Stephen’s journey to Regent University’s School of Law began with a major shift in his life during the final year of his undergraduate studies. As a college football player, Stephen’s relationship with God and the church was distant and often non-existent throughout his time in college, but during his senior year, the message of the gospel changed his heart and he decided to put his life in God’s hands. As a new and maturing believer, going to a law school with Christian values was a must for Stephen, and Regent’s robust Christian values and decorated faculty caught his attention. He said, “The faculty was of great interest to me, because as a football player, I have learned that great coaches make great players.”
After graduating, Stephen went on to become an Associate at Wolcott Rivers and Gates and began to try his hand in multiple areas of the law. As he took cases assigned to him in criminal defense, he quickly began to realize that he had a knack for that area of practice, particularly in DUI defense. He enjoys the variety of details and concerns that go into a DUI case. He said, “I try to give my clients the best defense possible by checking to make sure that every procedure was done correctly. If we don’t make sure things are done correctly in every case then what is there to protect the innocent when they are faced with wrongful accusations?”
When asked about his values as an attorney, Stephen said, “In all of my interactions, I want to change the world around me by acting with integrity and excellence in everything I do. “A reputation is built over a lifetime, but can be lost in a minute. I try to give everyone an excellent defense. That’s my goal.” Stephen also volunteers some of his time each year to those who couldn’t normally afford his services. Doing pro bono work has blessed him in more ways that he could imagine and allowed him to represent God’s mercy to the people he works with.
Stephen’s commitment to excellence and integrity, and his skill in the courtroom have elicited multiple top-level peer review rankings. These include an “AV Preeminent” rating from Martindale-Hubbel, the highest professional ranking that the premier service awards. Stephen has been listed a “Legal Elite” by Virginia Business Magazine, “Top 25 Layers” by Coastal Virginia Magazine and a “Rising Star” from Super Lawyers. Now Stephen is working to bring some of what he has learned to aspiring lawyers in Regent Law as an adjunct professor teaching negotiations.
When asked what advice Stephen would give to other Regent alumni, he told a story from the year that he won the national championship in legal negotiations. After winning the championship, he received a note of congratulation in the mail from Distinguished Regent Professor and former Attorney General, John Ashcroft. The note simply said, “Congratulations, keep working harder.” Stephen said, “It was almost as if he was saying, ‘Good job, you did what you are supposed to do. You performed with excellence and fought as hard as you could. Now, keep on working harder.’ That phrase has always stuck with me and I want to pass the same philosophy on to other Regent alumni.”