Steven has built his career personally working with corporate and organizational clients in defending their commercial interests and intellectual property. He aggressively represents clients involved in complex litigation involving corporate governance, securities, intellectual property, and commercial disputes. He handles all stages of litigation from trial to appeal, as well as arbitrations.
Recently, Steven has represented clients in the following sampling of commercial litigation cases:
- Winning punitive damages for securities fraud against a cryptocurrency investment fund manager on summary judgment.
- Defending a multinational food manufacturer in a sale-of-goods case against a shipping provider.
- Winning a string of copyright-infringement and breach-of-contract cases on behalf of a prominent software development company, including two commercial arbitrations in different jurisdictions.
- Winning at trial in a real-estate easement dispute involving a large lakefront commercial-development property in Northern Idaho.
- Prevailing in a jury trial regarding medical reimbursement rates for a leading Idaho physicians group.
- Successfully defending a U.S. Olympic Team member’s position from challenge in arbitration.
In addition to working as a litigator, Steven has guided diverse clients through numerous sophisticated transactions.
- The sale of a multimillion-dollar placer mine.
- Working with a governmental utility to obtain tax-credit financing for the construction of water-delivery infrastructure.
- Advising clients on regulations governing blockchain regulations, and international money transfers.
Steven began his legal career at a large Chicago law firm but relocated to Boise in 2009 with his spouse and law partner, Jaren Wieland. Prior to practicing law, Steven attended the University of Iowa College of Law, a top-25 school, where his scholarship was cited by the Iowa Supreme Court in a landmark civil-rights decision.
Steven currently serves as the firm’s managing partner. Outside the office, Steven loves to white-water raft, snowboard, travel in his camper van, read non-fiction, and photograph wildlife.
Education
- B.A. (Cum Laude), Sociology, Political Science, Spanish, Cornell College
- J.D. (Magna Cum Laude and Order of the Coif), University of Iowa College of Law
Experience
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Iowa, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
- Schiff Hardin, Chicago, Illinois
- Idaho Supreme Court, Boise, Idaho
- Hawley Troxell Ennis & Hawley, Boise, Idaho
Reported Cases and Scholarship
- Christopher W. James Trust v. Tacke, 467 P.3d 389 (2020)
- Off Spec Solutions, LLC v. H.J. Heinz Company, L.P., 93 UCC Rep. Serv. 2d 780 (D. Idaho 2017)
- Akers v. Mortensen, 160 Idaho 286, 371 P.3d 340 (2016)
- Gambling, Greyhounds, and Gay Marriage, 94 Iowa L. Rev. 413 (2008) (cited in Varnum v. Brien, 763 N.W.2d 862 (Iowa 2009))
Admitted to practice in Idaho
