Leonard A. Bellavia

Founding Partner of the law firm of Bellavia Blatt, PC

Founding Partner of the law firm of Bellavia Blatt, PC, Leonard A. Bellavia, Esq., is a nationally recognized authority in the field of automotive dealership law. Mr. Bellavia spent his life in the automobile business, as his family once owned one of the largest dealer groups in the New York area. Mr. Bellavia represents thousands of automobile dealerships across the country in all aspects of practice areas and has been instrumental in negotiating the sales of hundreds of dealerships. He has achieved national recognition for advocating the mass action litigation model on behalf of franchised automobile dealers, and has successfully implemented this strategy in the following actions:

  • Launched a class action lawsuit vs. CDK and Reynolds and Reynolds.
  • Co-lead counsel in the Chrysler Bankruptcy proceedings.
  • Filed mass action lawsuits on behalf of hundreds of dealers against TRUECar alleging false advertising in violation of the Lanham Act, the primary federal “truth-in advertising” statute in the United States, seeking both money damages and injunctive relief.
  • Launched a mass action lawsuit on behalf of over 1000 dealers against CARFAX seeking substantial damages due to alleged anticompetitive behavior under the antitrust laws.
  • Representing almost all of the Saab dealers in the U.S. in the Saab Bankruptcy and recovered almost 80 of dealer receivables.
  • Representing 300 rejected Chrysler dealers in the lawsuit against the U.S. Treasury alleging the unconstitutional “Taking” of Dealer Agreements under the 5th Amendment.
  • Lead counsel for 75 dealers against the Tribune Company for anti-trust violations in selling print ads to dealers.
  • Regarded as an industry pioneer in establishing the right of dealers to receive warranty parts reimbursement at a retail mark up.