Steve van Stempvoort chairs Miller Johnson’s appellate practice group and co-chairs the firm’s pro bono committee. Although his practice spans various aspects of appellate and complex commercial litigation, Steve’s particular expertise is in strategic litigation, constitutional law, governmental liability, and new technology issues. Steve has extensive experience in litigation and appeals related to defamation, online speech, employment discrimination, civil rights, and criminal defense.

Steve has argued numerous cases in state and federal appellate courts. His cases have set precedent on a variety of civil and criminal issues, including:

• Successfully argued and obtained first-in-the-nation judgment invalidating the federal Corporate Transparency Act on the ground that it violates the Fourth Amendment, extending Fourth Amendment doctrine to the compelled disclosure of electronic information.
• Primary co-author and counsel of record for the amicus brief filed on behalf of The Onion in the Supreme Court of the United States, which received significant international media coverage after it was filed.
• Represented as amicus counsel more than 130 members of Congress in litigation over the validity of presidential executive actions in several jurisdictions, including in the Supreme Court of the United States.
• Won landmark Michigan Supreme Court decision invalidating the Michigan Emergency Powers of the Governor Act as violative of the Michigan Constitution, establishing principle that the Governor cannot be granted indefinite, unilateral emergency power.
• Convinced the Sixth Circuit to reverse the trial court in precedent-setting contract interpretation case delineating the circumstances under which an automotive supply contract exists, resulting in $30+ million victory for client.
• Won Michigan Supreme Court appeal involving the validity of short-term rentals under restrictive covenants requiring property to be used only for “residential” purposes.
• Argued as amicus counsel and won Michigan appeal reversing under the Freedom of Information Act a municipality’s decision not to disclose its police department’s unredacted use-of-force policy.
• Obtained reversal from the Fourth Circuit on a jurisdictional issue of first impression involving the Federal Arbitration Act.
• Won Fourth Circuit opinion reversing the trial court on a first-impression criminal sentencing issue, resulting in vacatur of sentence and resentencing to time served.
• Argued Fourth Circuit appeal on first-impression Second Amendment issue in the context of a widely prosecuted federal criminal statute.
• Won Sixth Circuit opinion reversing the lower court in excessive force claim arising from use of police canine.
• Obtained Ninth Circuit opinion reversing the immigration judge’s order to deport an undocumented immigrant, resulting in an award of attorneys’ fees for client.
• Successfully defended on appeal the denial of an electric company’s attempt to condemn private property associated with electric transmission line.
• Obtained appellate reversal of municipality’s denial of charitable tax exemptions to student housing owned by religious seminary.

During Steve’s tenure as chair of Miller Johnson’s pro bono committee, the firm launched an initiative to donate at least $1 million in attorney time to underserved individuals and organizations each year. These efforts have earned recognition both regionally and nationally, including the firm’s receipt of the ABA Business Law Section’s National Public Service Award in 2023.

Steve also maintains an active pro bono caseload. In the spirit of the First Amendment, Steve has represented clients from across the political and ideological spectrum, including human trafficking survivors, undocumented immigrants, incarcerated prisoners, a domestic-violence shelter, an open-air preacher, a national non-profit, members of the clergy, and various individuals seeking to expunge criminal convictions or reinstate social privileges. Some of the appellate matters that Steve has taken on pro bono include a Fourth Circuit appeal on behalf of a juvenile offender who pleaded guilty after being threatened with the death penalty and was sentenced to life in prison, a Ninth Circuit appeal asserting a first-impression challenge to aspects of the statute-of-limitations regime applying to prisoner civil-rights lawsuits, and a state-court appeal seeking access under the Freedom of Information Act to a local law enforcement agency’s use-of-force policy.

Steve was named as one of Michigan Lawyers Weekly’s “Up & Coming Lawyers” in 2020 and has been recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® for Appellate Practice, Commercial Litigation, and Litigation – Labor and Employment. He was appointed to the Sixth Circuit’s Advisory Rules Committee, has served on the Board of the American Bar Association’s Judicial Division’s Council of Appellate Lawyers and the Federal Bar Association for the Western District of Michigan, and has presented on various legal and appellate issues.

Before joining Miller Johnson, Steve served as a judicial law clerk to the Hon. Richard Allen Griffin of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. He also served as a judicial law clerk to the Hon. Glen E. Conrad of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia.

Steve earned his law degree from William and Mary Law School, where the faculty selected him on the basis of his professional promise as a recipient of the Lawrence W. I’Anson Award—the highest honor conferred on a graduating student each year. Among other pursuits, Steve previously taught as an adjunct professor at the University of Richmond School of Law and served as president of the school board at Grandville Calvin Christian Schools.