Commercial, real estate, and public law litigation associate.

Steve’s practice focuses on litigation involving public law, real estate and commercial disputes. In particular, Steve has experience with eminent domain matters and law suits involving governmental entities. He assists in the representation of a variety of clients at all stages of the litigation process, including the administrative, trial and appellate levels.

Steve has experience representing both condemning authorities and landowners in his eminent domain practice. He has assisted with the acquisition of property interests necessary for school, pipeline, water line, drainage and road projects. He also helps landowners threatened with eminent domain protect their property rights and obtain just compensation for their taken property. 

Steve represents clients in suits involving governmental entities outside of the statutory condemnation process as well. These cases involve a wide range of claims and issues, such as inverse condemnation and regulatory takings, allegations of ultra vires conduct, ad valorem property tax disputes, and sovereign immunity defenses.

Steve participated in the City of Houston's Volunteer Prosecutor Program, representing the State of Texas in criminal cases filed in municipal court. He successfully tried a number of jury trials in cases involving traffic violations, petty thefts, simple assaults, code violations and various other misdemeanor offenses. Steve also served as a Law Clerk for the Alabama Attorney General’s Office—Special Prosecution Division, assisting in the prosecution of public corruption and white collar offenses.

Representative Experience

Condemnation

• Currently assisting as counsel for a large pipeline company in the acquisition of easements for a pipeline traversing five  counties in central Texas.
• Currently assisting as counsel for regional water authorities and municipal utility districts in connection with the acquisition of easements for water storage, water lines and drainage facilities.
• Assisted as counsel for a school district in the acquisition of property to construct a new high school.

Inverse Condemnation

• Currently assisting as counsel for a transit authority in a dispute involving claims that the construction and operation of light rail facilities materially and substantially impaired access to the landowners’ property.

Landowner Defense

• Currently assisting as counsel for a landowner involved in a dispute with a company attempting to construct a high-speed rail line through their property.
• Currently assisting in the representation of landowners in the condemnation of their property by the State of Texas for the expansion of Highway 290.

• Assisted as counsel for a developer whose property was condemned for construction of the Grand Parkway.

Other Government Litigation

• Currently assisting as counsel for a county commissioner in a dispute involving claims of ultra vires conduct relating to the approval of plat applications and construction plans.
• Currently assisting as counsel for several municipal utility districts in a dispute with a municipality involving reimbursement for utility facilities.

Other Litigation

• Assisted as counsel for a landowner asserting Deceptive Trade Practices Act, fraud and negligent misrepresentation claims based on pre-purchase representations made to her regarding a house and associated property.
• Assisted as counsel for a landowner of commercial property in an ad valorem tax dispute with Harris County Appraisal District.

Bar Admissions

Education
JD, Tulane University Law School, cum laude, Tulane Maritime Law Journal, Senior Online Editor, 2015BA, University of Colorado, 2010