Benjamin K. Steffans is an associate based in Butzel Long’s Detroit office. He concentrates his practice in the areas of antitrust, general litigation, labor, and employment.
Mr. Steffans is a graduate of Boston College Law School (J.D., 2006) where he was a member of the American Constitution Society and the Federalist Society. He is also a graduate of Michigan State University (B.A., Highest Honors, Phi Beta Kappa, 2003) where he majored in history and Latin and was a member of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars and the Golden Key Honour Society. Mr. Steffans lives in Corktown and dedicates a significant amount of his time to providing legal assistance to entities based in Detroit and that focus their efforts on Detroit. To date, he has assisted Detroit Greencycle, the Detroit City Futbol League, and the Roosevelt Park Conservancy.
Professional and Community Involvement
- Detroit City Football Club - Co-Owner and President
- Detroit Greencycle – Director on the Board of Directors - Nominee Detroit Free Press Green Leader of the Year (2010 & 2011)
- Think Detroit, PAL – Youth Soccer Coach
- Detroit Creative Corridor Center, Legal Mentor
- Detroit Metropolitan Bar Association – Director on the Board of Barristers (2009-2011)
- Greater Corktown Development Corporation – Director on the Board of Directors (2008-2011)
Representative Cases
Antitrust
- Cason-Merenda v. Detroit Medical Center et al., No. 06-15601, E.D. Mich. (associate member of team representing hospital accused of conspiring to suppress nurse compensation)
- In re Florida Concrete and Cement Antitrust Litigation, Nos. 09-23187 (direct purchasers) and 09-23494 (indirect purchasers), S.D. Fla. (lead associate on team representing concrete producer accused of conspiring relative to price of concrete and cement in Florida)
- In re Google, Nos. 3/39.740, 39.775, 39.768, and 39.845 (lead associate on team representing international media conglomerate in connection with the European Commission’s investigation into Google’s actions in online search market)
Commercial
- Delphi Automotive Systems, LLC v. Segway, Inc., No. 07-12743, E.D. Mich. (lead associate on team representing battery supplier seeking to recover research and development costs); successful motion to remand published as 519 F. Supp. 2d 662 (E.D. Mich. 2007)
- Riviera Distributors, Inc. v. RDI of Michigan, LLC, No. 09-11380, E.D. Mich. (lead associate on team asserting breach of distributor agreement claims on behalf of licensor of copyrighted computer code)
Higher Education
- Lead associate on team representing large state university in connection with professor’s denial of tenure breached the operative collective bargaining agreement.
Intellectual Property
- Universal Video, Inc. et al., v. Riviera Distributors, Inc. et al., No. 10-12701, E.D. Mich. (lead associate on team asserting preemption arguments on behalf of copyright holder in infringement case)
- Weather Underground, Inc., v. Navigation Catalyst Systems, Inc., et al., No. 09-10756. E.D. Mich. (lead associate on team acting as local counsel on behalf of company accused of cybersquatting)
- Riviera Distributors, Inc., v. Union Music, Inc., et al., No. 06-15629, E.D. Mich. (lead associate on team asserting copyright infringement claims on behalf of owner of copyrights associated with computer code)
Bankruptcy
- In re Old Carco, LLC, No. 09-50002, S.D.N.Y. (co-lead associate on team asserting claims on behalf of over 50 suppliers against large automotive debtor)
- In re Motors Liquidation Co., No. 09-50026, S.D.N.Y. (co-lead associate on team asserting claims on behalf of over 50 suppliers against large automotive debtor)