Steven specializes in municipal law. He assists local government agencies, in particular transit districts, with a wide variety of legal issues. His particular areas of expertise include public contracts and procurements, constitutional issues, election law and government ethics.
Beyond the practice of law, Steven is also an accomplished musician. He is a Grammy-award winning violinist and served for many years on the faculty of the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. He has issued more than 20 CDs and has appeared on both NPR and PBS. In addition to his classical performances, Steven can be heard on soundtracks ranging from Safeway meat commercials to Elmo in Grouchland.
Steven has recently guided public clients through a number of complex procurements of both rolling stock and high-technology equipment.
He is particularly knowledgeable about the complex statutory and regulatory framework under which public transit agencies operate. He is well versed in Federal Transit Administration grant conditions and Federal Railroad Administration regulations.
Steven also has a constitutional law focus and has been closely involved in recent efforts to address structural reform in California, including drafting of initiatives for Statewide ballots. He also assists clients, both public and private, on a wide range of issues relating to political and election law.
As part of his election and government ethics practice, Steven serves as an evaluator for the San Jose Elections Commission.
Steven teaches legal writing and research at University of California, Hastings College of the Law.
"Regulating the 'Initiative Industrial Complex:' Is SB 168's proposed prohibition of per-signature payment an unconstitutional restriction on core political speech?," Public Law Journal (Spring 2011)
"Getting to a Citizens’ Constitutional Convention: Legal Questions (Without Answers) Concerning the People’s Ability to Reform California’s Government Through a Constitutional Convention," Loyola of Los Angeles Law Review (Winter 2011)
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Hastings Law Journal, Articles Editor
J.D., magna cum laude, University of California, Hastings College of the Law (2004)
San Francisco Conservatory of Music (1992)
B.M., Indiana University (1986)
California
415-995-5831 Direct Phone 415-995-3426 Fax
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