Steven D. Irwin
Partner
Steven D. Irwin is a Partner with Leech Tishman and a member of the Corporate Practice Group, where he co-leads the Government Relations Group and the Securities Group. He is also a member of the Employment & Labor Practice Group. Steve is based in the Pittsburgh office, where he handles business matters, routinely interacts with government bodies and counsels high-level management, defending against or asserting allegations of fraudulent conduct.
Steve is a former Management Committee member. Steve also led the firm’s Employment Group for a decade and continues to counsel clients on all legal aspects of the employment relationship and labor compliance, with special emphasis on the financial services sector.
Steve served as Commissioner of Banking & Securities under two Governors and sat on the Board of Trustees of the Investor Protection Trust. He served as President-Elect of the North American Securities Administrators Association and held leadership roles on the Federal Legislation Committee, Enforcement Section and the Dodd-Frank Working Group. Steve was an independent director of the third business development fund of Franklin Square Investments from its formation. He was Legislative Assistant to U.S. Senator Arlen Specter and began his career as law clerk to Third Circuit Judge Joseph F. Weis, Jr., of the U.S. Court of Appeals.
In February 2023, Steve became Josh Shapiro’s first appointment as Governor when he was named to the Pennsylvania Court of Judicial Discipline left by President Judge James Eisenhower.
Steve regularly lectures on many aspects of the law, including employment, securities, fraud, construction, policy and politics, and for-profit and non-profit business matters. He has presented before the U.S. Congress, the Pennsylvania General Assembly, the Pennsylvania Bar Institute, the National Business Institute, the Council on Education and Management, the Heinz School of Carnegie Mellon University, Duquesne University and the American Institute of CPAs. Steve has been published numerous times and was Associate Editor of Law & Policy in International Business.
Academics
J.D., Georgetown University Law Center
A.B., cum laude, Harvard College
Admissions
Pennsylvania
District of Columbia
U.S. Court of Appeals, Third Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals, Federal Circuit
U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Pennsylvania
U.S. District Court, Middle District of Pennsylvania
U.S. District Court, Western District of Pennsylvania
Professional Memberships
American Bar Association
Pennsylvania Bar Association
Allegheny County Bar Association
ABA Forum on the Construction Industry
Professional Accolades
Rivers Club Champion, The Rivers Club (2019)
Blue Sky Cube, North American Securities Administrators Association (2013)
Ed Sell Memorial Lecturer, Pennsylvania Bar Institute
Fellow, Allegheny County Bar Foundation
Named to Top 100 Most Influential People in Politics in Pennsylvania
Honoree, Israel Bonds Legal Division
Nancy B. Zappala Service Award
Martindale-Hubbell
Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent Peer Review Rated Attorney
Best Lawyers
The Best Lawyers in America: Employment Law – Management (2024), Government Relations Practice (2024)
Super Lawyers
Pennsylvania Super Lawyer, Pennsylvania Super Lawyers Magazine (2007-2019)
Super Lawyer, National Corporate Counsel Edition
City and State PA
City and State PA, Law Power 100 (2022)
Publications
For a full list of Steve’s publications, speeches, presentations & appearances, please click here.
Community Involvement
American Diabetes Association, Inaugural Father of the Year
Americans for Democratic Action, Western Pennsylvania Chapter (Former President)
Anti-Defamation League, Pittsburgh Council (National Commissioner; Chair, PA-OH-KY-WV Regional Board)
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Pittsburgh (Former President; Board of Directors)
Candidate for 118th U.S. Congress (PA-12)
Carriage House Children’s Center (Former Board Member)
Commonwealth Court Campaign, Judge Ellen Ceisler (Co-Chair)
Coro Pittsburgh (Judge, 2020-2021 Coro Fellowship in Public Affairs Class)
Democratic Jewish Outreach Pennsylvania (Former Vice Chair)
Downtown Community Development Corporation (Former Board Member)
Graduate School of Public and International Affairs, University of Pittsburgh (Member, Moe Coleman Awards Selection Committee)
Jefferson-Medal/Outstanding Citizen Award (Former Judge)
Jewish Healthcare Foundation (Former Trustee)
Mayor’s Task Force on Mon-Fayette Expressway (Former Co-Chair)
National Jewish Democratic Council
Off the Record, benefiting Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank (Steering Committee)
Pennsylvania Jewish Coalition (Former Statewide Chair)
Pittsburgh Regional Health Initiative (Co-Chair)
Pittsburgh Ukrainian Relief Coalition (Co-Founder; Board Member)
Public Parking Authority of Pittsburgh (Former Chair)
Rainbow Kitchen Community Services (Former Board Member)
Riverlife (Headwaters Campaign, Steering Committee)
Rivers Club (Former Member, Board of Governors; 2019 Recipient of ‘Rivers Club Champion’ Honor)
Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission (Former Commissioner Representing City of Pittsburgh)
Sustainable Pittsburgh (Former Vice-Chair)
Squirrel Hill Urban Coalition (Former Board Member)
Stewards of the Head of the Ohio Regatta (Former Chair)
Three Rivers Rowing Association (Former President, Board of Governors)
Transition Team, Pennsylvania Attorney General (Transition Team Member)
Transition Team, Public Works, Allegheny County Chief Executive (Transition Team Member)
Transition Team, Transportation, Pennsylvania Governor (Transition Team Member)
21Voices-Alzheimer’s Disease (Former Board Member)
U.S. Commission on Civil Rights (Chair, Pennsylvania Advisory Committee)
United Jewish Federation (Former Trustee)
United Jewish Federation, Community & Public Affairs Council (Former Chair)
University of Pittsburgh (Former Adjunct Faculty)
University of Pittsburgh School of Law, Center for International Legal Education (Board of Advisors)
Certificates & Designations
Certificate of Leadership Development, U.S. Army War College Commandant’s National Security Program (2019)