Bill Contente is the Managing Partner of Gesmer Updegrove LLP. He represents a wide range of corporate clients, both large and small, including e-commerce companies, ASPs, a variety of internet-based companies, computer hardware and software companies, medical device companies, systems integrators, venture capital firms and consulting firms. He has extensive experience in domestic and international licensing, "angel" and venture capital financing, secured and unsecured lending, structuring distribution and development arrangements and mergers and acquisitions.
Mr. Contente is a director of Launchpad Venture Group, an angel investment group, and of MassMEDIC IGNITE, which provides guidance to early-stage medical device companies. He also serves as a director and member of the executive committee of the Coolidge Corner Theatre Foundation, and was Chairman of the Board of Lena Park Community Development Corporation from 1997 through 2002. He is active in the Massachusetts Technology Leadership Council. Mr. Contente is a certified mediator. He co-chaired the High Technology Practice Group of the Massachusetts Bar Association from 1994 through 1999, and has served as an arbitrator for the National Futures Association since 1989.
SELECTED PANELS, LECTURES, COMMITTEES AND ARTICLES
November 29, 2007: Bill Contente and Russ Schlossbach presented a seminar at Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education (MCLE) entitled "Mergers & Acquisitions."
November 9, 2007: Article: "Streamlining Angel Deals", published in the Boston Business Journal, Vol. 27, No. 41
June 8, 2007: The CEO Place — Guest Speaker — "Mergers & Acquisitions"
September 28, 2006: American Lawyer Conference on Law Firm Management (NYC): Panelist — "Managing Firm Marketing"
September 13, 2006: MIT Enterprise Forum — Start-up Forum — Panelist providing guidance to early stage companies and entrepreneurs
May 13, 2006: Judge, WPI Venture Forum Business Plan Contest
April 26, 2006: Center for Women and Entrepreneurship — Panelist — "Raising Venture Capital — Legal and Business Issues"
March 24, 2005: The CEO Place — Panelist — "What Makes a Company Successful"
July 13, 2004: Launchpad Venture Group — Guest Speaker — "Investment Vehicles for Early Stage Investors"
February 10, 2004: WPI Venture Forum — Keynote Speaker — "Negotiating Strategies"
January 22, 2004: CEO Management Group- Speaker, "VC Terms — What They Mean and Where They're Going"
November 14, 2003: Fifth Annual MassMEDIC MedTech Investors Conference — Speaker — "Financing Trends in the Medical Device Industry"
October 1, 2003: Med Development Group (MDG) — featured speaker, "Term Sheets for Venture Capital Investments."
July 9, 2003: Launchpad Venture Group — Guest Lecturer, "Term Sheets — New Developments for Early Stage Financings"
March 5, 2003: MIT Start-up Forum — Panelist providing guidance to early stage companies and entrepreneurs
February 3, 2003: Profile, "Contente Keys Up for Managing Role" published in Mass High Tech, Movers and Innovators section
December 9, 2002: Article, "Medical Device Company Must Show Solid Promise to Potential Investors" published in Mass High Tech, Volume 17, Issue 39
November 2002: Article, "Reviewing the CEO: A Guide for Nonprofit Boards" published in Nonprofit World, Vol. 20, No. 6, November/December 2002
September 18, 2002: Medical Device Group — Guest Lecturer, "What It Takes to Launch a Company"
April 20, 2002: MIT Enterprise Forum — Panelist, "Negotiating the Deal: Sex, Lies and Valuation"
October 2, 2001: MIT Sloan School of Management — Guest Lecturer, "Crash Course in Corporate Transactions"
July 11, 2001: MIT Start-up Forum — Panelist evaluating business plans and giving advice to entrepreneurs starting new companies
2002 – Present: Chairman Emeritus, Lena Park Community Development Corporation
1997 – 2002: Chairman of the Board, Lena Park Community Development Corporation
1994 – 1999: Massachusetts Bar Association — Co-Chair — High Technology Practice Group (formerly the High Technology Committee)
