Leslie Van Frank

lvanfrank@ck.law
P: (801) 363-4300
F: (801) 363-4378

Leslie is a dedicated professional with almost three decades of experience in real property and land use law, title insurance defense, and probate litigation.  She litigates at administrative, trial and appellate levels and counsels clients ranging from residential neighbors with boundary line disputes to Fortune 500 companies defending multi-million dollar lawsuits.

Leslie takes pride in her expertise in the ancient dreaded “Rule Against Perpetuities.” Her analysis of the rule applied in a modern real property commercial context was adopted by the Utah Supreme Court in Coulter & Smith, Ltd. v. Russell, 966 P.2d 852 (Utah 1998).  The decision was subsequently discussed in the widely used hornbook written by Stanford University professors Paul Goldstein and Barton H. Thompson, Jr., “Property Law: Ownership, Use, and Conservation,” Foundation Press 2006, at 615-19.

Leslie is rated at the highest level (AV-rated) by Martindale-Hubbell for professional competence and ethics.  She was named the 2014 Utah State Bar Real Property Section Distinguished Practitioner of the Year, and is among ten CK lawyers selected by their peers to be members of the 2015 Utah Legal Elite.  She has been nominated to Utah Business Magazine‘s Legal Elite in the area of Civil Litigation, and was featured in the Greater Salt Lake edition of Attorney at Law Magazine.

  • Appellate Practice
  • Arbitration and Mediation
  • Civil Litigation
  • Construction
  • Real Property
  • Wills, Trust, and Estate Planning
  • Bar Register of Preeminent Women Lawyers, Martindale Hubbell
  • Judge Pro Tem, Third District Court, Salt Lake County, 1993–2011
  • Utah Supreme Court Advisory Committee on Rules of Professional Conduct, 2007–2015
  • Women Lawyers of Utah
  • Litigation, Real Property, and Construction Law Sections, Utah Bar
  • Millcreek Township Planning Commission, 2006-2013 (Chair, 2010-2013)
  • Central City Recreation Center Advisory Board, 2005-2009 (Chair, 2006-2009)
  • Jewish Community Center Board of Directors, 1998-2001
  • Republic Outdoor Advertising v. Utah Dept. of Transp., Div. II, 258 P.3d 619 (Utah 2011)
  • Glew v. Ohio Savings Bank, 181 P.3d 791 (Utah 2007)
  • Chapman v. Uintah County, 81 P.3d 761 (Utah App. 2003)
  • Coulter & Smith, Ltd. v. Russell, 966 P.2d 852 (Utah 1998), overruling Coulter & Smith, Ltd. v. Russell, 925 P.2d 1258 (Utah App. 1996)
  • Despain v. Despain, 855 P.2d 254 (Utah 1993)
  • Utah, 1986
  • U.S. District Court, District of Utah, 1986
  • Bachelors of Arts, Philosophy, University of Utah, 1979
  • Juris Doctor, University of Utah, 1986, William H. Leary Scholar

Despite a very busy practice and satisfying professional and community service, Leslie makes time to enjoy college football.  She has many favorite teams.