Team Member

About Steve

Steven Lewicky is a Maryland business attorney and commercial litigator, and a founding member of Lewicky, O’Connor, Hunt & Meiser in Fulton, Maryland. He represents businesses, business owners, executives, property owners, and individuals in business disputes and contract litigation. Steve also represents clients in real estate disputes, commercial transactions, business purchases and sales, commercial leasing, construction disputes, employment matters, and other types of litigation, arbitration and mediation.

Today, Steven Lewicky regularly represents closely held businesses, limited liability companies (LLCs) and corporations, business owners, company founders, partners, members and shareholders, commercial landlords and tenants, property owners, and buyers and sellers of privately held companies. He represents clients throughout Central Maryland, including Columbia, Ellicott City, Clarksville, Fulton and Laurel. He regularly handles client matters in Howard County, Montgomery County, Anne Arundel County, Baltimore County, Carroll County and Prince George’s County, as well as the District of Columbia.

Legal Advice Informed by Business Experience

Following law school, Steven Lewicky served as a judicial law clerk to the Hon. John F. McAuliffe on the Maryland Court of Appeals – now known as the Supreme Court of Maryland. After his judicial clerkship, Steve was an attorney and partner at two Maryland law firms. Between those extended stints in private law practice, Steve had the unique experience of spending a number of years serving in business roles, working first for Intel Corporation and then for a series of venture-backed technology companies. Steven Lewicky’s legal practice has been enhanced by his lengthy experience serving in sales-and-marketing and legal roles within technology companies, in addition to his decades practicing law in private legal practice.

Maryland Business Litigation Attorney

Below are a few examples of Steven Lewicky representing businesses, owners, members, shareholders, partners, and individuals in disputes that involve:

• Breach of contract
• Business-owner disputes
• Limited liability company (LLC) member disputes
• Corporate shareholder disputes
• Breach of fiduciary duty, and/or
• Allegations of fraud or misrepresentation:

Breach of Contract; Non-Compete; Injunctive Relief, Declaratory Judgment: Steve’s client was sued by a former employer to enforce non-complete and non-solicitation provisions of an employment contract. The former employer sought injunctive relief and monetary damages against the client, as well as damages from the client’s new employer for tortious interference with contract. The litigation was resolved through a settlement and release agreement, under terms acceptable to the client, his new employer, and the former employer.

Breach of Contract; Forum Non Conveniens; Judicial Comity: Steve’s client brought suit, in another state, against the co-owners of a Maryland limited liability company, claiming breach of the LLC operating agreement and breach of fiduciary duty. While that suit was ongoing, the co-owners brought suit in Maryland regarding the same dispute. After motions practice to determine which state’s courts had jurisdiction to adjudicate the dispute between LLC members, the litigation in both states was resolved through a settlement and release agreement, under terms acceptable to all of the co-owners.

Corporate Law; Shareholder Oppression; Shareholder Deadlock; Breach of Corporate Director Standard of Care: Steve’s client was one of two shareholders in a closely-held corporation. The other shareholder unilaterally excluded the client from participation in management of the company, prevented the client from accessing records of the company, and ceased making distributions of profits to the client. Steve brought suit on behalf of the client, seeking a declaratory judgment as to the client’s rights as a shareholder, and seeking relief from shareholder oppression pursuant to Md. Corps & Assoc Code § 3-413(b)(2), and relief from shareholder deadlock pursuant to Md. Corps & Assoc Code § 3-413(a) and (b), as well as damages for breach of a corporate director’s standard of conduct under Md. Corps. & Assoc. Code § 2-505.1(c). The litigation was resolved through a settlement and release agreement, under terms acceptable to the client and the other shareholder.

Breach of Asset Purchase Agreement; Fraud; Employment Law: Steve represented a company that operates dental practices around the country, in a suit brought by one of the dental practices that was acquired by Steve’s client. The acquired dental practice alleged breach of the parties’ asset purchase agreement and breach of an associated employment agreement, along with alleged fraud and misrepresentation. The litigation was resolved through a settlement and release agreement, under terms acceptable to the client and the seller of the dental practice.

Breach of Asset Purchase Agreement; Fraud; Franchise Law: Steve represented the seller of the assets of a franchisee restaurant, when the seller was sued by individuals that contracted to purchase the restaurant’s assets. The contemplated transaction did not proceed to closing, and the buyers brought suit for alleged breach of the asset purchase agreement, and for alleged fraud and misrepresentation. Steve asserted a counterclaim on behalf of the client for alleged breach of the asset purchase agreement by the buyers.

Fraud: Steve’s client was sued in Federal court for alleged mortgage fraud, based upon the client’s employment for a brief period at a mortgage brokerage company. The client had no role in the alleged fraud undertaken by the mortgage brokerage company.  A settlement was reached between the plaintiff and Steve’s client, under terms acceptable to the client and the plaintiff, which resulted in dismissal of Steve’s client from the lawsuit against the mortgage brokerage company.

Church Law: Steves’s client was the pastor of a church. Members of the congregation brought suit seeking court determination of which faction of the congregation should have control over church real property, and seeking injunctive relief against the pastor.

Church Law: Steve’s clients were members of the congregation of a church seeking declaratory relief against a former pastor, and seeking court determination of which purported Trustees of the church had the authority to control church assets and real property.

Condominium Law; Easements: Steve’s client was a dental practice that owned an office condominium unit. Steve brought suit on behalf of the client against the owners of the commercial condominium unit directly above the client’s unit, to establish the client’s right to gain access to plumbing and utilities located between the units and serving both units, so that the client could build out its space for use as a dental office.

