Steve joined Friedlander Misler in 2016. He has more than thirty years of experience representing clients in connection with sophisticated commercial transactions with an emphasis in hospitality, real estate and finance. Steve was in-house counsel for Marriott International, Inc. for five years where he represented the hotel operations group for two years and the hotel development group for three years. During his time at Marriott, Steve was the lead attorney in connection with nearly one hundred hotel acquisition projects, specializing in select service transactions. In addition, Steve handled all of the legal work in connection with the creation of Marriott’s frequent traveler program, drafted the revised version of the Marriott hotel franchise agreement and negotiated all of the Marriott Hotel telecommunication and computer acquisition agreements. Steve also negotiated numerous hotel management agreements for both Marriott full service and limited service hotels.

After joining three of Washington, DC’s most respected law firms, Steve formed his own law firm and established a residential real estate settlement company, which has been consistently ranked as one of the top five settlement companies in the Washington, Maryland and Virginia area. He specializes in complex transactions and crafting creative solutions to difficult problems. He represents real estate developers, lenders, hotel developers and management companies and is recognized for his negotiation of hotel and restaurant franchise and management agreements. In addition, Steve drafts and negotiates joint venture and operating agreements for diverse ownership structures. He also negotiates debt, preferred equity and mezzanine finance agreements in an array of real estate and hotel transactions.

Steve has spoken at various conferences regarding hotel transactions, franchise agreements and management agreements. He has guest lectured on the topic of distressed hotel properties at Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business. Steve served as a board of director member for the Washington Hebrew Home. He has been actively involved with the Winston Churchill High School PTSA. Steve also coached basketball for several select youth teams.