Leah Cole Durst represents clients facing a range of legal challenges, which are often unexpected and can have a severe impact on an individual’s or family’s future. Leah specializes in criminal defense while also assisting clients in civil rights matters.
Leah gained significant experience in criminal defense through positions at the Federal Defender Office in Boston, the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts, and a private Boston firm. She is skilled at completing detailed research and developing legal documents, including complaint narratives, motions to dismiss, and petitions for habeas corpus, to further a client’s case.
Before joining Shaheen & Gordon, Leah worked as a staff attorney with Greater Boston Legal Services. She participated in their COVID Eviction Legal Help Program (CELHP) to provide legal information, assistance, and representation to low-income tenants affected by COVID-19. She is passionate about using her knowledge to help people through difficult times and volunteered additional legal services during the pandemic.
Leah graduated from the Northeastern University School of Law with a criminal justice concentration. She served as chair of the school’s chapter of If/When/How—Lawyering for Reproductive Justice and also participated in the Women’s Law Caucus.
Admissions
- New Hampshire State Bar
- Massachusetts State Bar
- United States District Court, District of New Hampshire
Career
- Associate Attorney, Shaheen & Gordon, P.A., 2021-present
- Staff Attorney, COVID Eviction Legal Help Project at Greater Boston Legal Services
Professional Associations
- Unemployment Insurance Online Claims Project, Assist clients with unemployment insurance claims due to COVID-19 through Northeastern Law School’s COVID-19 Rapid Response and Greater Boston Legal Services, 2020 – present
Awards & Honors
- Selected to Super Lawyers Rising Stars 2023
- Recognized in Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America 2023-2024 for work in Criminal Defense: General Practice
Education
- B.A., Colby College, 2017
- Sexual Violence Prevention Program, Board Member & Peer Educator, assisted in creating and writing the pilot
- J.D., Northeastern University School of Law, 2020
