As Weil expands its litigation presence in Boston, partner Adam Gershenson discusses what drew him to the firm, the growing intersection of AI and trade secret law, and the role the Boston Bar Association plays in his continued professional growth.
You’ve joined Weil’s Boston office at a moment of strategic litigation expansion. What attracted you to Weil, and how do you see your role contributing to the firm’s Boston-area trajectory?
I came to Weil’s Boston office because the firm is building something very special here, and I want to be a part of that. That includes a profound investment in some of Boston’s leading industries—technology and life-sciences. We are already tapped into those markets on the corporate platform. Now our clients—and potential clients—know we’re here to meet their litigation needs, too. This syncs with our approach nationally. Everyone I met at the firm is so deeply invested in its long-term excellence, growth, and collaborative culture that in meeting after meeting, you can feel the energy pouring off them. I knew this was the best place for my clients, my practice, and my happiness.
Your practice spans trade secret disputes, AI matters, unfair competition, and high-stakes appeals. How do you approach the challenge of staying ahead in rapidly evolving fields like AI and trade secrets?
I learned from one of the nation’s best trial lawyers that you need to constantly grow and reinvent yourself if you really want to serve your clients well. So on AI, I learn something new every day from a client, a steering committee, task force, or trial run of a next-gen product. As for trade secrets, the cases used to be all about injunctions—fast, furious cases shaped by two months of activity. Today, nearly a decade after Congress passed the federal Defend Trade Secrets Act, competitors have realized that trade secret cases are powerful tools leading to potentially enormous damages. Between the undetermined areas of trade secret law, the steep exposure, and the sense of “betrayal” that often accompanies trade secret litigation, the cases I typically handle are high-stakes, cross-border disputes that can last for years, and raise fascinating issues. I feel very fortunate because now trade secret and AI issues are starting to converge, and I get to help clients navigate that intersection.
What advice do you have for new lawyers or law students aspiring to build a practice in cutting-edge, high-impact litigation?
Pursue what excites you. Time is your most precious asset, so spend it on things that intrinsically fire your synapses. Then stop working two hours before bed. You’ll want to wind down!
Looking ahead, how do you see the litigation landscape in Boston evolving over the next 5 to 10 years — especially in technology, life sciences, and cross-jurisdictional disputes — and how do you plan to position your practice to meet those opportunities?
I’ve never been one to game the system or time the market. I tend more to listen to my clients, hear what’s keeping them up at night, and find solutions together. If I connect with people I like and pursue the biggest, hardest, most interesting questions with authenticity and credibility, I have faith that my practice will take care of itself.
You’ve been an active member with the Boston Bar Association. How does engagement with the BBA support your professional growth?
The BBA is essential not only for my growth, but for my team’s. And meeting people is more than half the fun. I was on a call yesterday with the BBA President-Elect Mark Fleming and one of my key questions was how to get the Weil litigation group involved, right from the start, so people can enjoy the same sense of community that I have.
