Stephen is a founding partner whose practice includes the defense of errors and omissions cases against professionals in various disciplines, including attorneys, accountants, brokers and agents.

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Stephen Straus is a founding partner of Traub Lieberman Straus & Shrewsberry LLP, with offices in New York, New Jersey, Florida, Illinois, and Connecticut. A significant part of Steve’s practice is counseling and representing product manufacturers, distributors and retailers in matters involving product liability exposures. This includes providing risk management analysis and best practices advice. It also includes litigation of product liability suits in state and federal courts throughout the country. Steve has tried to successful verdict numerous cases involving catastrophic injury (e.g., closed head injury, paralysis, death), as well as those involving significant property loss based on alleged product defects.

Steve also handles a diverse variety of coverage disputes for insurers. This includes providing legal opinions and advice concerning complex insurance coverage issues and appearing as counsel in insurance coverage actions in state and federal courts.

His practice also includes counseling and defending architects, engineers, contractors and subcontractors in design and construction defect cases. He also defends errors and omissions cases against professionals in various disciplines, including attorneys, accountants, brokers and agents. Steve also handles a wide range of general liability actions, including the defense of camps, religious institutions, schools and resorts in liability cases.

Steve received his Juris Doctor from St. John’s University School of Law in 1986, and graduated from Boston University in 1982 with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. He was admitted to the New York State Bar in 1987. He is also admitted in the U.S. District Court for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York and the Eastern District of Wisconsin, and in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second, Sixth and Seventh Circuits.

Copies of reported decisions, articles and presentation outlines can be supplied upon request.

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Education

  • St. John's University School of Law, J.D.
  • Boston University, B.S.B.A.

Bar Admissions

  • New York

Court Admissions

  • U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Wisconsin
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Ohio
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit

Professional & Community Affiliations

  • American Bar Association
  • New York State Bar Association
  • Association of the Bar of the City of New York
  • Professional Liability Underwriting Society (PLUS)
  • Professional Liability Defense Federation (PLDF)
  • Defense Research Institute (DRI)
  • USLAW Network
  • Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association

Noteworthy

  • Old Republic Ins. Co. v. United Nat’l Ins. Co., Index No. 155995/2012, 2016 N.Y. slip op. 606 (1st Dep’t Jan. 28, 2016), rev’g 977 N.Y.S.2d 668 (Sup. Ct. Commercial Div., N.Y. County).
  • General Accident Ins. Co. of America v. State of New Jersey Dept. of Environmental Protection, 143 N.J. 462, 672 A.2d 1154 (1996); Levi Mohney v. U.S.A. Hockey, Inc., 2005 Fed. Appx. 0599N (6th Cir. July 14, 2005)
  • TLSS Management Committee member

Distinctions

2008-2024
Super Lawyers®

Top Rated Insurance Coverage Attorney

2022
Hudson Valley Magazine

Top Lawyer List