Leonidas E. "Lee" Plakas

Leonidas E. "Lee" Plakas


Plakas Mannos

Recognized since 2003

Canton, Ohio

Practice Areas

Bet-the-Company Litigation

Commercial Litigation

Litigation - Labor and Employment

Medical Malpractice Law - Plaintiffs

Oil and Gas Law

Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs

Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2025 - Medical Malpractice Law - Plaintiffs
Navigate to map location for Leonidas E. "Lee" Plakas
Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2025 - Medical Malpractice Law - Plaintiffs Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2024 - Bet-the-Company Litigation Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2023 - Medical Malpractice Law - Plaintiffs Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2019 - Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2016 - Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2013 - Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants
Spinning circle Big letter B

Leonidas (Lee) E. Plakas is the Managing Partner of Tzangas Plakas Mannos Ltd.

Mr. Plakas has been involved in hundreds of civil jury trials during his career in both State and Federal Courts. After a two week jury trial in Federal Court, the Judge wrote in a post-trial ruling awarding attorney fees and costs in December, 2011: “Lee Plakas is an impressive trial lawyer, he is prepared for his courtroom presentations.

”Mr. Plakas’ record of trial successes is unique in the broad spectrum of types of cases in which he has won multi-million-dollar verdicts. His successes include the highest defamation verdict in Ohio’s history – a $44 million verdict in the case of Gibson’s Bakery v. Oberlin College. A $14 million result against a hospital system for corrupt activities, and million dollar plus verdicts and judgments in business breach of contract, medical malpractice, employment sexual harassment, nursing home negligence, workplace safety cases and personal injury cases.

In addition to the record setting $44 million defamation verdict, he has won the highest verdicts in Stark County’s legal history in business litigation, employment harassment and nursing home negligence.

He has experience in protecting landowners in energy, oil/gas and other mineral extraction cases. Mr. Plakas has been involved in negotiating oil and gas leases and monitoring related operations since as early as 1982. He has also been involved in cases dealing with complex environmental and waste disposal.

Mr. Plakas also represents businesses and corporations that operate on national and international levels. He has successfully represented businesses in “bet the company” jury trials involving claims for tens of millions of dollars. He has also successfully represented businesses in age and sex discrimination, contract, intellectual property, and other commercial litigation.

Contact & Links
Location
  • 200 Market Avenue North, Suite 300
    Canton, OH 44702
Languages
  • English
  • Greek
Education
  • The University of Akron, J.D., graduated 1976
Bar Admissions
  • Ohio, Ohio State Bar Association

Plakas Mannos
Headquarters: Canton, Ohio

9 The Best Lawyers in America® awards

5 Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America awards

Best Law Firms Badge Visit Website View Firm Profile

Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2025 - Medical Malpractice Law - Plaintiffs Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2024 - Bet-the-Company Litigation Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2023 - Medical Malpractice Law - Plaintiffs Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2019 - Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2016 - Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2013 - Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants
Named "Lawyer of the Year" by Best Lawyers® for:
  • Medical Malpractice Law - Plaintiffs, Akron (2025)
  • Bet-the-Company Litigation, Akron (2024)
  • Medical Malpractice Law - Plaintiffs, Akron (2023)
  • Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs, Akron (2019)
  • Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants, Akron (2016)
  • Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants, Akron (2013)
Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® 2025 for work in:
  • Bet-the-Company Litigation
  • Commercial Litigation
  • Litigation - Labor and Employment
  • Medical Malpractice Law - Plaintiffs
  • Oil and Gas Law
  • Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs
Special Focus:
  • COVID-19
Awards:
  • 2001 Outstanding Law Alumni of the Year Award by Akron University School of Law
  • Who's Who in American Law
  • Ohio Judicial Appointments Recommendation Panel for Stark County Common Pleas Court appointment by Ohio Governor Ted Strickland
  • 2009 and 2013 Top 50 Northeast Ohio Area Attorneys by Super Lawyers Magazine
  • 2010 - 2013 Top 100 Trial Lawyers in Ohio by American Trial Lawyers Association
  • Best Lawyers listing "Lawyer of the Year" for Bet-the-Company Litigation 2024

  • Best Lawyers listing "Lawyer of the Year" for Medical Malpractice Law - Plaintiffs 2023

  • Best Lawyers listing "Lawyer of the Year" for Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs for Akron 2019

  • Best Lawyers listing "Lawyer of the Year" for Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants for Akron 2013, 2016
  • Mr. Plakas has since 1996 received an annual AV rating from the Martindale-Hubbell National Law Directory, which is the highest possible rating for both professional ability and ethics.
  • 2003 - 2024 Selected by peers for inclusion in “Best Lawyers in America” – Commercial Litigation, Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs/Defendants, Labor and Employment Litigation, Medical Malpractice Litigation, Oil and Gas Law and Bet-the-Company Litigation
  • Super Lawyers listing "Ohio Super Lawyers" list 2004 - 2024
  • 2009 - 2020 Avvo Top Lawyer - Rated "10" Superb
  • Super Lawyers listing Top 50 Cleveland Super Lawyers list 2009, 2013, 2019 and 2021

Additional Areas of Practice:
  • Personal Injury Litigation

Spinning circle Big letter B

Spinning circle Big letter B

Publications

Your browser is not fully compatible with our automatic printer friendly formatting.

Please use the print button to print this profile page.

Spinning circle Big letter B