Brian Christopher Leck, 1945 - 2022

Brian C. Leck, who with a few friends built Allen Matkins Leck Gamble Mallory & Natsis, one of California’s preeminent commercial real estate law firms, has died. He was 77.

“We credit Brian with having built a law firm which adheres to the highest ethical standards and applies an unqualified commitment to quality work for the firm’s clients, camaraderie, and respect for others. No one demonstrated these qualities better than Brian,” Mike Matkins, another firm founder and close friend, said.

In 1977, Leck joined with four former colleagues, including two college friends, to form Allen, Matkins, Leck, Gamble and Mallory. For over 33 years, he was the managing partner of the law firm and led it through enormous growth and prosperity. His management of the firm was premised on high ethical and professional standards and dedication to clients’ interests, his colleagues and friends recalled.

While he served as its managing partner, the firm shepherded its clients through many of the largest and most complicated real estate transactions in California’s history. In 2007, Leck and the firm began the Allen Matkins UCLA Anderson Forecast California Commercial Real Estate Survey & Index, a semiannual comprehensive survey of California’s commercial real estate industry.

Today, Allen, Matkins, Leck, Gamble, Mallory & Natsis is considered a preeminent commercial real estate firm in California and across the nation. Under Leck’s leadership the firm opened offices in Los Angeles, Orange County, Century City, San Diego, and San Francisco. When he retired from the firm in 2019, its ranks had grown from 10 lawyers in 1977 to over 200.

John Gamble, Leck’s long-time friend and partner, said that Leck’s management style of careful listening, consensus building and graciousness served the firm well over his many years of leadership.

Leck was born in Los Angeles, on May 21,1945 and attended North Hollywood High School. He was a tenacious competitor, who played with respect for the rules and humility for his many achievements, his friends and colleagues recall. In his senior high school year, he received the Southern California Tennis Association 1962 Junior Player Sportsmanship Award. As a Stanford tennis athlete, he became the legendary tennis coach Dick Gould’s first number one, played successfully against Arthur Ashe and Stan Smith, and was captain of his team.

He played competitive tennis throughout much of his life and ultimately was listed as a member of one of the top three senior doubles teams in the nation. He earned a single digit handicap in golf and enjoyed playing with his friends at courses around the world and at his home course, the Los Angeles Country Club.

Leck graduated from Stanford University with a Bachelor’s in Economics. After graduation, he earned his law degree from UCLA in 1970, where he served on the Law Review.

Leck passed away on Nov. 17.

He is survived by Chandra, his wife of 43 years, daughters Robin and Jessica, sons-in-law Bobby Beaver and Robert Shoemaker, three grandchildren, Kate Shoemaker, Maisie Beaver, and Bobby Beaver, and a legion of friends and colleagues.

Terry Bird, a college and law school classmate of Leck’s, said “Brian will be remembered by his family and friends as a gentle and humble man, who led by example, respect for others and focused action. He was the bedrock of his family and treasured by his friends for his wisdom, commitment, and authentic goodness.”