Hi, I am Jacques Leandre...

A second generation native of Southeast Queens, Jacques M. Leandre and family have been District 31 residents for more than 30 years. Currently, he and his wife, Christela, are raising two young children in Laurelton.

Jacques attended public school locally at Springfield Gardens High School, graduating with honors. Jacques then earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Finance from Morehouse College in Atlanta, GA and a Juris Doctor degree from the City University of New York School of Law at Queens College (“CUNY Law”).

Jacques' first job as a practicing attorney was with the New York City Department of Corrections as a Legal Coordinator. This work experience provided a unique perspective into the city’s criminal justice system and the “criminal injustice” that exists within the system. Jacques further demonstrated his leadership skills when he headed New Starts Initiative project at MFY Legal Services. The New Starts Initiative’s primary purpose was to assist low-income women with their legal issues while they attempted to transition from welfare to self-sufficiency. Specifically, he represented numerous clients on a variety of poverty law issues by litigating housing, government benefits, and family law cases before administrative law and civil court judges. Jacques currently practices law in the private sector as a supervising attorney where he manages 23 attorneys and 8 paralegals.

Notwithstanding his busy professional career, Jacques remains an active leader in several community organizations and programs. Jacques Leandre is well known as President of the Rosedale Jets Football Association. In his capacity as President of the Rosedale Jets Football Association, Jacques established the following programs and activities:

Rights of Passage Football and Cheerleading Camp in Pocono Mountains
Harve Pierre Scholarship Fund
Annual High School Workshop and Symposium
Legal and Law Enforcement Workshops

He also serves as the Vice President of the Concerned Citizens of Laurelton where worked on the following:

Stopped the building of a “Hot Sheets” hotel across from Springfield Gardens H.S.
Rezoning of Laurelton to curb overdevelopment and inappropriate development.
Worked with elected officials to renovate the Laurelton Long Island Railroad Station (LIRR).
Stopped 24 hour “Mega Laundromat” on Merrick Blvd.
Coordinated block associations in community.
Stopped the oversaturation of group homes in our community.
Coordinated free legal clinic and workshops for residents.
Facilitated the donation of several hundred books to the community library every year.
Efforts to obtain New York State historic registry designation for community.

Jacques is a member and volunteer for the following organizations: Barack Obama’s Voter Protection Program during the 2008 Presidential election Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., NAACP, P.S. 176 PTA, Merrick Academy Charter School, Macon B. Allen Black Bar Association.

Jacques lives by the mantra “Unity, Integrity, and Accountability”