall 2024. He teaches Trial Practice and Legal Communication and Research II, integrating practical litigation skills into the curriculum.

Education:

• J.D., cum laude (2006), New York University School of Law (Dean’s Scholar, McKay Scholar)
• B.S., with distinction (1996), University of Wisconsin-Madison

His expertise centers on criminal defense systems, with deep experience handling cases from misdemeanors to first-degree murder. His clinical focus emphasizes indigent representation, post-conviction advocacy, and appellate strategy in criminal, family, and sex offender registry cases. This practice-oriented background informs his teaching methodology and clinic leadership.

As Director of the Criminal Defense Clinic, he oversees student attorneys providing real-world legal services to underserved clients while developing trial skills under supervision. His prior decade as a frontline public defender in Brooklyn and Memphis directly shapes the clinic’s experiential curriculum.

The Criminal Defense Clinic operates as Syracuse Law’s primary training ground for criminal litigation, where students manage active cases under Professor Leith’s guidance, covering arraignments through appeals.