Overview
The managing partner of WSHB’s Sonoma County office, Steve is an accomplished litigator and is certified by The State Bar of California as a Specialist in Appellate Law. His appellate work has included the handling of numerous appeals, writ petitions, and oral arguments in both state and federal court. He is known for his outstanding written work-product, analysis of legal issues, and oral advocacy. Steve also has published and taught about appellate practice and procedure.
In addition to his appellate work, Steve's skills extend to areas involving complex federal and state law, government and public entity issues, premises liability, intellectual property, technology, and transportation. He is adept at accurately assessing risk and recommending cost-effective strategies that best serve his clients’ interests. He prides himself on his communication skills, commitment to ethics, and high-quality legal work. Steve has successfully resolved innumerable cases, whether through dispositive motions (and successful appeals), trial, or settlement.
Steve also handles cybersecurity and data privacy matters as a Cybersecurity and Data Privacy Team member. He manages complex privacy and cybersecurity litigation, including data breach and pixel class actions, tech E&O litigation, and claims arising under privacy laws, including CPRA, CIPA, VPPA, and others. He additionally routinely counsels clients through data security incidents, coordinating the responses to ransomware attacks, fraudulent wire transfers, and business email compromise events and evaluating notification obligations arising under applicable laws. Steve also provides privacy compliance counseling for companies, works with cyber insurance carriers on subrogation recovery efforts, and helps clients respond to copyright infringement claims.
In addition, Steve is experienced in transactional matters, having negotiated, drafted, and counseled clients regarding purchase/sale contracts, confidentiality agreements, and other complex agreements involving land use, environmental issues, employment, construction, bodily injury, civil rights issues, product liability, and intellectual property rights.
Whatever the legal issue, Steve is a diligent, passionate, and professional advocate who works tirelessly to obtain the best possible results for his clients.
Experience
- Hernandez v. Taihan Electric, USA, Ltd. (2024) 2d App. Dist., Case No. B333793
- O'Toole v. Oceanview Cottages, LLC (2024) 4th App. Dist., Case No. D080948
- Ortiz-Fernandez v. La Clinica (2023) 1st App. Dist., Case No. A162542
- Lee v. Cardiff (2023) 94 Cal.App.5th 398
- Robertson v. Larkspur Courts (2021) 1st App.Dist., Case No. A160942
- Carter v. Clausen (2021) 4th App.Dist., Case No. G060213
- Basile v. The Los Angeles Film School, LLC, et al. (9th Cir. 2020) 827 Fed.Appx. 649
- Kinney v. Three Arch Bay Community Services District (9th Cir. 2020) 829 Fed.Appx. 273
- Sazerac Company, Inc. v. Fetzer Vineyards, Inc. (9th Cir. 2019) 786 Fed.Appx. 662
- Sawabeh International Group v. GenesisTP, Inc. (2019) 1st App. Dist., Case No. A151443
- Robertson v. Larkspur Courts et al. (2018) 1st App. Dist., Case No. A152226
- Sazerac Company, Inc. v. Fetzer Vineyards, Inc. (N.D. Cal. 2017) 265 F.Supp.3d 1013
- Allen v. Amy’s Kitchen (2016) 1st App. Dist., Case No. A148194
- Lamb v. San Francisco Electric Tour Co. (2015) 1st App. Dist., Case No. A142888
- Darling v. Superior Court (2012) 211 Cal.App.4th 69
Credentials
Education
- University of San Francisco School of Law (J.D., 2010)
- University of California, Santa Cruz (B.A., 2007)
Licensed to Practice in
- California
- U.S. District Court, Northern District of California
- U.S. District Court, Eastern District of California
- U.S. District Court, Central District of California
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit
- U.S. Supreme Court
Newsroom
News
Publications
- Taming the Flames, CLM Magazine, November 2023
- A Seismic Shift for Bodily Injury Claims, CLM Magazine, July 6, 2023
- The Life of an Appellate Case, Los Angeles Lawyer, March 2022
- Pebley v. Santa Clara Opens the Door in California to Inflated Medical Damages Claims, May 11, 2018
- Strategies for Restoring the Right to Repair Act by Challenging the Liberty Mutual and Burch Decisions, DRI Volume 18, Issue 4 (2014)
- Stafford Unified School District No. 1 v. Redding: a Missed Opportunity to Restore Fourth Amendment Rights to School Children, 44 U.S.F. L. Rev. 659 (2010)
- Author, California’s Broken Parole System: Flawed Standards and Insufficient Oversight Threaten the Rights of Prisoners, 44 U.S.F. L. Rev. 177 (2009)