Steven C. Liedel

• Government organization and restructuring experience includes the drafting of more than 300 executive orders and directives, including orders merging state departments; consolidating public finance, human resources, accounting, and internal audit functions; centralizing administrative rule and hearing functions in a new consolidated hearing and rules office; and establishing a state Medicaid inspector general.
• Authored and secured passage of legislation providing for the sale of former state hospital property to a global automotive OEM for the construction of a $185 million technical center, with successful defense of the legislation and real estate transaction before the Michigan Supreme Court.
• Drafted legislation, negotiated enactment, created governance structure for, and monitored launch of, new state jobs development, which authorized the securitization of state revenue, new forms of state investment in emerging technology sectors, and provided start-up funding for a state tourism promotion campaign.
• Researched, drafted, and secured enactment of legislation providing tax incentives for film and digital media activities in Michigan and restructuring the Michigan Film Office and Michigan Film Office Advisory Council.
• Member of the Dykema team involved in drafting the executive order and intergovernmental agreement creating the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. Drafted numerous legislative changes affecting the governance and powers of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation.  Former member of the Executive Committee of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation.
• Served as Governor's lead for drafting, negotiating, and securing enactment of legislation authorizing the transfer of Cobo Hall to a new metropolitan authority and financing facility expansion by the authority.
• Primary responsibility for drafting legislation transferring Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport and Willow Run Airport to a county authority and establishing a governance structure for the authority.
• Drafted, negotiated, and secured enactment of legislation establishing land bank authorities for reuse of tax-reverted and abandoned property and other economic development activities.
• Drafted legislation providing stable replacement revenue for phased-out taxes on personal property and counseled new authority for distribution of revenue.
• Member of the Dykema team with primary responsibility for drafting and securing passage of legislation authorizing business improvement zones in Michigan.
• Drafted, negotiated, and secured enactment of legislation establishing a governance and financing structure for a light-rail system and public-private partnership in Detroit.
• Authored executive order establishing the Michigan Information Privacy Council and served as first Chief Privacy Officer for the State of Michigan.
• Led Dykema team effort to secure legislative enactment of a new process for the collection of delinquent property taxes and advised county treasurers, municipal treasurers, and land title professionals on the implementation of the tax collection and foreclosure process.
• Advised governmental entities and drafted legislation relating to the resolution of local government and school district financial emergencies.
• Significant experience relating to state procurement and bid protest matters involving various state departments and agencies. Served as a legal and policy advisor to governor on procurement reform and fiscal controls, including drafting related legislation and executive directives. As Governor's designated Chairperson of the State Administrative Board, monitored and approved all state contracts, expenditures, and real estate transactions exceeding $25,000.

Election and Politics

Steve has been involved in politics since 1988, and before his admission to the Bar, he served as a campaign manager or campaign volunteer for state legislative races in Michigan, Illinois, and Pennsylvania. He was an active volunteer in Governor Granholm's 2002 and 2006 gubernatorial campaigns. Since 2000, he has participated as a lawyer in voter protection activities of the Michigan Democratic Party and with the Obama Voter Protection Program in 2008. Steve has provided legal advice relating to campaign finance compliance to state and local candidates and ballot question committees in Michigan. He has assisted state, regional, and local ballot questions committees in drafting and securing approval of ballot proposals.