Lee T. Gesmer

Senior Counsel

P 617.350.6800
F 617.350.6878

Disputes may be inevitable, but Lee has 40 years of experience helping clients resolve them in a way that makes the most business sense. He is one of the founders of Gesmer Updegrove, and has been at the firm since “day one” in 1986, when the firm was the legal equivalent of “two guys in a garage.” Lee is an experienced business and intellectual property litigation attorney. He has represented the firm’s clients in state and federal courts throughout the United States. His practice focuses on IP and business litigation, including copyright, patent, trade secret, trademark, antitrust, contract and noncompetition law. One of the skills of which he is proudest is his ability to make complex technology and business issues relatively easy for judges and juries to understand; to “keep it simple,” but not “too simple.”

Background & Experience

Experience

When handling disputes — whether in court, arbitration or in the “pre-dispute” phase (where many disputes are resolved), Lee pursues a highly focused approach, attempting to identify key issues early and to avoid inefficient discovery practices. A highly strategic and practical thinker, Lee guides our clients toward the most efficient and inexpensive dispute resolution. He counsels clients in ways to avoid disputes and to explore non-courtroom alternatives such as mediation and arbitration. Lee is a certified mediator and a member of the American Arbitration Association’s National Panel of Neutrals, with extensive experience in intellectual property and business arbitration.

Lee holds a Preeminent AV rating from Martindale-Hubbell. He was named one of the “Top Players in High-Tech Intellectual Property” by the National Law Journal. He has been involved with Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education (MCLE) as an organizer and speaker at numerous seminars and conferences. He has been extensively involved with the Boston Bar Association, acting as co-chair for the Business Litigation and Computer and Internet Law Sub-Committees, and co-chair of the BBA Intellectual Property Section. For three years he served as a member of the BBA’s governing Council.

Lee has been named a Massachusetts Super Lawyer, an honor received by only 5% of Massachusetts attorneys, every year from 2004 to 2024.

For more than 20 years Lee has maintained an active legal blog at MassLawBlog.com.

Education/Training

Boston College Law School, J.D., 1979
Boston College, B.A., 1976, Economics

Contact Lee T. Gesmer

Memberships

2010-2013 Boston Bar Association Governing Council
2004-2008 – Member of Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education Advisory Committee on Business and Commercial Law
2004-2006 – Co-Chair Boston Bar Association Internet Law Subcommittee
2001-2003 – Co-Chair Boston Bar Association Litigation Subcommittee
Boston Bar Association
American Bar Association
American Arbitration Association’s National Panel of Neutrals and Mediator