Jim Leusner - Investigator

After a lengthy career as an investigative reporter, Jim Leusner joined the James, Hoyer, Newcomer & Smiljanich Orlando office in 2009. He has been a State of Florida Licensed Private Investigator since 1996.

Jim spent nearly 30 years at the Orlando Sentinel as a legal affairs/investigative reporter, where he specialized in federal and state courts, law enforcement agencies and a wide range of special assignments. His award-winning investigations included probing two space shuttle disasters, the defense industry, government corruption, homeland security, sports scandals, land development, business, motorcycle gangs and serial killers. Prior to that, he was a criminal justice reporter for the Florida Times-Union in Jacksonville.

He is an instructor and authority on investigative techniques, the federal Freedom of Information Act, Florida’s Public Records laws and contributor to several journalism text books and network television documentaries. Jim is a member of the Association of Former Intelligence Officers, the National Military Intelligence Association, Naval Intelligence Professionals, the National Press Club, Investigative Reporters & Editors Inc., and the Multi-Media Federal Credit Union Board of Directors.

Jim received his undergraduate degree in Journalism from the University of Florida (B.S., 1977) and also attended Rutgers University. In his leisure time, Jim enjoys sports, biking, computers and electronics. He lives in Orlando.