Steve Griffith’s personal and professional background is defined by a wide-ranging mind and adventurer’s spirit. In describing Steve, friends and colleagues alike use adjectives like reformist, daring, hard working, energetic, progressive and open-minded. Whether leading a large practice group at a respected national law firm or teaching constitutional law to high school students, Steve builds bridges and celebrates differences.
Steve’s pursuit of personal and professional excellence began in Cambridge, Massachusetts in 1967 where he played varsity soccer, was president of the Glee Club and graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Harvard College. Immediately following his undergraduate work, Steve skipped across the big pond to earn a Masters of Philosophy in Politics from Oxford University. While at Oxford, Steve received a varsity letter in crew, earning the right to call himself a rower.
After earning his Masters degree in Britain, Steve served for two years as a high school teacher in Liberia, West Africa with the United States Peace Corps. In the early seventies he worked for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as an award-winning program analyst, cementing his interest in the law. In 1974, Steve moved to Palo Alto, California, to attend Stanford Law School. Three years later he graduated with a Juris Doctor and had the honor of serving as both his class president and the school’s graduation speaker.
Steve came to Oregon in 1977 to serve as a judicial clerk for a U.S. District Court Judge. In 1979, Steve joined the Portland office of the law firm of Stoel Rives LLP. Two years later he was asked to serve as counsel to the Judiciary Committee in the Oregon House of Representatives. Throughout his professional career Steve has earned a reputation as a top-notch probate litigator. He is known for brilliant legal reasoning, for finding common-sense solutions to complex problems, for his ability to work with people and for his integrity. Practicing law for nearly thirty years reinforced the values of hard work and fair play. Although serving his community as an attorney has been central to Steve’s life, he credits community involvement as his primary personal passion.
From 1987 through 1995 Steve served on the Portland School Board and was selected four times as its Chair. Steve’s experience as a member of Harvard’s varsity soccer program made him a popular coach for the Portland Youth Soccer Association where he coached boys and girls teams for thirteen years. His passion for giving back to Oregon’s youth includes teaching a course at Lincoln High School on the U.S. Constitution. The students have taken 3rd and 4th place nationally in the “We the People” competition.
Steve’s pursuit of excellence in his professional life and his passion for youth and education is complemented by perhaps his most demanding hobby – mountain climbing. Using teamwork, planning and a fine attention to details, Steve has summited the Matterhorn, the Grand Teton, Mount Hood, Kilimanjaro, and in January of 2008, Mount Vinson in Antarctica.
Steve is always looking for new challenges and ways that he can help other people.
