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Steve joined BSD&D in 1973 and has been a member since 1977. His practice is unique in that he combines extensive experience in complex litigation with extensive experience in complex business transactions. As a result, he brings a business perspective to commercial litigation, and a litigation perspective to commercial transactions. He has substantial experience litigating employment disputes (in court and in arbitration), insurance disputes (on behalf of insurers and insureds), real estate disputes (on behalf of sellers, purchasers, lessors, lessees, mortgagors and mortgagees), corporate disputes (on behalf of corporations, officers, directors and shareholders), intellectual property (including patents), and other commercial disputes. In the transactional area, he has been involved in sale and acquisition of businesses, setting up corporations, partnerships and limited liability companies, the sale, purchase and mortgaging of real estate, and in numerous other types of commercial contracts and transactions. In the labor relations area, he has represented numerous employers in negotiating collective bargaining agreements, and in proceedings before the National Labor Relations Board and arbitration tribunals. Among the clients Steve has represented are Farmer Jack Supermarkets, The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company, The Dow Chemical Company, Hayes Lemmerz International, Inc., NBD Bank, Strategic Interactive, Inc., Premier Health Care Management, Inc., Automobile Club of Michigan, Showcase Cinemas, Guardsmark, LLC, and numerous other large and small companies.
Representative Cases/Transactions
Successfully defended two separate companies against claims by COO's under golden parachute contracts. One case was litigated in the Federal courts and the other in arbitration.
Obtained a Federal court decision vacating an arbitrator's award which had granted over $1,500,000 to a union in a contract dispute.
Obtained reversals in the U. S. Court of Appeals of decisions by the National Labor Relations Board involving whether employees wearing t-shirts with derogatory slogans against their employer was protected activity, and whether employees engaged in an organizing campaign can be discharged for calling in sick when they were not sick.
Obtained a judgment in state circuit court overturning a city's denial of rezoning of a parcel of property for one of the most successful comparison shopping centers in the State of Michigan.
Successfully defended a lawsuit by a township board against its own zoning board of appeals seeking to overturn the grant of a variance for a marquee sign for a multiplex theater.
Obtained a state circuit court reversal of a decision by a city zoning board of appeals denying a use variance for a large box store on a 40-acre parcel.
Successfully represented four of the largest automobile insurance companies in the State of Michigan in a complex ERISA pre-emption case against several major health and welfare plans in the Federal District Court, U. S. Court of Appeals and U.S. Supreme Court.
Successfully represented a large automobile insurance company in several class action lawsuits by health providers challenging the methodology used by the insurance carrier to retrospectively review medical billings.
Successfully represented a group of 37 nursing homes in litigation with a major health insurer over rates paid to the nursing homes under group health plans.
Successfully represented a major insurance company against claims of misrepresentation and fraud regarding the sale of insurance policies to fund a non-qualified key man deferred compensation plan
Successfully represented a manufacturer of plastic sheeting and shrink wrap in a lawsuit against one of the largest corporations in the country, claiming that equipment purchased from the corporation was defective. As a result of a detailed and fully researched complaint and discovery requests, the case was settled by the defendant for $1,500,000 with very little cost to the client.
Successfully represented a large automobile insurer in the State of Michigan against one of the largest automobile insurers in the country, obtaining a consent judgment which required the return of numerous documents taken by agents to the other insurer and included the reimbursement of all attorneys' fees.
Successfully represented 55 shareholders in a lawsuit against several corporations and their officers claiming usurpation and diversion of corporate assets to other businesses owned by the officers. After special mediation and prior to trial, obtained a $2,000,000 judgment for the shareholders.
Successfully represented a medicaid HMO in recovering over $1,000,000 in over charges from a prescription benefits manager.
Areas of Practice
Litigation
Bar Admissions
Michigan, 1973
U.S. Court of Appeals 6th Circuit
U.S. District Court Eastern District of Michigan
U.S. District Court Western District of Michigan
U.S. Supreme Court
Education
BS - Central Michigan University (Summa Cum Laude) 1970
JD - Wayne State University Law School (Cum Laude) 1973
Professional Affiliations
Admitted: State Bar of Michigan, United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, United States District Court, Eastern and Western Districts of Michigan, and United States Supreme Court
Member: Detroit Bar Association, Michigan Bar Association, American Bar Association, and Fellow of the American Bar Association
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