Thompson, Nikki

Stephen Thienel is the founder and managing member of Thienel Law Firm, LLC. His practice focuses on helping clients in the areas of business & commercial law, tax law, estate planning, family law, and civil litigation.

Steve founded Thienel Law in 2004 after completing a 24-year career with CSX Corporation. Steve held numerous upper management positions at CSX including the positions of Regional Vice President for State Relations, Assistant Vice President and Assistant to the President, and Assistant Vice President of Cost & Economic Analysis.
Steve has been appointed to serve on task forces by the Governors of Maryland, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. Steve also was an adjunct faculty member at Johns Hopkins University teaching economics and finance courses in its MBA program, and served as head of its economics department.
Steve brings his many years of experience in the private and government-regulated sector to the practice of law. He has extensive experience with finance, corporate management, legal, and legislative and government affairs. He is a strong coalition and consensus builder, who applies these skills when negotiating on behalf of his clients.

Steve is an active member of his community and has served on numerous boards and advisory committees, including the Maryland Chamber of Commerce, the Children's Cancer Foundation, Johns Hopkins University, St. Peter's Episcopal Church, and Dorsey Search (Columbia) Village Board.
Steve advises clients on a broad array of tax, business, estate, and family issues. In addition to his work on behalf of businesses, Steve counsels individual and family clients on wealth management and estate planning, including succession planning for family businesses. Steve has represented numerous charitable entities before the IRS. In addition to his transactional practice, Steve has extensive litigation experience at both trial and appellate levels.

Steve was born in Alexandria, Virginia. He attended Vanderbilt University, has a BA in Economics from Washington & Lee University, an MA and ABD in Economics from Virginia Tech, a JD from the University of Maryland School of Law, and an LL.M. in Taxation from the University of Baltimore School of Law. Steve is admitted to practice law in Maryland, the District of Columbia, and before the U.S. Tax Court and U.S. Supreme Court.

Steve lives in Columbia, Maryland with his wife and two Labrador Retrievers. He is an avid swimmer, cyclist, and runner (having finished 58 marathons).