Steve's practice focuses on litigation, arbitration and mediation of complex business disputes, with particular emphasis on disputes in the following subject areas: financial institutions and lender liability; energy industry; securities and other complex business disputes; and corporate shareholder disputes.
Steve is the Firm's Pro Bono Partner. He chairs the Firm's Pro Bono Committee, and oversees the pro bono programs in each of the Firm's offices.
Representative Experience
Financial Institutions and Lender Liability Disputes
Comprehensive Care Corporation v. Sovran, N.A., Civil Action No. 2:91CV00502 (E.D. Va. 1991) (defense of lender liability claims).
Crestar Bank v. CoreStates Bank, Law No. LW-744-3 (Cir. Ct. City of Richmond, Va. 1993) (defense of action alleging wrongful response to request for credit reference).
Hunter, et al. v. Fleet Finance, Inc., et al., Civil Action No. 3:94CV266 (E.D. Va. 1994) (defense of class action alleging violations of Truth-in-Lending Act and RICO arising out of mortgage lending).
Moors & Cabot, Inc. v. NationsBank, N.A., Law No. L151642 (Cir. Ct. Fairfax Co., Va. 1997) (defense of action alleging wrongful misdirection of wire transfer).
NationsBanc Mortgage Corporation v. KeyCorp and Key Bank of New York (representation of mortgage company in arbitration arising out of purchase and sale of stock of rival mortgage company).
PAF, Inc. v. Bank of America, et al., Civil Action No. 3:98CV483 (E.D. Va. 1998) (defense of action arising out of Bank's financing of hotel).
Retirement Housing Foundation v. Bank of America, Civil Action No. 001917-A (E.D. Va. 1998) (defense of action challenging enforceability of loan guaranty).
Signet Mortgage Company v. The Huntington Mortgage Company, Civil Action No. 3:96CV418 (E.D. Va. 1996) (defense of breach of contract claims arising out of sale of mortgage loans).
Teamsters Joint Council No. 83 of Virginia Pension Fund, et al. v. NCNB National Bank of North Carolina, Civil Action No. 3:91CV00413 and Civil Action No. 3:91CV720 (E.D. Va. 1991) (defense of breach of trust and securities fraud claims arising out of Bank's management of real estate fund).
Ward, et al. v. NationsBank of Virginia, N.A., et al., 256 Va. 427; 507 S.E.2d 616 (1998) (defense of suit alleging breach of trust by Bank trustee).
Willard Lee Limited Company, et al. v. NationsBank, N.A., Civil Action No. 94-747-A (E.D. Va. 1994) (defense of lender liability claim).
Energy Industry Disputes
Federal Energy Sales, Inc. v. Virginia Electric and Power Company, Case No. 1:00CV1725 (N.D. Ohio 1999) (dispute concerning contracts for the purchase and sale of electricity in the wholesale power markets).
Golden Associates, L.L.C., Trustee of PCA Liquidating Trust v. Virginia Electric and Power Company, Bankr. Case No. 98-51570; Adv. Pr. No. 00-5052 (U.S. Bankr. Ct. for D.Conn. 1999) (adversary proceeding arising out of contracts for the purchase and sale of electricity in the wholesale power markets).
NP Energy, L.P. v. Virginia Electric and Power Company, Civil Action No. 99-CV-13-J (W.D. Ky. 1999) (dispute concerning contracts for the purchase and sale of electricity in the wholesale power markets).
Southern Company Energy Marketing, L.P. v. Virginia Electric and Power Company, Civil Action No. CA-99-1221-A (E.D. Va. 1999) (dispute concerning contracts for the purchase and sale of electricity in the wholesale power markets).
Unocal Energy Trading, Inc. v. Virginia Electric and Power Company, Civil Action No. H-99-1008 (S.D. Tx. 1999) (dispute concerning contract for the purchase and sale of natural gas).
Securities and Other Complex Business Disputes
Automation Research Systems, Ltd. v. Virginia Housing Development Authority, Law No. CL980172 (Cir. Ct. for City of Alexandria, Va. 1998) (action for breach of contract arising out of contract for computer hardware and software systems and maintenance).
Moseman v. VanLeer, et al., Case No. WMN-98-434 (D. Md. 1998) (defense of securities fraud action arising out of redemption of stock in landfill company).
Myers v. Finkle, et al., 950 F.2d 165 (4th Cir. 1991) (defense of accounting firm in securities fraud action).
Newman v. Comprehensive Care Corp., et al., Civil No. 91-759-JO (D. Ore. 1991) (defense of Bank against securities fraud, RICO and other claims arising out of failed merger in healthcare industry).
Ryan Medical, Inc. v. United of Virginia Alumni Patents Foundation, Case No. LR-3818-1 (Cir. Ct. City of Richmond, Va. 1990) (defense of action alleging patent and licensing violations related to development of medical device).
Thompson Everett, Inc. v. National Cable Advertising, Inc., et al., 57 F.3d. 1317 (4th Cir. 1995) (defense of action alleging violations of antitrust laws in cable advertising industry).
Virginia Commonwealth University, et al. v. The Metropolitan Collegiate Athletic Conference, et al., Case No. LA110-4 (Cir. Ct. City of Richmond, Va. 1995) (representation of Athletic Conference in mediation arising out of changes in Conference membership).
Corporate Shareholder Disputes
Hofheimer v. Health Information Designs, Inc., Case No. CL99-1329 (Cir. Ct. Henrico Co., Va. 1998) (dispute among shareholders of company that developed software for processing health insurance claims).
Jordon v. Bowman Apple Products, 728 F.Supp. 409 (W.D. Va. 1990) (action for judicial dissolution of corporation based upon oppression of minority shareholder).