Tyler (Davis) and his older sister Leslie (Valerie) grew up in Milwaukee. After changing their names and starting a new life, they claimed to be from Detroit, that their mother died when they were children, and that they were raised by an abusive father.

Leslie grew up to work as a legal associate with the high profile California attorney Vance Abrams. Leslie occasionally accompanied Vance to Genoa City when he was representing Victor Newman, and she later represented Victor and others when Vance was unavailable, not necessarily in this order:

Leslie was hired by Sharon Newman when Adam Newman was arrested for the murder of his wife Skye. Sharon tracked down the still-alive Skye to Hawaii, but Skye fell into a volcano and died before Sharon could bring her back to Genoa City to prove Adam's innocence. Leslie believed Sharon, but the police assumed she had made up the story as an attempt to free Adam. But after Jack Abbott found evidence in Hawaii that Skye had been there since her supposed death, the evidence got Adam released from jail and cleared of all charges in Skye's death. But then Sharon was charged with Skye's death in the volcano, and Leslie was hired to represent Sharon. Sharon was later vindicated when a video of the incident which was taken by another tourist proved her innocent, and that she had tried to save Skye when she fell.

After Sharon married Victor and he abandoned her on their wedding night and later returned asking for an annulment, Sharon told Leslie to pursue the abandonment, that there would be no annulment, and that she would fight like hell to get what she deserved.

Leslie also represented Adam again when he was charged with stock manipulation.

Phyllis Newman hired Leslie to arrange for Daisy Carter to turn herself in and petition the court to get back her parental rights to her daughter Lucy who was fathered by Phyllis' son, Daniel. Daniel had allowed Lucy to be adopted by Billy and Victoria Abbott. Leslie pointed out that Daisy was only accused, not convicted, of crimes, and that both Victoria and Billy had recently been arrested as well, that Victoria had lost custody of her son Reed, and Billy's ex-wife was suing for custody of their daughter Delia. So Daisy was given back her parental rights, although Phyllis was given temporary custody of Lucy, when Daisy went to jail.

Neil Winters had been attracted to Leslie, and feeling guilty for turning on his former boss and friend, Victor, Neil ended up picking up Leslie at the Athletic Club bar and taking her home for sex. But Neil aborted it when he kept thinking about his brother Malcolm's girlfriend Sofia instead. But later Leslie accompanied Neil to Malcolm and Sofia's wedding as his date.

Phyllis was arrested for running down Paul Williams and Christine Blair twenty years prior. Phyllis' lawyer, her sister Avery, found out that Phyllis had been paying off Tim Reid, a witness, so Avery refused to represent her. Then Phyllis hired Leslie, who had been promoted to partner in Vance Abrams law firm, to take her case. The case was later dropped due to statute of limitations running out.

After Neil accepted the CEO position at Jabot Cosmetics from Jack Abbott, he hired his daughter Lily as head of the Jabot marketing team, made Cane his right hand man, and hired Devon as a marketing intern. He then asked Leslie to become Jabot's chief legal advisor. She initially turned down the position due to their prior romantic relationship, but after assuring each other that it would be strictly business, Leslie accepted the position. Devon and Lily began promoting their romantic relationship again to help loosen Neil up.

Leslie's younger brother, Tyler, a successful graphic designer who wanted a job at Jabot, made a pitch to Neil and Jack. Tyler was hired to work for Cane, who was jealous because Tyler kept flirting with Lily.

Concerned that Jack was addicted to pain killers, and he would lose the only parent he had left, Kyle got Phyllis, Billy, and former alcoholic Neil to help stage an intervention. But Jack claimed they had insulted him, fired them all, and threw them out of his house. Jack made Cane acting CEO of Jabot. His first task was to fire Tyler, but Lily later convinced Cane to give Tyler another shot. Leslie guessed and admired Neil for overcoming his alcoholic past, and now that they were no longer working for the same company, fulfilled their sexual desire for each other. Lily and Cane were pleasantly surprised to find Neil and Leslie together in his apartment the next morning. Cane let Neil know that as CEO of Jabot, he was putting Neil in charge without the title for the sake of Jabot. Once Neil and Leslie were working together again, Leslie tried to call things off, but found it difficult to resist, so they became lovers again.

