Attorney Profile

David Burgess is an experienced family law attorney and trial lawyer. Having spent more than 30 years representing businesses and individuals in the courts of Massachusetts, he focuses his practice on divorce litigation and family law, business and employment disputes and litigation, and criminal defense.

David began his practice at Foley Hoag, LLP, one of Boston’s largest firms, followed by six years at a premier boutique law firm and 16 years in solo practice.

In his family law practice, David litigates contested divorce and family law matters and serves as a divorce mediator. He also regularly assists clients in their negotiation of prenuptial agreements, postnuptial agreements and cohabitation agreements. There is a large overlap between prenup and postnup agreements and estate planning, and David has found this firm’s estate planning expertise and resources to have been invaluable as he advises clients on these agreements.

David is well versed in the issues surrounding high-net-worth divorce. He has helped many couples in the Wellesley and metro west area of Boston negotiate marital settlement agreements. He has dealt with a wide range of complex divorce cases that include litigation over restraining orders, alimony, child support and child custody issues. David has found that his background in business litigation prepared him well for representing clients in complex high-net-worth divorces. His criminal practice gave him a great deal of trial advocacy experience.

Throughout his career, David has represented business clients in a diverse array of litigation matters, including commercial litigation, real estate disputes, insurance coverage litigation, and shareholder and fiduciary duty claims. His employment practice consists mostly of executive advocacy, representing clients in severance negotiations and in employment litigation, as well as advising clients who are being asked to sign employment agreements, non-compete agreements and non-solicitation agreements. He has tried business and employment law cases in state and federal court.

In his criminal law practice as a defense lawyer, David has defended hundreds of clients, many charged with serious felonies, in the Massachusetts superior and district courts. He has successfully tried dozens of jury cases involving charges of manslaughter, armed assault with intent to murder, assault and battery, armed robbery, rape and other sex offenses, drunk driving and drug offenses.

Graduating from Suffolk University Law School in 1989, David had the distinction of being first out of a class of 213 students.