Steve Glista, Of Counsel in the firm’s Grand Rapids office, focuses on helping clients solve problems that integrate multiple disciplines. Steve represents owners and tenants in sales, leasing, and development of commercial real estate. He negotiates commercial contracts and supply agreements for regulated goods and novel services. Steve draws on broad experience with advertising and marketing topics, including agency work and sponsored content in print, broadcast, OTT and social media, to help his clients come out on top.
Steve previously served as Regional Counsel Europe at Stryker, where he developed guidelines to activate social media branding strategies in markets outside the US. Before going in-house for Stryker, Steve was an attorney in the advertising and real estate practice groups at a large, Michigan-based AmLaw 200 firm.
Education & Credentials
Education
University of Oregon School of Law
J.D.California Institute of Technology
B.S., BiologyBar Admission
Prominent Assignments
- Outside general counsel for startups and established businesses regarding commercial and real estate matters
- Seller’s lead attorney on $8M sale of 220-unit multifamily property
- Represented buyers and sellers of more than 100 commercial, industrial and multifamily properties
- Negotiated supply agreement for white-label production of VR glasses for telehealth service provider
- Served as Michigan local regulatory counsel for multistate cannabis operator
- Negotiated first-in-Michigan brand license agreement for in-state production and sales of national-brand cannabis products
- Developed toll-processing agreement for white-label processing of cannabis in accordance with Michigan regulatory requirements
- Advertiser’s attorney on deals with agencies for creative, digital, PR, and package design
- Represented client first-party data interests in relationships with Epsilon, Google, FB, Oracle and others
Professional Involvement
- State Bar of Michigan
- Cannabis Section
- Served on select committee to provide public comments on revised 2021 Michigan administrative rules
- Cannabis Section
Community Involvement
- Westnedge Hill Neighborhood Association (Kalamazoo, MI)
- Co-Chair
- Three Rivers
- Pro-Bono Representation in 2020 termination of multi-party building lease
- Represented Kalamazoo nonprofit pro-bono in 2020 acquisition of real estate to expand Kleinstuck nature preserve
Publications/Presentations
- Co-Author, “Ohio Voters May Legalize Recreational Marijuana Use for Adults,” Dickinson Wright Client Alert, October 2023