Lipase from Pseudomonas cepacia was used to prepare esters of hydrocinnamic acid by direct esteritication of the carboxylic acid in good yields (70-83%). For some esters, transesterification gave better yields (92%). Optimization of the reaction conditions resulted in a dramatic increase in the yield of the product ester. The role of solvents was studied. Notably, cinnamic acid esters are not formed under these conditions.