My name is Rick Leo and I have been practicing law in the State of Washington for the past twelve years. During this time I have handled thousands upon thousands of criminal defense cases ranging from simple fishing violations to complex murder one cases. Over the past five years however, I've garnered a reputation as one of Washington's top DUI attorneys. I had the unique experience of starting my legal career at the Defender's Association and was immediately given hundreds of my own cases. Once I gained the experience of being in a courtroom every day and the knowledge of the law as a criminal defense attorney, I moved to a position at the Prosecutor's Office in Snohomish County. While most lawyers who begin their careers at the Prosecutor's Office tend to be straight out of law school, I on the other hand had years of criminal defense experience at my disposal. As a Deputy Prosecuting Attorney for the State of Washington in the Criminal Division, I practiced in front of the same judges and in the same courts where I had acquired my reputation as a criminal defense attorney. The dual experience of criminal defense attorney and state prosecutor was tremendous for me; not only did I gain an understanding of how both sides think, how they work and how they react to different circumstances, but I also became very well known in the legal community as a well-rounded advocate of criminal defense law.

Although I was representing the proverbial citizens of the State of Washington while at the Prosecutor's Office, I always missed having individual clients. I therefore took a position as an associate DUI attorney with one of Washington's premier DUI firms, Veitch, Gaston & Kennedy. I channeled my dual experience and all of my energy purely towards defending those accused of DUI and other serious traffic offenses. After a few years at the firm as an associate DUI attorney, I became a named partner. The firm, Veitch, Leo & Associates, became a well-oiled machine in representing those accused of DUI in Washington State. Now as I enter the next stage of my legal career I have evolved again; I am now one voice. Although it may only be one, it is an extremely important one because it belongs to you, my individual client.

I graduated from the Columbus School of Law at the Catholic University of America in Washington D.C. I obtained a Master's Degree in Criminal Justice from the University of New York at Albany which is annually ranked at the top in the country for such studies. In addition, I am a graduate of the National Criminal Defense College in Macon, Georgia, a specialized program that accepts only a few select attorneys and which is geared towards refining an attorney's trial skills.

Recently, I have been included for the second time in the Washington Law and Politics magazine's "Who's Who in Criminal Defense & DUI.DWI Law."

I am affiliated and hold membership with the following associations and organizations:
     National College of DUI Defense
     Washington College of Criminal Defense Lawyers
     Washington State Bar Association
     American Bar Association
     Citizens for Judicial Excellence