Steve's common-sense approach to practicing law has been attributed to his entrepreneurial mindset, his finance and graduate management education and a lifetime of interaction with many of the finest attorneys, professionals, entrepreneurs and corporate executives in the country. Steve has developed a unique reputation as a clear and concise communicator who approaches legal issues from the business person's perspective and then provides guidance without the typical legal jargon or arcane terminology. In every matter, Steve strives to develop solutions that meet business objectives while minimizing regulatory and litigation risk. Steve's clients know that he approaches every challenge with passion, integrity, and a personal commitment to service excellence.

As a former business attorney with a prestigious 2,200 attorney corporate law firm (Jones, Day, Reavis & Pogue) and as Senior Corporate Counsel at a Fortune 500 corporation, Steve has an extremely diverse legal background as a business attorney. In addition to his experience in all types of general commercial matters, corporate transactions and complex disputes, Steve has served as lead counsel on merger transactions, stock and asset acquisitions, business entity formation and dissolution transactions, joint venture arrangements, physician practice and capitation management transactions, and managed care transactions. And as a business owner and entrepreneur himself, Steve is just as comfortable advising the small closely-held company as he is the large corporation.

Steve's broad expertise -- including business law, transactions, finance, and dispute resolution -- allows him to not only identify issues, but to develop comprehensive solutions to the most daunting matters.

After completing his music education at Biola University in 1989, Steve went on to receive a business finance degree from California State University Fullerton (BA, highest honors)in 1993. He took his competitive drive to graduate school, graduating in 1996 from the University of San Diego School of Law (JD, cum laude) and graduating from the USD School of Business (MBA, with honors). He completed the four year JD/MBA program in an unprecedented three years, attended USD under a full academic scholarship, was an Associate Editor of the San Diego Law Review, and served as an intern with civil judge James McIntyre of the California Superior Court.

Steve obtained the highest class grade in six law school subjects, received numerous awards for legal writing and oral advocacy (including the Moot Court's Best Oral Advocate and Best Legal Brief awards) and finished at the top of his law school class of nearly 300 students.

Steve's entrepreneurial mindset as a strategic thinker and problem solver is proving to be a perfect fit in the expanding world of alternative dispute resolution. In his career, he has crafted and participated in the resolution of numerous disputes. He has developed comprehensive dispute resolution tools, including pre-litigation case analysis and leverage evaluation programs. Steve is a proud member of the AHLA ADR panel and was awarded in 2004 with a “Certificate of Arbitrator Training” from the AHLA Alternative Dispute Resolution Service. Steve recently honed his skills as a professional mediator and, in February of 2005, was awarded a “Certificate of Mediator Training” from the AHLA ADR Service.

Steve is a member of the Boards of Directors of numerous nonprofit organizations. He is a member of the American Bar Association, the Beta Gamma Sigma business honor society and the American Health Lawyers Association. Steve is also a member of the Education Committee of the California Society for Healthcare Attorneys. In his career, he has been a presentation speaker on many topics ranging from business law to managed care contracting. In addition to being the founding shareholder of Hagemeister, Inc., Steve owns a number of small businesses and serves on the Advisory Boards of numerous entrepreneurial companies. Steve is a licensed Real Estate Broker and a certified Ambassador with the Stand to Reason organization.

Away from work, Steve is an avid surfer, golfer, mountain biker, motorcycle rider, and occasional adventure racer. Steve's personal support staff includes his incredible wife Jalaine and his three energetic daughters, Elliese, Grace and Cate. Steve Hagemeister Family
 
Return to Top
Neither the content on this website nor transmissions between you and Hagemeister,Inc. through this website are intended to provide legal or other advice or to create a client relationship.