Leslie spoke with Tyler of the affair she once had with a client, James Conrad, and how he became controlling, and had taken over her life. Leslie and Tyler admitted to each other that they shared a past that a background check would easily expose, which was why they hadn't gotten involved with anyone seriously. Leslie spotted Congressman Wheeler and cautioned Tyler that he was in town, reminding him that he may recognize them from twelve years ago. Tyler pushed the envelope by engaging the Congressman in conversation but was not recognized. But when Wheeler ran into Leslie at Jabot on his way to meet with Jack, and called her "Valerie", she took him aside and asked him to call her Leslie, saying that she and her brother "Davis" had changed their names to escape their past. Wheeler agreed that it had been a good move.

As time went by, and through various encounters with Wheeler, it came out that Leslie and Tyler's mother, Belinda, had been a campaign worker for Congressman Wheeler and had been murdered. Leslie had testified that she had walked in on her father Gus kneeling over her mother's body. Wheeler's testimony had also helped to Gus in prison for the past twelve years. Gus had a criminal past, and had turned state's evidence on his cohorts to get a lighter sentence. Avery Bailey Clark was working on an appeal for the Innocence Foundation to prove Gus innocent and free him. When Victor failed to get Avery to drop the case, Wheeler went to her and offered to help, saying that if Gus went free it would be bad for Wheeler's credibility, but Avery rejected his help. Wheeler began trying to talk Leslie and Tyler into testifying, warning them that if the man was ever freed, they would all be looking over their shoulders for the rest of their lives. Leslie eventually broke down and admitted the truth to Neil about her past, adding that she and Tyler had changed their names as teenagers when they went to California to live with an aunt. Neil later stopped Leslie from leaving town after receiving a call on her cell phone from Gus, and talked her into going to see Gus in prison. Gus told Leslie his side of what had happened, admitting that he had always been drunk and rough with her mother, and that he had confronted her that day about her having an affair. But he swore he did not kill Belinda, and had only just found her after having been attacked and near death when Leslie walked in. Looking in his eyes, Leslie believed him, but Tyler could not be convinced that it was true, even after he went to visit their father himself. Leslie told Wheeler that she believed her father was innocent and intended to testify on his behalf. From Wheeler's over-reaction and when he called her mother Lin, Leslie realized Wheeler was probably the man with whom her mother was having an affair.

Gus Rogan's hearing was held, Leslie testified for Gus, and Tyler testified against him. Awaiting the verdict, Lily reduced Tyler to tears getting him to remember the good parts of his childhood, and tried to convince him to entertain the possibility that Gus might actually be innocent. Tyler surprised everyone when he brought Gus home from Milwaukee, and Leslie invited Gus to live in her apartment with her. But Tyler walked out on what appeared to be a happy family brunch, and went back to work. Sharing his mixed feelings for his father with Lily, he kissed her. Lily got into it, then broke it off, excusing him because he was drunk. Lily told Tyler that it was never to happen again. Tyler admitted he cared for Lily, and that she was the only person he could trust.

Gus made his famous spaghetti dinner for Leslie and Neil, happy that he was being given second chance, and promised to become a changed man. Leslie hugged him, and Gus suffered a heart attack. Gus awoke in the hospital saying, "I'm so sorry, Rose." When Leslie questioned him about it, Gus claimed he knew no one by that name and that Leslie must have misheard. Leslie became convinced that the small cardboard box Gus had brought with him from prison contained his secrets. Inside she found a pack of letters sent to Gus in prison from an R. Turner, in Chicago. After reading the letters where Rose said she loved him, Leslie confronted Gus, who swore he had never been unfaithful to their mother. Gus admitted that he had been with Rose because she needed him at the time their mother was killed. Tyler took his side, telling Leslie to cut him a break. Gus became agitated trying to explain about Rose, had another heart attack, and died.

After Neil's apartment was ransacked and only a flash drive containing sensitive Jabot files was missing, a story about Leslie hiding her secret past hit the Internet on the GC Buzz page. When questioned about potential enemies, Neil could not think of any, and admitted that he had not had contact with his parents in years. Later another story about Lily and Cane appeared which had come from Neil's stolen journal. Neil was shocked when computer-hacker Kevin, who was assisting Detective Alex Chavez, discovered that GC Buzz was a domain owned by Neil's own corporation NEWbiz Inc. Kevin tracked the uploads to a computer in the Genoa City Athletic Club's business center.

Avery Bailey Clark asked Leslie if she was interested in partnering with her, she accepted, and they became Clark and Michaelson LLP. Leslie found a safety deposit box key from a bank in Milwaukee among her father's things, and hired Avery to arrange for her to open it legally.

