Steve grew up in Florida with a love of creative and smart real estate development. Following, his education and professional experience is focused in real estate, land use, law, and urban planning. His undergraduate degree is in Real Estate from the Florida State University College of Business. That program is ranked in the top ten in the country. Upon graduation, he passed five Appraisal Institute MAI exams and performed over three hundred residential and commercial appraisal reports for major lenders as well as becoming a licensed Florida Real Estate Broker.He then went on to graduate with a traditional Master of Science in Urban and Regional Planning from the Florida State University. Steve was very interested in how nuisances affect the value of real estate. He combined his knowledge of appraisal and regression models to construct a study of the effect of a social NIMBY upon neighboring single-family home values.

 

Steve continued his education at the University of Florida, College of Law. He took the opportunity to take all available courses related to real estate, land use, and planning as well as clerking with land use attorney C. David Coffey. After passing the Florida Bar, he became an associate with the Fishback Dominick law firm in downtown Orlando. Wanting to complete his ultimate goal of a Doctor of Philosophy degree, Steve returned to the University of Florida and was accepted into the highly ranked College of Design, Planning and Construction. His Ph.D. dissertation topic centered upon municipal public school impact fees. The chairman of his committee was joint-professor of Urban & Regional Planning/Law James Nicholas, the preeminent expert on impact fees.

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Steve has represented clients throughout Florida - from small claims to Federal District Court. He also has also prosecuted appeals in both state and federal appeals courts. His experience includes municipality and county liability for drainage and boundary disputes, as well as civil rights violations related to zoning and land use decisions. Further, he has extensive experience in real estate, housing, tenant/landlord, quiet title, condominium, time-share, and mobile home actions and transactions.Steve’s second practice area is Estate Planning, Probate and Elder Law. He helps his clients get their property, to their people, the right way. Steve plans and crafts a custom life plans. Life plans include estate planning but also the equally important living planning. His focus includes estates and trusts, wills, living wills, health care authorizations, durable powers of attorney and probate. He also helps plan for Medicaid and long-term care finance. Further, he litigates cases involving elder accidents and injuries, elder abuse, and elder/decedent insurance claims.

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Steve uses the most sophisticated and up-to-date estate planning software and participates in premium estate planning continuing education programs. He is a member of the Wills, Estates and Probate Sections for both South Carolina and Florida and is an instructor of Estate Planning and Elder Law at Furman’s OLLI program.

 

Areas of Practice

Real Estate, Zoning and Land Use

Estate Planning, Probate & Elder Law

 

Education

University of Florida, Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

Design, Construction & Urban Planning                                                                                 

Dissertation Topic: Public Infrastructure Impact Fees

Committee Chair – Dr. James Nicholas, Premier National Impact Fee Expert

University of Florida, Juris Doctor (J.D.)                    

Course Focus: Real Estate & Urban Planning

Florida State University, Master of Science (M.S.)  

Urban and Regional Planning

Thesis Topic: The Effect of a Social NIMBY on Real Estate Values

Florida State University, Bachelor of Science (B.S.)

Real Estate Appraisal, Development & Finance

                                                                                                                  

Professional Credentials

Member of the South Carolina Bar

Member of the Florida Bar

Admitted in the USSC, US 11th Cir. Ct. of Appeals, US Dist. Ct. (S.C., MDFL & NDFL)

Florida Licensed Real Estate Broker

Passed South Carolina Brokers Exam

Successfully Challenged 5 Appraisal Institute MAI Exams

 

Professional Experience

Attorney                                                                    

ShawLaw, P.A./LLC, South Carolina & Florida

Litigation & Transactional

Successful Trials, Negotiated Settlements, and Reported Appellate Cases.

Congressional Staff

Office of Congressman Cliff Stearns

United States House of Representatives

 

Community Service

Travelers Rest Lions Club, Current President

Greater Travelers Rest Chamber of Commerce, Current Member

Imagine Greenville Comprehensive Plan Community Board (2009)