Senior Attorney
E-mail: [email protected]
Phone: 617.654.1748
Practice Areas: General Municipal, Land Use, Litigation, Labor
Attorney Adam G. Gutbezahl joined the firm in 2025 as a Senior Attorney after nearly a decade of experience representing individuals and businesses in a wide variety of matters, including complex commercial, employment, land use, and real estate disputes. Attorney Gutbezahl has a proven track record of success in Massachusetts Land Court and Superior Court, as well as the Massachusetts Appeals Court. With his client-driven focus, Attorney Gutbezahl understands how to translate their concerns into practical solutions that make sense to the client’s individualized needs. In addition to handling contentious, high stakes cases in Massachusetts state and federal courts, he counsels his clients on the importance of developing best practices to avoid litigation and mitigate risks. He represents municipalities in a wide array of litigation matters, including labor and employment, land use, and zoning. Attorney Gutbezahl is also a recognized thought leader on the legal implications of Generative Artificial Intelligence and serves on multiple steering committees and task forces regarding the use of this technology.
Attorney Gutbezahl is also a member of the Trust Fund Commission in the Town of Wayland, a position to which he was first elected in 2019. His municipal experience includes time serving on multiple boards and committees in Wayland, including the Select Board, Finance Committee, and Cultural Council. Prior to moving to Massachusetts, Attorney Gutbezahl was employed by multiple legislative committees within the Council of the District of Columbia, through which he performed oversight for administrative agencies and authored more than 20 pieces of legislation addressing various topics, including consumer protection, employment law, and tax transparency. Since joining the private sector, he has been recognized by various organizations and publications, including Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly, Boston Magazine, Super Lawyers Magazine, and the New England Real Estate Journal. While attending The George Washington University Law School, Attorney Gutbezahl served as an Executive Editor of The George Washington Law Review and was a member of the Moot Court Board.
- Moniz Strawberry Fields Estates, LLC (Land Use): The Town of Dighton Zoning Board of Appeals granted a comprehensive permit to entity seeking to develop housing pursuant to G.L. c. 40B. Abutters appealed the comprehensive permit decision in Superior Court. Successfully obtained summary judgment in client’s favor for two of the abutters on the basis that they lacked standing. As first chair during a four-day bench trial, obtained a directed verdict in client’s favor for the two remaining abutters on the basis that the abutters failed to demonstrate that they were aggrieved by the comprehensive permit decision.
- Vasquez Cambridge Housing Authority (Land Use): Property owner maintained a fence located on housing authority’s property and refused to remove or relocate the fence. Successfully obtained summary judgment on behalf of housing authority on the basis of trespass and rejecting neighboring owner’s argument of adverse possession on the grounds that adverse possession does not apply to public property. After neighbor failed to comply with the Land Court’s judgment, successfully obtained further judgment finding neighbor in contempt and receiving an award of attorneys’ fees in client’s favor.
- McPhillips Lacy (Land Use, Appellate): Client who maintained express easement rights over a neighboring property sought to develop a land-locked parcel and use that easement to access the undeveloped lot. The property owners asserted claims against each other concerning respective easement rights. Obtained summary judgment in client’s favor holding that an easement by implication was formed in 1968 to the benefit of the undeveloped lot. After serving as second chair during a two-day bench trial, obtained judgment in favor of client stating that the scope of the 1968 easement included the right to develop a single-family residence on the undeveloped lot. The servient estate property owner appealed the decisions, and the Appeals Court affirmed the prior judgments.
- DiChiara Firicano (Contract): Home improvement contractor sued client homeowners asserting breach of contract and clients asserted counterclaims against contractor alleging breach of contract and violations of the Massachusetts Home Improvement Contractor Law. After serving as second chair during a five-day jury trial at Middlesex Superior Court, the clients prevailed on all claims asserted against them, obtained a verdict in their favor on their counterclaims, and received a judgment awarding them attorneys’ fees.
- Negotiated numerous successful settlement agreements on behalf of clients involving employment, contract, land use, and tort-based claims, both through the mediation process and direct negotiations.
Ruberto, Israel & Weiner, P.C.
Litigation Attorney (2020-2025)
Hermes, Netburn, O’Connor & Spearing, P.C.
Litigation Attorney (2019-2020)
Smith & Brink, P.C.
Associate Attorney (2017-2019)
Committee for Public Counsel Services
Trial Attorney, Children & Family Law Division (2016-2017)
Council for the District of Columbia
General Counsel, Committee on Finance & Revenue (2015-2016)
Legislative Counsel, Committee on Transportation & the Environment (2013-2015)
- Recognized as an “Up & Coming Lawyer” by Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly (2025)
- Named a “Top Lawyer” by Boston Magazine (2024)
- Named a “Rising Star” by Super Lawyers Magazine (2024)
- Identified as “Ones to Watch – Rising Stars” by New England Real Estate Journal (2024)
- Graduated from the “Boston’s Future Leaders Program” – a 10-month leadership initiative by Harvard Business School and the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce (2024)
- Received the “Outstanding Faculty Award” by the National Business Institute (2023)
- Recognized as “Emerging Leader of the Year” by the MetroWest Chamber of Commerce (2022)
- Massachusetts Bar
- United States District Court of Massachusetts
The George Washington University
Juris Doctor, 2013 (cum laude)
Executive Editor, The George Washington Law Review
Moot Court Board
The George Washington University
Bachelor of Arts (International Politics), 2006 (cum laude)
- Wayland Select Board (2021-2024)
- Wayland Trust Fund Commission (2019-Present)
- Performing Arts Center of Metrowest – Board of Directors (2023-Present)
- Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce’s Future Tech Leadership Council (2024-Present)
- Wayland Finance Committee (2019-2021)
- Wayland Cultural Council (2017-2021)
- Panelist – Boston Bar Association, Generative AI in Business: Ethical, Legal, and Practical Considerations for Lawyers (February 2025)
- Presenter, National Business Institute, AI Law 2024-2025: Policy, Regulation, and Litigation Updates (December 2024)
- Co-Panelist, Real Estate Bar Association’s 2024 Annual Meeting & Conference, Navigating the A.I. Frontier: Best Practices, Ethical Concerns & Pitfalls (November 2024)
- Presenter – National Business Institute, Employment Law 2024: Tips for Implementing AI in Workplace Policies (August 2024)
- Presenter – LawPracticeCLE, Artificial Intelligence in the Workplace (June 2024)
- Co-Panelist – Massachusetts Bar Association’s 45th Annual Labor & Employment Spring Conference, Employment Law Update (May 2024)
- Presenter – National Business Institute, ChatGPT: Legal Issues All Employers Must Know (November 2023)