Noted litigator Lee Dresie has distinguished himself by winning high-stakes judgments and defenses for his real estate, business, and entertainment clients. But some of his most stirring victories came on a different type of court:
“For eight years I was the only NCAA basketball coach and full-time practicing attorney in the country,” says Lee. “Now I may be the only full-time practicing attorney who's also a sportswriter.” Lee writes for the San Antonio Spurs blog, Pounding the Rock.
The power of persuasion.
Lee served as a basketball coach at nearby Claremont McKenna College from 1985 to 1994, experience that, he says, has translated well to the courtroom. “Talking to 12 people in a jury is not all that different from talking to 12 basketball players. You are trying to persuade them to see and do things your way, not some other way. And both require the ability to think on your feet.”
That persuasive ability helped Lee win basketball games, and has helped him prevail for his clients in vital cases: Winning a $2 million verdict for clients Whisky-A-Go-Go and Ace Outdoor Advertising; successfully defending the seller of an industrial property who had accidentally misrepresented its size; and, defeating a $15 million breach of fiduciary duty claim against a TV station co-owner.
Preparation is key.
As with sports, Lee knows that succeeding at litigation requires disciplined preparation. He respects that process and always walks into court fully prepared. “It’s my job to thoroughly understand the facts of the case, analyze the opponent, prepare my theme, and be ready for unexpected moves,” says Lee.
He also knows that litigation can be very stressful for the client who has so much riding on the outcome. As a result, Lee strives to relieve his clients’ worries.
“I tell my clients they don't need to stress about the case because I'm doing that for them. I am handling it on their behalf,” he says. “They should have confidence that I'm going to do the best I can with the given facts. I will also be completely honest with them as to likely outcomes—including addressing facts that aren't good and things we need to work around.”
“The worst thing an attorney can do,” says the former basketball coach, “is to tell clients they have a slam-dunk case when they don’t – because no cases are slam dunks.”
And that helps his clients rest assured.
A diverse leader and respected colleague.
Lee’s leadership extends beyond “the courts.” A former chair of the firm’s litigation department and member of Greenberg Glusker’s management committee, Lee currently serves as the firm’s general counsel. In the professional community, Lee has acted as legal advisor to the board of the American Industrial Real Estate Association, also known as AIR CRE, for the past twelve years.
Lee is also recognized by his peers, earning a Martindale-Hubbell AV-preeminent rating, the highest rating possible, since 2000, and has been named by Los Angeles Magazine as a Super Lawyer since 2009.
Professional Affiliations
- Legal Advisor, Board of Directors, AIR CRE
- General Counsel, Greenberg Glusker
- NCAA Basketball Coach, Claremont McKenna College, National Association of Basketball Coaches: 1985-1994
Awards
- Rated, "AV Preeminent 5.0 out of 5," Martindale Hubbell
- Listed, Southern California Super Lawyers 2009-2020
Bar Admissions
- California
Court Admissions
- United States District Courts for the Central and Northern Districts of California
Education
- University of California, Los Angeles (J.D., 1982)
- Haverford College (B.A., 1978)
Real Estate Experience
- After a two-phase trial (an eight-day trial on liability and damages, and a one-day trial on punitive damages), obtained a $2 million verdict , including $1 million in punitive damages, based on intentional interference with contract against Regency Outdoor Advertising on behalf of clients Whisky-A-Go-Go and Ace Outdoor Advertising
- On behalf of the publisher of Easyriders Magazine, obtained a federal court injunction requiring the owner to re-instate the name "Easyriders Saloon" on the largest establishment in Sturgis, South Dakota, home of the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally
- Successfully prosecuted a federal court action against a developer master landlord and 19 attorney tenants for breach of leases, subleases and guarantees
- Successfully defended a six-day trial in which a tenant sued a client landlord for over $2 million based on the tenant's claim that the landlord had acted unreasonably in strictly enforcing lease provisions
- Obtained summary judgment for a landlord against a national billboard company on a 15-year sign lease, even though the company was precluded by law from actually constructing the sign
- Successfully defended the seller of an industrial property who had accidently misrepresented the size of the property by showing that the buyer had not proven damages; for more information, read Lee's article entitled, "A Win, And A Lesson: The Credibility of Expert Witnesses"
Business Experience
- After a lengthy arbitration, defeated a $15 million breach of fiduciary duty claim against a television station co-owner by his partner
- After a two-week jury trial, obtained a $1.1 million dollar judgment against two yacht manufacturers based on the Song Beverly Act and a breach of implied warranties; for more information, read "Greenberg Glusker Trial Team Secures $1.1 Million Judgment in Faulty Boat Case"
- Obtained dismissal of arbitration claim seeking reimbursement of ten years of allegedly overpaid CAM and CPI charges
- Successfully prosecuted federal court action by a multi-million dollar investor against officers and directors of a failed dot com company
- Substituted into a case after trial and convinced trial court to reverse its alter-ego finding against a shareholder of a defunct company, and successfully defended that decision on appeal