Lee S. Gayer
Counsel
Lee focuses his practice on the representation of corporate clients, and their officers and directors, in a wide range of litigation matters, including M&A matters, significant contractual disputes, and other business-related litigation. As a former prosecutor, Lee has experience advising clients in connection with governmental investigations and related class action litigation. Lee also represents U.S. and foreign companies in product liability litigation, and regularly provides advice concerning product liability issues in the U.S. market. Lee has extensive experience representing clients at trials and hearings, in arbitration proceedings, and in class actions, MDL proceedings, and other multi-party proceedings. Over the years Lee has worked closely with the firm’s Corporate Department in advising on transactional issues, conducting due diligence, and in handling litigation matters involving portfolio companies.
Experience
- Represented Oscar de la Renta, Ltd. in a dispute with licensee regarding fragrance license and use of trademark. After lengthy arbitration, three-member panel found in favor of ODLR regarding its trademark infringement claim, granted ODLR’s request to terminate the fragrance license, and awarded other relief in ODLR’s favor.
- Successfully represented a number of portfolio companies as lead counsel in arbitration proceedings arising from working capital and other purchase price adjustment disputes.
- Successfully represented independent trustees in lengthy regulatory investigation and multiple class actions relating to allegations of market timing and late trading.
- Served as national counsel to Merck in In re Prempro Product Liability Litigation – multi-district litigation involving hormone replacement therapy drugs. Obtained dismissal of multiple lawsuits alleging use of Merck products.
- Served as lead counsel for Kia Motors at trial involving alleged product defects; obtained full dismissal of all claims against Kia.
- Represented Boeing in complex air crash disaster litigation.
Education
- JD, Fordham University School of Law, 1983
- BA, magna cum laude, University at Albany, State University of New York, 1978
Admissions / Qualifications
Qualifications
- New York, 1984
Court Admissions
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit