Stephen’s diverse experience, both inside and outside the machinery of government, provides him with a unique vantage point that allows him to counsel and guide consumer-facing businesses through investigations, litigation, and regulatory actions that threaten their competitiveness and sometimes their very survival. As a highly practiced trial lawyer, Stephen is able to leverage his professional skills and experience to advocate effectively for clients facing state AG investigations and litigation, and to navigate complex negotiations to achieve the most favorable outcomes possible.
Stephen draws on the knowledge and relationships he developed as a deputy attorney general for the commonwealth of Virginia under former AG Mark Herring. In that role he led the Government Operations and Transactions division, overseeing a team of more than 60 staff attorneys and with responsibility for advising over 150 commonwealth departments and agencies with combined budgets in excess of $13 billion. His public service also includes serving as senior adviser to the under secretary of commerce & U.S. Patent and Trademark Office director. Stephen's leadership has included serving as the general counsel of the Democratic Party of Virginia, as special counsel to Rock The Vote, and as a nonresident fellow at a Washington, D.C., think tank.
In addition to his public service, Stephen’s clients benefit from the knowledge gleaned through his extensive experience in private practice, most recently as co-chair of the state AG practice at an AmLaw25 firm, where he represented financial institutions and market-leading businesses in state AG investigations, litigation, and other regulatory disputes.
Stephen is also recognized for his thought leadership and academic prowess and was selected to travel to the Republic of Moldova in March 2023 as a Fulbright Specialist to carry out a project with Moldova’s constitutional court. He has lectured internationally and served as an adjunct law professor at William & Mary Law School and at the Antonin Scalia School of Law at George Mason University.