W. Stephen Benesh
Partner
Steve Benesh focuses his practice on business litigation and commercial disputes. He has represented clients in diverse matters, including patent and intellectual property, toxic tort and products liability, business torts, class actions, deceptive trade practices, fraud, breach of fiduciary duty, and breach of contract. Mr. Benesh has first chair jury and non-jury trial experience representing plaintiffs and defendants in state and federal courts, as well as arbitration and mediation experience.
A former president of the Austin Bar Association and current State Bar of Texas director, Mr. Benesh has built a reputation as a competent and effective trial lawyer over his 22 years of practice with the law firm. He is currently listed in Best Lawyers in America in the areas of bet-the-company litigation and commercial litigation. He also has been repeatedly honored by the Austin Business Journal as the best in his field in Central Texas and has, for several years, been named a "Texas Super Lawyer" by Texas Monthly magazine. In 2007, Mr. Benesh was honored by the Austin Business Journal as one of three "Persons of Power" in the legal field in Central Texas. He is a frequent author and lecturer on legal topics, and he has been quoted in numerous publications.
Representative clients include Northrop Grumman Corporation, Honeywell International, Temple-Inland, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, The Bank of New York, and Farmers New World Life Insurance Company.
In addition to his service to the legal profession, Mr. Benesh is active in the community, where he is a past chair of Leadership Austin and former president of the board of trustees of his local school district.
Education
J.D., The University of Texas School of Law, 1987
B.B.A., The University of Texas at Austin, 1984
Bar Admissions
Texas
Court Admissions
U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit
U.S. District Court for the Northern, Southern, Eastern and Western Districts of Texas
Affiliations
State Bar of Texas, Board of Directors, 2008-present
Texas Bar Foundation, Board of Directors, 2010-present; Life Fellow, 2005-present
Austin Bar Association, President, 2006-2007; Board of Directors, 2001-present
Austin Bar Foundation, Chair, 2007-2008; Board of Directors, 2004-2008; Life Fellow, 2004-present
Litigation Counsel of America, Fellow, 2009-Present
Robert W. Calvert American Inn of Court, Master
Leadership Austin, Chair, 2008-2009; Board of Directors, 2005-2010
Noteworthy
Best Lawyers in America, 2009, 2010
Texas Super Lawyers, 2006-2010
Super Lawyers, Corporate Counsel Edition, 2008-2010
Austin Bar Association, President's Award for Outstanding Service, 2002, 2003
AV Peer Rating, Martindale-Hubbell