1994 – 1999: Massachusetts Bar Association — Member — Business Council, which oversees all bar association activities related to commercial law
1989 – 2001: National Futures Association — Arbitrator for disputes arising out of commodities futures trading
May 25, 2000: CEO Management Group — Guest Lecturer, "Mergers and Acquisitions — Key Issues for CEOs"
March 1, 2000: Mass Ventures — Panelist, "Legal Issues for New Economy Entrepreneurs"
March 1, 2000: UMass Five College Entrepreneur Club- Panelist, "Growing Your Business"
September 27, 1999: Article, "With Angel Funding, Simplest Plans are Always Best" published in Mass High Tech, Volume 17, Issue 39
March 25, 1999: Massachusetts Software Council — Emerging Business Series. Panelist, "Creating a Legal Entity"
March 1, 1999: Windows Technology Forum — Guest Lecturer, "Legal Issues for Consultants and Intellectual Technology Managers"
January 5, 1999: The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) — Guest Lecturer, "Business and Legal Issues for Start-up Companies"
February 18, 1998: Cambridge Business Development Center — Guest Lecturer, "Financing Strategies for Growth Companies"
February 6, 1998: Computer and Telecommunications Law Institute — Panelist, "A Survey of Recent Developments in Cyber Law"
June 4, 1997: Mergers and Acquisitions, a seminar sponsored by Arcadia Consulting, Inc. — Guest Lecturer, "Doing the Deal — Negotiation Strategies"
November 14, 1996: Semiconductor Equipment Materials International — Guest Lecturer, "Legal Aspects of Product Marketing"
November 5, 1996: Northeastern University — Guest Lecturer, "Key Legal Issues for Entrepreneurs"
September 4, 1996: Massachusetts Institute of Technology — Enterprise Forum — Panelist: Start- Up Clinic. Analyze the business and prospects of emerging companies
November 20, 1995: Massachusetts Software Council — Legal Issues Series. Moderator/Organizer — Doing Business on the Internet
September 19, 1995: Massachusetts Software Council — Legal Issues Series. Moderator/Organizer — Enforcement: Getting the Benefit of Your Bargain
May 16, 1995: Massachusetts Software Council — Legal Issues Series. Moderator/Organizer — Foreign Distribution
January 12, 1995: Massachusetts Software Council — Legal Issues Series. Moderator/Organizer — Software Distribution Strategies and Agreements
November 9, 1994: Massachusetts Software Council — Legal Issues Series. Moderator/Organizer — Hot Topics in High Technology
May 18, 1994: American Corporate Counsel Association (ACCA) "Mergers & Acquisitions — 1994" — Lecturer: Due Diligence — The Technology and Intellectual Property Audit
May 12, 1994: Massachusetts Software Council — Legal Issues Series. Moderator/Organizer — Key Issues in Government Contracting
April 12, 1994: Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education (MCLE) — Panelist: Drafting Commercial Documents — Key Issues in Drafting Software Distribution Agreements
January 15, 1994: Massachusetts Bar Association — 1994 Annual Meeting of the Massachusetts Bar Association: Panelist: "Protecting Intellectual Property Rights"
1993 – 1997: Metro-West Career Center — Regular lecturer on legal issues for business consultants
November 4, 1993: Licensing Executives Society — Lecturer — Royalty Based Finance.
October, 1993: Boston Computer Society — Consultants & Entrepreneurs Group "New Business Formation: A Program for New Businesses" — Organized and Moderated a four-session program for new entrepreneurs; Lecturer — Raising Money for New Businesses
October, 1992: Boston Computer Society — Consultants & Entrepreneurs Group "New Business Formation: A Program for New Businesses" — Organized and Moderated a four-session program for new entrepreneurs; Lecturer — Raising Money for New Businesses
September 10, 1992: 128 Venture Group — Lecturer: Raising Money — Securities Law Issues
October, 1991: Boston Computer Society — Consultants & Entrepreneurs Group "New Business Formation: A Program for New Businesses" — Organized and Moderated a four-session program for new entrepreneurs; Lecturer — Raising Money for New Businesses
