Artificial Intelligence and Kilpatrick Connect
Stephen leads the Firm’s innovative artificial intelligence (AI) legal consulting and advisory service. Kilpatrick Connect provides a safe, secure, and economical hub for client questions, issue resolution, and strategy development concerning AI. Kilpatrick Connect leverages the Firm’s legal expertise, industry knowledge, and nearly 165 years of experience serving the world’s innovators to provide tailored AI legal consulting services. Through Kilpatrick Connect, Stephen helps his clients navigate the intricate legal, regulatory, and policy landscape surrounding AI while supporting the development of practical and actionable AI strategies and solutions that ensure their business remains compliant, mitigates risks, and is positioned for growth.

Regulation and Public Policy
Stephen advises his clients on federal regulatory and policy matters affecting numerous industries, including AI, renewable energy, conventional energy, sustainability, agriculture, health care, housing, telecommunications, hospitality, infrastructure, digital assets, and distributed leger technology. He supports his clients throughout the entire regulatory process, ensuring their interests are met in federal agency rulemaking (including public solicitations such as agency requests for comment/information) and program administration.

Stephen also counsels his clients on federal program requirements, funding opportunities, eligibility, and compliance standards. He has helped his clients advocate for and effectuate change on regulatory matters concerning the Department of the Treasury, Department of Defense, Department of Commerce, Internal Revenue Service, Securities and Exchange Commission, Commodity Futures Trading Commission, Department of Agriculture, Environmental Protection Agency, Department of the Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, Department of Transportation, Federal Aviation Administration, and Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Digital Assets and Distributed Ledger Technology
Stephen advises on digital assets and distributed ledger technology regulation, development, compliance, legislation, and administration, as well as related topics. He also founded and leads the Kilpatrick Artificial Intelligence, Digital Assets, & Distributed Ledger Technology Regulation Blog.

Energy
Stephen counsels his clients on regulatory, tax incentive, and grant programs across the energy sphere. He represents and supports his clients on broad energy development and financing initiatives concerning various sectors, including energy storage, chemicals, carbon, capture and sequestration, biofuels, sustainable aviation fuels, solar, wind, hydropower, and hydrogen.

Native American Affairs
Stephen represents his Tribal clients on a broad range of legal and regulatory issues. His litigation experience includes cases concerning rights-of-way, energy, water rights, contract disputes, and treaty rights. He has represented clients before federal courts throughout the country, including the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit and the U.S. Court of Federal Claims. He has also represented clients before federal agency adjudicatory bodies like the Interior Board of Indian Appeals. Additionally, Stephen counsels his clients on federal grant and financing initiatives. He has helped his clients secure significant federal funding and navigate issues related to climate change, broadband and technology, energy, agriculture, infrastructure, water, hospitality, disaster and crisis response, and Tribal government services.

Education and Acknowledgments
Stephen earned his LL.M. from Harvard Law School and his J.D. from the University of Michigan Law School. Prior to receiving his LL.M., he was one of approximately 20 law school graduates from around the world accepted into the Harvard Law School Graduate Program as a Visiting Researcher.

Stephen was recognized as one of the “Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch” in 2025 and the three years immediately preceding by The Best Lawyers in America®. He was also recognized as a Washington D.C. “Rising Star” from 2019-2024 by Super Lawyers magazine. Stephen received a 2024 JD Supra Readers' Choice Award as a Top Author in Finance and Banking.