When a story about Neil's jealousy of Tucker concerning Devon hit the GC Buzz, Neil posted an open letter there daring the attacker to identify himself and take Neil on in the open. Leslie realized that a phrase used in the Lily story was a variation on the line "I don't want realism, I want magic." from Streetcar Named Desire, had also been used in one of Rose's letters to Gus, and felt it was no coincidence.

Inside the safety deposit box, they found a will giving Rose half of Gus' estate and photos of their mother, themselves, and one of Rose which was signed, "I haven't forgotten. I never will." Avery offered to help to locate Rose, even though there was no estate to share. A reply to Neil appeared on the GC Buzz: "How easily you seem to have cleaned up your mess, and swept it all away. I haven't forgotten. I never will." Leslie noted the similarity in the signature on Rose's photo. So Neil responded, "You've gotten my attention with pointed remarks, like a thorn on a rose." to see what it might stir up. The reply was "You are not so perfect. What would your children or grandchildren think of you if they knew what you'd done?"

Tyler went to Neil and gave him attitude about Devon's handling of his campaign, so Neil fired Tyler. Tyler whined to Leslie about it in front of Neil, but Leslie told Tyler that Neil was right in what he did, to get over it, and move on. Leslie then broke the news to both of them that she had discovered that Rose died in 2007 in Evanston, IL, from a stroke. That Rose had a daughter, Ann Turner, who had left the country after her mother had died, but that Leslie was trying to track her down.

Neil later remembered that he had been in Evanston that year during his alcoholic period, and meeting a woman named Rose in a bar. Neil and Leslie went to the bar where the bartender indentified Rose's photo. He also remembered how Neil had rescued Rose's stolen purse and subdued the purse-snatcher, how they had left together, but he had never seen either of them again. Leslie suggested hypnosis, and Neil remembered they had talked about his kids and her daughter Ann, that after he caught the purse-snatcher Rose had kissed him as a reward. They left the bar together falling-down-drunk as he gave her his business card, and they ended up at a hotel. But Neil also recalled that after Rose passed out, he had put a "do not disturb" sign on the door and left. But when Neil told Leslie about it, they put it together that this happened the night before Rose died April 15, 2007.

Feeling guilty, Neil confessed to Detective Alex Chavez who felt that no crime had been committed. Neil followed Alex's suggestion that they bait the blogger telling them that he knows what he did, and wants to meet and explain the truth. The response called him a murderer, saying they would not back down until he lost everything just as they had. Neil decided that the blogger had to be Ann Turner, and despite Leslie's insistence that the blogger had to be in Genoa City, Neil took off for her last known address in London. Viewers then saw Cane's assistant Hilary staring at a photo of Rose, and realized that Hilary was Ann Turner. Neil returned with information that Hilary had been working for a successful financier, but suddenly quit the day that Gus was released from prison. In her belongings left behind, Neil found his old business card and some newspaper clippings, one announcing that Leslie had joined Jabot and working for Neil. Meanwhile, Hilary told Cane how her mother had gone through hell, and she had died alone, and that Hilary should have been there for her. Neil gave Kevin the phone number Ann had called repeatedly which Kevin tracked back to Newman. Then viewers saw Hilary arrive home and kiss a half-naked Mason Wilder, who formerly worked at Newman and modeled for Jabot.

Leslie intervened and gave Hilary the old letters that Rose had written to Gus. After reading them, Hilary apologized to Neil for tormenting him and his family, saying that she knew in her heart that Rose had been drinking ever since Hilary had left for college. Hilary admitted that she was caught up in grief, and what she had done to his family had not brought her mother back nor make the ache in her heart go away. Neil forgave Hilary, and Hilary reminded Neil that it was time he forgave himself for Rose's death as well. Believing Hilary to be sincere, Neil offered her a job at Jabot as Jack's assistant. When Jack heard the story, he took up for Hilary against the rest of the Winters family who still did not trust her.

Thanksgiving 2013 arrived, and Leslie joined the Winters family for the holiday. Neil had Moses and the Ashby twins were pretty active. Neil occasionally would hand Moses off to her, and it was obvious that Leslie was a bit overwhelmed. By Christmas, Neil surprised Leslie with a ring, and she accepted his marriage proposal. Genoa City Athletic Club's New Year's Eve party became an engagement celebration with Winters, Newmans, and Abbotts in attendance.

Gloria arranged for "My Fair Wedding" TV star David Tutera to meet with Lauren. But when Lauren failed to show and he started to leave, Gloria thought fast and told him that Lauren had arranged a Bridal Expo Raffle with the prize being a bridal consultation with Tutera. When Neil and Leslie walked in, Gloria announced that they had won, and they kept him there working on wedding plans until Lauren arrived.

