Practice Areas
Education
University of Notre Dame Law School, J.D., 1976
Michigan State University, B.A., 1973, with high honors
Bar and Court Admissions
Michigan, State and Federal Courts
Steven L. Owen
Steve is a member of the firm’s Banking, Finance & Real Estate Practice Group. He is known for his strong mediation and dispute resolution skills which help him efficiently facilitate terms of transactions, conflicts, etc.
Admitted to practice before all Michigan courts and before the U.S. District Court for Western and Eastern Districts of Michigan. Steve also serves as a Commercial Case Evaluator for Ingham County where as a panel member he helps determine settlement values for pending commercial cases.
Steve's passion for teaching and sharing his understanding of the law has included all areas of his practice. In addition to providing advice to clients on changes in banking and foreclosure law, he has been an Adjunct Professor at the Thomas M. Cooley Law School for almost two decades where he teaches:
- Secured Transactions.
- Mortgages and Land Contracts.
- Alternative Dispute Resolution.
- Modern Real Estate Transactions.
Capitalizing on his ability to develop curriculum, Steve is chair person of Foster Swift's continuing legal education program for the lawyers and support staff.
Highlights & Recognitions
AV® Preeminent™ Martindale-Hubbell
Best Lawyers in America (Banking Law, Real Estate Law)
2012 Best Lawyers in America Lawyer of the Year (Banking and Finance Law)
Frederick J. Griffith III Outstanding Adjunct Faculty Award, Cooley Law School, 2006
Representative Matters
- Documentation of numerous real estate and asset secured commercial loans for regional banks.
- Re-documentation of multiple loans for an internationally known resort complex and its related entities.
- Real estate and operations counsel to one of Michigan's largest credit unions, allowing the institution to expand their business and their branch offices.
- Primary drafter of the Michigan "Savings Bank Act."
- Lead attorney for regional bank in multi-million dollar loan default litigation and workout on commercial properties including the enforcement of personal guarantees.
News
- Three Foster Swift Attorneys Named "Lawyer of the Year", October 31, 2011
- Foster Swift's 2011 Best Lawyers, August 17, 2010
- Foster Swift Announces 2009 Best Lawyers, August 18, 2009
- Foster Swift Announces 2008 Best Lawyers In America, September 18, 2008
Memberships & Affiliations
Industry & Professional Associations:
- Thomas M. Cooley Law School, Adjunct Faculty Member and Visiting Professor
- Commercial Case Evaluator, Ingham County
Community Involvement:
- Lansing Rotary Club
- Sparrows Nest Board of Directors
- Love & Respect Board of Directors, Chair
- Trinity Church Board of Elders
