He is a member of the State Bar of Texas. He is also a mediator and a strong proponent for alternative dispute resolution.

Stephen’s articles on legal and leadership issues appear regularly in Lodging Hospitality, Hotel and Motel Management, CHEERS, NightClub and Bar, and HospitalityLawyer.com. He speaks regularly on many issues for the National Restaurant Association, the American Hotel & Lodging Association, the Club Managers Association, the National Association of Catering Executives, National Business Travel Association, the Texas Hotel and Lodging Association, CHEERS, and many other hospitality associations and hospitality management companies, including Four Seasons, Hyatt, Hilton, Choice, Best Western Hotels, Intercontinental and Wyndham Worldwide.

His presentations focus on positive leadership techniques and methods for preventing liability in the hospitality industry. He assisted the National Restaurant Association in developing its Safety and Security Seminar and its Responsible Service of Alcohol program. Other presentations developed by Stephen include STEM the Tide of Litigation; Positive Leadership for Positive Performance; A Model for Reducing Worker’s Compensation Costs for the Hospitality Industry; Enhancing Your Presentation Effectiveness; Managing Your Emotional Energy; and Legal Updates for Lodging, Restaurant and Club Operations.

He is a member of a select group of instructors worldwide designated by the Educational Institute of the American Hotel & Lodging Association to teach its Certified Hospitality Educator (CHE) program.

Stephen earned his Law degree, Master of Arts in communications and a Bachelor of Arts degree with honors in economics from Texas Tech University. In 1995 he was recognized by the City of Houston for his accomplishments as a faculty member at the University of Houston, and in 1996 he received the Dean’s award for Teaching Excellence at the Conrad N. Hilton College, University of Houston. In 1998 Stephen was awarded the University Teaching Excellence Award, the highest recognition of teaching bestowed by the University of Houston. In 2000 he received the University of Houston’s Distance Education Award. In 2001 he launched HospitalityLawyer.com. In 2002 he initiated the annual Hospitality Law Conference series. In 2003 Stephen created the Electronic Journal of Hospitality Legal, Safety and Security Research. In 2007 he was the recipient of the Hilton College Outstanding Teacher award. In 2009, he received the Hilton College “HVS” Research Award.