Kenneth Leiser

Experience

• 

  Spartan Daily

  Aug 1983 - May 1984

  Reporter/City Editor

  During the fall semester at the San Jose State University student newspaper, I was a reporter covering student government and police beats. My efforts earned me "Best Overall Reporter" award from my editors. I served as City Editor during the spring semester.

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  Valley Times

  Sept 1984 - Nov 1986

  Reporter

  Started out as a sports stringer for the Pleasanton, Calif.-based newspaper and worked my way up to general assignment news reporter.

• 

  The Argus, Fremont

  Nov 1986 - Jun 1989

  Reporter

  Reporter covering the city of Fremont, the fourth-largest city in the San Francisco Bay Area..

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  Peninsula Times-Tribune

  Jun 1989 - Jul 1990

  Night Metro Editor

  Editor supervising breaking news at the now-defunct afternoon newspaper. I also covered medical news and helped lay out pages and slot stories for the Saturday editions.

• 

  Tri-Valley Herald

  Jul 1990 - Sept 1991

  Reporter

  I covered municipal government and development at the Alameda Newspaper Group (ANG) publication.

• 

  Copley News Service

  Oct 1991 - Oct 1998

  Reporter

  I covered Los Angeles International Airport and the city of El Segundo before being promoted to a projects reporter at the Torrance, Calif., Daily Breeze. In 1995, I was promoted to the Copley News Service Sacramento Bureau, where I covered state government and politics.

• 

  St. Louis Post-Dispatch

  Oct 1998 - Feb 2005

  Reporter/Asst. Metro Editor

  After six successful years covering the transportation beat, I was promoted to Night Metro Editor in charge of breaking news coverage between 6 p.m. and midnight. In addition to supervising two reporters, I also took a hand-on role in putting out our Saturday papers.

• 

  Fresno Bee

  Feb 2005 - Jul 2005

  Politics and Government Editor

  As part of the Metro desk, I supervised coverage of politics and government at both the local and state levels. I also worked as the Saturday editor, overseeing the coverage of weekend events and breaking news.

• 

  St. Louis Post-Dispatch

  Aug 2005 - Mar 2015

  Reporter

  Covered transportation issues for the regional Midwestern daily newspaper. Among the primary topics were: mass transit, highway funding and aviation. Also wrote a Sunday commuter advice column titled Along for the Ride.

• 

  UniGroup

  Mar 2015 - Mar 2016

  Proposal Writer

  Member of the Global Sales team involved in responding to requests for proposals by prospective national accounts. Researched and wrote accurate, compelling responses to RFPs. Our proposal-writing team took a leadership role in bid management and contract review.

• 

  Missouri State Public Defender

  Mar 2016 - Nov 2018

  Assistant Public Defender
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  The Catholic Health Association of the United States

  Nov 2018 - Jul 2019

  Associate Editor

  One of two full-time writers for the St. Louis-based publication.

• 

  The Law Office of Kenneth J. Leiser, LLC

  Jul 2019 - Jun 2020

  Attorney at Law

  Solo practitioner of criminal defense law firm.

• 

  Legal Services of Southern Missouri

  Jun 2020 - Sept 2023

  Managed two offices in the Central Region of Legal Services of Southern Missouri, including the four-attorney office in Rolla, Mo., and the two-attorney office in West Plains, Mo. Responsibilities included management of four support staff in the two offices. Manage four-attorney office for the private, nonprofit corporation that ensures low-income and elderly have equal access to our courts. Legal Services of Southern Missouri serves a 43-county area. We provide family law services to victims of domestic violence and sexual abuse, and victims of child abuse. We also represent clients in housing, consumer law and public benefits cases. Represent low-income clients in family law, expungements, driver license reinstatements, and other civil matters in Southern Missouri. Primary area of responsibility is representation of domestic violence victims through Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) grant in contested divorce, paternity/custody and protection order cases.

  • Managing Attorney, Central Region

    May 2023 - Sept 2023

  • Managing Attorney, Rolla Office

    Mar 2021 - May 2023

  • Staff Attorney

    Jun 2020 - Mar 2021
• 

  Missouri Department of Revenue, General Counsel's Office

  Oct 2023 - now

  Managing Counsel - Transportation Section

  Supervise a team of 14 talented trial attorneys who represent the Missouri Department of Revenue in court cases involving DWI license suspensions, chemical refusal revocations, driver license reinstatements, limited driving privileges and vehicle title cases. Also serve as administrative hearing officer.