Steven B. Lesser

Attorney General, State of Ohio (1979-1981)

Lesser,Klein & Lesser (1981-1983)

Becker & Poliakoff P.A. (1983-Present)

ABA Forum on Construction Law

ABA Tort Trial Insurance Practice Section

Member ABA Standing Committee on Membership

Member Florida Bar Board of Legal Specialization and education.

Immediate Past Chair of the American Bar Association’s Forum on Construction Law (Chair 2014-2015)

Vice-President, International Concrete Repair Institute, Southwest Chapter

Board Certified in Construction Law by the Florida Bar

Past Chair, Florida Bar Construction Law Certification Committee (2012-2014)

Florida Certified Circuit Civil Mediator focusing on complex construction matters involving defective work and delay related claims

Certified arbitrator on construction issues for the American Arbitration Association.

Named “Lawyer of the Year” in construction law in the Fort Lauderdale region for 2016 by Best Lawyers in America, a peer review rating publication for legal professionals

Named “Construction Lawyer of the Year” in 2011 for South Florida by Best Lawyers in America and was one of only two lawyers in Florida to receive the designation

AV Rated Preeminent by Martindale-Hubbell

One of only ten Florida lawyers to be included in the prestigious American College of Construction Lawyers

Mr. Lesser is listed in Chambers USA America’s Leading Lawyers for Business as one of the top construction lawyers in Florida (Band 1) for the last several years

Successfully represented homeowner Phillipe Moransais in a landmark case before the Florida Supreme Court (Moransais v. Heathman, et al.) which in effect, reshaped construction law in Florida by retreating from the economic loss doctrine and forcing architects, engineers and other professionals to be accountable for their own negligence

Featured speaker at several ABA National Conventions and has lectured on a variety of topics dealing with litigation, ethics, professionalism and construction including “Attacking The Expert Witness At Deposition: The Aftermath of Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals, Inc.”; “The Cost-Effective Use of Case Management in Multi-Party Litigation”; and “50 Ways To Get Into Or Avoid Trouble! How To Avoid Legal Malpractice And Grievance Claims”.

Lectured at the ABA Forum on the Construction Industry Annual Meeting in Puerto Rico on “The Twelve Deadly Sins: An Owner’s Guide To Avoiding Liability For Implied Obligations During the Construction Of a Project”

Panelist on the ABA Forum On The Construction Industry teleconference entitled “Ethical Dilemmas and Pitfalls in Construction Contacting and Litigation”.

Presented “Legal Writing for the 21st Century Lawyer” and “Drafting Disclaimers of Liability, Indemnification Clauses and Releases” at Annual Conventions of the Florida Bar.

Authored and co-authored a number of construction publications: “Avoiding Faulty Building Claims”, Construction Today, November/December 2015, “Design Professional Liability: Strategic Moves to Minimize Risk in Condominium Conversions”, Construction Litigation Reporter, September 2011; “How to Comply with Chapter 558 Florida Statutes: Current Challenges and Future Changes” (co-authored with Larry R. Leiby), Florida Bar Journal (February 2009); “Meet the 2007 A201 : General Conditions of the Contract for Construction: Letting Go of Paper and Making Way for the IDM”(Part I) and “New Rules” (Part 2) Construction Litigation Reporter, West Publishing Company, Volume 29 Nos 4 & 5 (April, May 2008); “For Better or Worse: The AIA Introduces the Initial Decision Maker in its Dispute Resolution Process” Dispute Resolution Journal, American Arbitration Association(February /April, 2008). “The Twelve Deadly Sins: An Owner’s Guide To Avoiding Liability For Implied Obligations During the Construction Of a Project”, The Construction Lawyer, (Winter 2008).

Florida Bar

Ohio Supreme Court

2010 TopSoccer Volunteer of the Year, Florida Youth Soccer Association

TOPSoccer (The Outreach Program for Soccer)