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Steven M. Stimell

Steven M. Stimell

Partner

New York

Office Managing Partner

T: +1 212 541 2042

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Biography

Steve is the managing partner of the New York office and co-leads the firm’s Global Hospitality Team. He is a seasoned litigator and employment lawyer with over 30 years of experience handling complex commercial and employment law disputes.

Steve has deep experience advising hotels, resorts, restaurants and others in the hospitality sector in a wide variety of matters including, among others, owner-operator relations, employment, complex commercial disputes, customer loyalty programs, fiduciary duty claims and accessibility issues including website accessibility. 

Steve is also a long-standing member of the Firm’s Sports and Entertainment Group and spends a substantial amount of time representing clients in that industry including the leading headwear brand in the world. His work in that area covers numerous disciplines and he is viewed as a trusted advisor on complex strategic issues for clients in that sector. 

Professional Affiliations

  • Federal Bar Council
  • New York State Bar Association – Employment and Labor Relations Committee
  • Association of the Bar of the City of New York

Extensive litigation and employment experience

Learn more about our Litigation practice Learn more about our Litigation practice

Steve's litigation practice includes trials in state and federal court as well as alternative dispute forums. Steve is also the former co-leader of the firm’s Employment & Labor Practice Group. His employment practice is comprised of counseling employers in all facets of employment related issues including, among others, discipline, termination, policies, reductions-in-force, FMLA, ADA, ADEA, and FLSA. He has defended employers in actions brought in federal and state court, in arbitration as well as before state and federal administrative agencies.

Extensive litigation and employment experience

Steve's litigation practice includes trials in state and federal court as well as alternative dispute forums. Steve is also the former co-leader of the firm’s Employment & Labor Practice Group. His employment practice is comprised of counseling employers in all facets of employment related issues including, among others, discipline, termination, policies, reductions-in-force, FMLA, ADA, ADEA, and FLSA. He has defended employers in actions brought in federal and state court, in arbitration as well as before state and federal administrative agencies.

Admissions

  • Massachusetts, 1989
  • New York, 1988

Education

New York University, J.D., 1987

Binghamton University, B.A., with outstanding academic achievement, Phi Beta Kappa, 1984

Related Capabilities

  • Employment & Labor

  • Investigations

  • Regulation, Compliance & Advisory

  • Litigation & Dispute Resolution

  • Contract, Endorsement & Celebrity Representation

  • Anti-Doping

  • Sports & Event Venue Real Estate Infrastructure & Operation

  • Naming Rights & Sponsorship

  • Sports & Entertainment M&A

  • Sports, Media & Entertainment Litigation

  • Collegiate Sports

  • Sports, Media & Entertainment

  • Entertainment Industry

  • Food & Beverage

  • Restaurants, Pubs & Clubs

  • Olympic & National Governing Bodies

  • Professional Sports Team Representation

  • Hotels & Hospitality

  • Real Estate

  • Real Estate Disputes

  • Sports & Event Financing

  • Cross-border Employment Issues

  • Employment Class & Collective Actions

  • Food & Agribusiness

  • Business & Commercial Disputes

Experience

  • Has served as national counsel for international hotel chain for more than 15 years providing advice on a broad range of hospitality-related issues and overseeing all firm work on behalf of client
  • Successfully resolved high-profile lawsuit involving allegations of multimillion dollar fraud on customer loyalty program
  • Successfully represented hotel operator of a luxury hotel in Hawaii in a commercial arbitration challenging termination based on alleged failure to meet performance test
  • Represented numerous hotels in connection with US DOJ multi-year compliance audit related to accessibility issues at New York City hotels
  • Successfully defended hotel operators in numerous employment discrimination actions in federal and state court as well as arbitration
  • Defended timeshare operator in litigation concerning alleged misrepresentation in sales process
  • Provides counseling advice and litigation services to several well-known national restaurants

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Sep 17, 2025

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