MEET THE JUDGES

Judge David Lease is a Montgomery County native who graduated from Charles W. Woodward High School in Rockville. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Maryland at College Park, and graduated summa cum laude from the University of Baltimore School of Law where he earned his way onto the Law Review.

Prior to joining the Circuit Court bench, Judge Lease practiced law for 26 years and had an extensive trial and appellate practice in both state and federal courts.  He was a co-founding member of the Rockville law firm Smith, Lease & Goldstein, where he practiced for 18 years before being appointed to the Bench. During his legal career, Judge Lease received numerous awards including the highest ratings from Martindale, Hubble and Avvo and has been recognized as a Maryland Super Lawyer by Thomson Reuters for more than 10 years.

Judge Lease has extensively lectured on legal issues involving real property, electronic discovery and trial evidence.  He has been active in both the Montgomery County and Maryland State Bar Associations, chairing several sections and committees and serving three terms on the Maryland State Bar Association’s Board of Governors.  Judge Lease was recognized as a Bar Leader by the Montgomery County Bar Foundation and elected to be a Fellow to the Maryland State Bar Foundation.  He holds the rank of Master of the Bench in the Montgomery County Inn of Court.

Judge Lease served for 16 years on the Board of Directors of Voices for Children, the Court Appointed Special Advocate program here in Montgomery County, and served as the president of this organization.