Family Companies; Closely Held Corporations: Steve represented several family members that were co-owners of business entities that owned convenience stores and liquor stores, along with another family member. The family members were divided over operations and potential sale of the retail establishments. After defending against litigation brought by one of the co-owners, the parties reached a settlement and release agreement that was acceptable to all parties, whereby the business assets were sold to third party buyers and the proceeds of sale distributed among the contesting co-owners.

Breach of Contract: Steve represented an energy broker in litigation against one of its utility company clients for breach of an energy consulting agreement by failing to pay earned commissions for electricity purchases made by customers referred by the client to the utility company.

Transfer of Ownership in Family Business: Steve represented a co-owner of a nursery business in which family members holding the other ownership interests no longer wished to have the client as a co-owner. After extended negotiation, the parties were able to come to an agreement as to a buyout of the client’s ownership interest in the company.

Maryland Attorney for Real Estate and Property Disputes

Here are a few examples of Steven Lewicky assisting clients with real estate matters such as:

• Easement disputes
• Property boundary disputes
• Purchase-and-sale disputes
• Construction contracts
• Construction litigation
• Mechanics’ liens
• Miller Act claims, or
• Commercial leasing:

Breach of Real Estate Contract; Latent Defects: Steve’s clients sold their home in Maryland and were thereafter sued by the purchasers for alleged latent defects in the home. The purchasers asserted claims for breach of contract and claims that the sellers violated Section 10-101 of the Md. Real Property Code. Steve filed a counterclaim on behalf of the clients for attorneys’ fees and costs under Section 10-702 of the Md. Real Property Code. The litigation was resolved through a settlement and release agreement, under terms acceptable to buyers and sellers.

Breach of Contract; Construction Law: Steve’s client, a construction general contractor, brought suit against a drywall subcontractor for breach of contract for failing to complete the work required by the subcontract. The litigation was resolved through a settlement and release agreement, under terms acceptable to the client and the subcontractor.

Mechanics Lien; Breach of Contract; Construction Law: A contractor brought a mechanics lien action against Steve’s client, which was the tenant of a commercial property. Steve asserted counterclaims on behalf of the client against the contractor for breach of contract and unjust enrichment. The contractor’s mechanics’ lien action was dismissed. The counterclaims were resolved through a settlement and release agreement, under terms acceptable to the client and the contractor.

Construction Law; Breach of Contract: Steve represented clients seeking damages against an HVAC contractor for allegedly installing an HVAC system that was not compliant with Code and not consistent with contractual obligations. The litigation was resolved through a settlement and release agreement, under terms acceptable to the client and the defendant.

Breach of Contract; Mechanics Lien; Foreclosure Sale: Steve’s clients entered into contracts for a real estate developer to construct a home, and to sell the underlying real property to the clients. After starting construction, the developer stopped work and the clients took over the role of general contractor themselves, pursuant to the terms of the contract, completing construction of the home. After the home was built, the developer declined to convey title to the real property to the clients. Steve brought suit on behalf of the clients against the developer for breach of the construction contract and for breach of the land conveyance contract. Steve also brought a separate mechanics lien action against the developer, during a time period when the developer still held legal title to the property. A mortgage lender to the developer sought to foreclose on the property. After extended motions practice, all of the legal actions were resolved through a settlement acceptable to buyers, the sellers, and the mortgage lender.

Easements: Steve represented clients in an easement dispute with their neighbors, in which the neighbors claimed to have an easement to cross the clients’ property, based on references in the county land records to an ancient private roadway that had fallen out of use. The case included complicated issues concerning easements by prescription, easements by implication, and express easements.

Maryland Attorney for Buying or Selling a Business

Here are a few examples of Steven Lewicky assisting clients with the purchase or sale of a business, which can involve:

• An asset purchase agreement
• A stock purchase agreement
• A membership interest purchase agreement
• Letters of intent
• Due diligence investigations
• Restrictive employment covenants
• Consulting Agreements, and
• Many forms of closing documents:

Purchase of Restaurants; Liquor License: Steve represented a restauranteur in the purchase of two restaurants using asset purchase agreements and accompanying real estate purchase agreements. In addition to purchasing the assets and the real estate, Steve also represented the client in the transfer of the liquor licenses.

Purchase of Business: Steve represented the purchasers of a private process service company through an asset purchase agreement. In addition to purchasing the assets of the company, Steve also represented the company in negotiating a commercial office lease at a new location.

Commercial Leasing: Steve has represented may commercial landlords and commercial tenants in the negotiation of leases for office space, manufacturing space, service and garage space, and warehouse space.

Purchase of Food Products Company: Steve represented a food production company in negotiation of a commercial lease for a manufacturing facility.

Sale of Agricultural Equipment Company: Steve represented a company that developed, manufactures and sells specialized agricultural equipment in an asset sale that included complicated intellectual property licensing issues.

Sale of Medical Services Company: Steve represented the seller of a company that provides patients with infusion therapy and related nursing and medical services, structured as a sale of limited liability company ownership interests.

Buy-Sell Agreements: Steve has represented many owners of companies in negotiating and establishing Buy-Sell arrangements to allow for transitions of company ownership to family members, partners, employees or co-owners.

Sale of Home Inspection Company: Steve represented the owner of a home inspection company in selling the company’s assets to new owners, so that the client could retire. The purchase terms included a portion of the total amount being paid at closing, another portion being paid over time under the terms of a promissory note, and an earn out component based upon company performance after closing.

Contact Me