But as Tutera continued to meet with Neil, and Leslie was always a no-show, Neil finally confronted Leslie with the fact that she was apparently not interested. Leslie explained that imagining her wedding as a kid was not her, that her parents had made her believe that marriage was a death sentence. She told Neil that she loved him totally and she was all his, but that marriage did not have to be part of the equation. But Neil gave Leslie an ultimatum, agreeing to counseling or whatever it would take to lead to marriage, saying he would not be content with anything less. Leslie said no and returned his ring, and was further disappointed to find that Neil no longer even wanted to remain friends. Devon, Jack, and Hilary became worried about Neil returning to drinking in his despair. Leslie began searching for Mr. Right with an online dating service.

Meanwhile, Leslie was representing Ian Ward, a man from Nikki and Paul's past, for extorting money from Nikki to leave town. Ian offered to let Paul and Nikki in on a secret for his release, and shocked Leslie when he shared it with her. Ian's trial ended in a mistrial when Leslie discovered that the son of a juror was a New World Cult member, and Ian had been set free.

Leslie arranged to meet Neil and shocked him with the fact that she had gotten married to Dr. Barton Shelby, a man she had met online only three weeks prior. She was not sure what had happened, but said that they had just clicked with each other and ended up married in Las Vegas. Neil took it very hard, doubting that she had ever loved him.

Avery shared the news with Leslie that Dylan and Paul Williams shared the same rare blood type, and that Dylan might be able to donate part of his liver to save Paul's life. Realizing that her former client, Ian, had overheard, Leslie muttered to Ian, "He's going to figure it out you know." Ian replied with a devilish grin, "Then the fun will begin!" Disgusted by Ian, Leslie went to Nikki and breaking her Client's confidentiality, confessed that Ian was sterile, only confirming what Nikki already knew after hearing it from Ian's ex-wife Willa. But Ian continued to claim to be Dylan's father, and blamed Nikki for everything that was happening to Dylan and Paul. Ian found out that Leslie had breached her confidentiality with his secret, and told her that he had notified the bar association. Meanwhile Leslie took over the defense of Austin Travers who had held her partner Avery at gunpoint, and his gun had shot police chief Paul Williams during an altercation with Dylan. Ian later offered a deal to Leslie that he would not tell if she agreed to sue Nikki for emotional distress on his behalf. Leslie refused, telling Ian she would rather give up her career than be mixed up with the likes of him. Leslie warned Nikki what Ian was up to. Leslie got Austin out on bail using money Summer obtained from her trust fund.

With Austin's trial a day away, Leslie was focusing on his intent, state of mind, and remorse which would all matter to a jury. But she knew that a letter from Avery to the court would be needed, saying that Austin needed to be held accountable but that she knows that he regrets his actions and has forgiven him. Leslie pointed out that justice could either be met in prison living with killers or atonement on the outside. Avery was torn, needing to make it right, and feeling responsible, yet recalled Dylan's near death and his, Paul, and Christine's feelings toward Austin.

Thanks to Avery's letter to the judge forgiving him and Paul's refusal to testify at the trial, Austin was given deferred adjudication with a fine and community service. Afterward, Leslie approached Avery telling her that she wanted to accept an ADA position, and would be leaving their partnership.

Several months later, Lily hired Leslie to defend Neil against charges of causing the death of Christine Williams' unborn child in a car accident. Leslie explained that she had not taken the A.D.A. position after all, but had gone to work for the Legal Aid Board instead. Neil refused to pander to the jury with his former blindness or to throw Nikki under the bus. Leslie was able to convince him to plead not guilty, and tried to cut a deal which A.D.A. Winston Mobley refused. But Winston balked and called a recess when Hilary took the witness stand and identified herself as Neil's wife Hilary. Winston returned to court and proposed a plea bargain. Neil pled guilty to homicide by negligent operation of a motor vehicle and battery to an unborn child, received two years probation and community service, mandatory AA attendance, with any violation getting him prison time.

Leslie showed up again in March 2016 when she became Noah Newman's lawyer. She defended him for a hit and run which had not been realized, but he had covered up evidence and fled the country once he knew, so Noah ended up sentenced to 12 months probation and 60 hours of community service.

In April 2019, Leslie appeared at the funeral of her former friend and lover, Neil Winters, who had died in his sleep from a stroke.