Steve concentrates in the areas of commercial transactions, corporate law, business organization, collection law and media law. Steve chaired the firm’s Business Practice Group from 1998 through 2007, and thereafter served as the firm’s President through 2015. He joined the firm in 1988 after graduating with distinction from the University of North Dakota Law School. Steve has an undergraduate degree in accounting from Moorhead State University.

Steve represents all types of business enterprises, large and small, on matters ranging from business organization, sales and purchases, reorganizations, and shareholder disputes. Steve also represents several newspapers, television and radio stations on first amendment, open meeting, open record and other media law issues.

Steve is a native of Fargo, North Dakota. His wife, Jackie, is a real estate agent. They have three children, Rachel, Mara and Lauren. In his spare time, Steve enjoys going to the lake, hunting, scuba diving and his boat building and restoration projects.

Honors and Distinctions

• “The Best Lawyers in America,” Woodward/White, 2006 – 2021
• Great Plains Super Lawyers^®, Thomson Reuters, 2012 – 2020
• Listed in Band 1, the highest ranking, as a Leading North Dakota Corporate/Commercial Lawyer by Chambers USA, 2012 – 2021

Memberships

• Cass County Bar Association
• State Bar Association of North Dakota
• North Dakota Society of Certified Public Accountants

Certified Legal Specialties

• Certified Public Accountant

Admitted to Practice

• North Dakota, 1988
• Minnesota, 1988
• U.S. District Court District of North Dakota, 1992
• U.S. District Court District of Minnesota, 1992
• U.S. Court of Appeals 8th Circuit, 1994