Leon graduated from the VSF in 1950, and was awarded a Bachelor of Science in Forestry from the University of Melbourne in 1955. Further study led to a PhD which was conferred at the University of Melbourne in December 1967. His thesis was "‘Cytogenetic Studies in Pinus radiata D. Don".

On graduation from the VSF he went to the Assessment School at Kinglake before working on assessment projects in a number of locations around Victoria for about three years. He was posted to the Wail Nursey for a time before, in 1958, heading into research in the area of tree improvent and tree breeding. He was to work in this field until retirement in May 1993, and his contribution in this area in particular was highly significant.

After finishing full time work Leon wrote about his family and working life in "A Forester's Tale - Memoirs of a Victorian Tree Breeder", and he has kindly given permission for extracts of that publication to be used on this site.