STEPHEN R. BERNSTEIN

I often tell prospective clients that it is important to make a good choice of counsel, and encourage them to ask questions about my qualifications to handle their matters.  I hope that this information will also help in that process.

I am admitted to practice in Michigan (1973), Florida (1984), the United States Supreme Court, 6th Circuit Court of Appeals, and United States District Courts.  My experience in civil cases ranges from multi million dollar corporate disputes to pro bono matters for indigent individuals. I have been consulted as an expert witness in cases involving real estate titles, legal ethics, and fraternity hazing. I currently serve as a Hearing Panelist for the State of Michigan, Attorney Discipline Board, and as a mediator and case evaluator in the local Circuit Courts. Earlier in my career, I was twice elected by fellow lawyers to the State Bar of Michigan Representative Assembly.  In January, 2008, I was appointed to  a three year term on the City of Keego Harbor, Michigan Zoning Board of Appeals.

I worked my way through undergraduate and law school, including jobs in retail sales, traveling for my college fraternity, outside bank collector, and title insurance examiner.  I attended Wayne State University, and Detroit College of Law, now Michigan State University Law College. As a law student, I graduated in the top 10% of my class, and  won awards in the studies of real property, equity and moot court. 

Before entering private practice in 1976, I worked as counsel for a major title insurance company, where my responsibilities included title examination, and real estate closings. I then became a staff attorney, and later a supervising attorney for the Oakland County Legal Aid Society.  handling landlord  - tenant, family law, and other civil cases for indigent persons.

I am privileged to have served as an Adjunct Professor of Law at my alma mater, Michigan State University Law College, where I taught courses for upper class law students on legal ethics, legal malpractice, and attorney-client privilege. I have  spoken to student organizations at universities around the country on liability and risk management issues.   I am a guest lecturer at the University of Detroit-Mercy, College of Education, speaking to educators pursuing post graduate degrees.

My late father was a Detroit school administrator, and I am a graduate of the Detroit Public Schools, so I have proudly participated in literacy, anti - violence, and career programs in the Detroit schools.

I am a retired high school and small college basketball official, one of the most satisfying endeavors in my lifetime. I officiated mens and womens  regular season games, tournaments, championship games; and other events such as the Michigan Special Olympics, Detroit Shock tryout camps, Isiah Thomas Basketball Camp, Gus Macker tournaments, and Detroit Pistons fantasy and oldtimers games.  I was even lucky enough to officiate some college tournaments  played in Nassau, Bahamas. After I retired as an official, I was a volunteer assistant coach at Oak Park High School, and Detroit Maccabi. 

I served as 60th International President, and later as General Counsel of  Alpha Epsilon Pi Fraternity, founded in 1913,  which maintains chapters at over 100 universities, and has over 82,000 members.   Currently, I serve as a director of the Hillel Jewish Student Center at Michigan State University, and Hillel of Metro Detroit.