Dollar Tree Chief Legal Officer Exits After Key Role in Family Dollar Divestiture
Chesapeake, Va., August 2, 2025 – Dollar Tree, Inc. (NASDAQ: DLTR) has announced a significant transition in its legal leadership, with Chief Legal Officer and Corporate Secretary Jonathan B. Leiken stepping down to pursue another career opportunity. Leiken, who played a pivotal role in navigating the company through the divestiture of its struggling Family Dollar business, will be succeeded by Senior Deputy General Counsel John S. Mitchell, Jr., effective August 11, 2025. Leiken will remain with the company until August 22 to ensure a smooth transition.
Leiken’s departure comes on the heels of Dollar Tree’s $1 billion sale of Family Dollar to private equity firms Brigade Capital Management and Macellum Capital Management, finalized earlier this month. The deal marked the end of a troubled chapter for Dollar Tree, which acquired Family Dollar in 2015 for $8.5 billion in a bid to compete with rivals like Dollar General. The acquisition, however, was widely criticized as a misstep, with analysts noting that Family Dollar’s stores were in poorer condition than anticipated, leading to operational challenges, store closures, and a $1.71 billion loss for the quarter ending February 3, 2024. Leiken’s legal expertise was instrumental in steering the company through the complex process of offloading Family Dollar, a move described as a “major milestone” by CEO Mike Creedon.
“Jon Leiken’s contributions during a pivotal period for our company were invaluable,” Creedon said in a statement. “His deep expertise and sharp understanding of the regulatory landscape guided our business forward.” Leiken, who joined Dollar Tree in August 2024, previously served as an adjunct professor at Case Western Reserve Law School and Ohio State Moritz College of Law. He holds a J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School and completed Harvard Business School’s Leading Global Businesses program in 2018.
John S. Mitchell, Jr., a Princeton and University of Virginia School of Law graduate, steps into the role as Dollar Tree focuses on its core business. Mitchell, who previously served as outside counsel for the company, is poised to lead the legal department as Dollar Tree pursues strategic priorities, including expanded product assortments and new store openings. The company currently operates over 9,000 stores across 48 U.S. states and five Canadian provinces, with approximately 150,000 associates.
The leadership change follows other recent developments at Dollar Tree, including a $2.5 billion share repurchase program and positive analyst outlooks, with Barclays upgrading the stock to Overweight and raising its price target to $150, citing growth potential post-Family Dollar sale. However, challenges remain, with analysts like those at BMO Capital Markets noting concerns over pricing strategies and tariff uncertainties.
As Dollar Tree moves forward under Mitchell’s legal leadership, the company aims to capitalize on its streamlined operations and strengthen its position as a leading value retailer in North America.