Steve has considerable experience in representing companies and individuals in investigations and litigation with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). He has led the defense of investigations in matters involving alleged insider trading and alleged violations of other aspects of federal securities laws. He obtained the first ever injunction enjoining the SEC from continuing to pursue claims against an individual in enforcement proceedings before an SEC Administrative Law Judge (ALJ), on the ground that the ALJ was appointed in an unconstitutional manner. Hill v. SEC, 114 F.Supp. 3d 1297 (N.D. Ga. 2015). Although that ruling was later reversed on appeal as being procedural premature, the United States Supreme Court later agreed in Lucia v. SEC, 138 S.Ct. 2044 (2018) that SEC ALJs had been appointed in an unconstitutional manner.

Steve represented a regional bank in wide-ranging litigation in North Carolina over a large mortgage fraud perpetrated by a real estate developer who convinced lot purchasers to apply for mortgage loans, and then lease the lots back to the developer, with the developer agreeing to pay the purchasers’ mortgage loans with a pledge to buy back the lots. The scheme unraveled and multiple lawsuits and arbitrations ensued involving the bank, the developer, and the lot purchasers. Steve led the defense of the bank in resolving all of the litigation and the arbitrations arising out of the loans. Almost all of the bank’s loan losses were ultimately covered after Steve successfully prevailed on the bank’s fidelity bond claim against the insurance carrier. Fed. Ins. Co. v. United Community Banks, Inc., 2010 WL 3842359 (N.D. Ga. 2010).

Steve represented two former officers of a failed bank and successfully argued to the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals that, after the FDIC closed the bank and sued the former officers for negligence, the “insured vs. insured” exception did not bar insurance coverage for the FDIC’s claims against the former bank officers. The Eleventh Circuit agreed, reversing the summary judgment of the district court. St. Paul Mercury Ins. Co. v. FDIC, 774 F.3d 702 (11th Cir. 2014).

Steve represented an international law firm and two of its partners in litigation arising out of a real estate lien filed by the law firm on behalf of its client. Steve argued and won summary judgments, affirmed on appeal, in two cases arising out of the dispute. Meadow Springs Recovery, LLC v. Wofford, 734 S.E.2d 100 (Ga. App. 2012).

Steve represented a healthcare-related company in litigation with a former marketing and sales consultant, who was also a minority shareholder. The dispute led to cases in federal court in Atlanta, in state court in Atlanta on shareholder-related claims, and in state courts in Alabama, Tennessee, and Kentucky. The district court in Atlanta eventually struck the shareholder’s answer and counterclaim and entered a default judgment. The district court also awarded the company all of its attorneys' fees. The Eleventh Circuit affirmed the ruling in Eagle Hospital Physicians, LLC v. SRG Consulting, Inc., 561 F.3d 1298 (11th Cir. 2009).

Steve served as lead counsel for a Georgia-based software developer in a factually complex theft of trade secrets case involving the copying and misappropriation of source code files relating to the email attachment viewing technology used in handheld devices. The case was settled for a confidential amount shortly before the start of a three-week trial.

Steve represented an outdoor advertising company in litigation brought by a shareholder who had sold his business to the company in exchange for cash and company stock. Steve successfully represented the company in arbitration in Boston rejecting the shareholder’s securities fraud claims. Steve later represented the company in having separate claims in North Carolina state court dismissed on the basis of res judicata. Moody v. Able Outdoor, Inc., 609 S.E.2d 259 (N.C. App. 2005).