Een man van middelbare leeftijd met grijs haar en een bril, draagt een donker pak, wit overhemd en een rode stropdas met patroon, staat in een wazige binnenomgeving die typisch is voor advocatenkantoren in Chicago.

Steven H. Hilfinger

Partner/gepensioneerd

Steven H. Hilfinger

Partner/gepensioneerd

Steve Hilfinger served as a senior business counselor representing for-profit and nonprofit companies on mergers and acquisitions (M&A), finance transactions, corporate and board counseling, and government affairs matters. He represented automotive suppliers and other manufacturers for more than 30 years, helping found the firm’s Detroit office and its Automotive Industry Team and Manufacturing Sector.

Steve was a member of the firm’s Manufacturing Sector Advisory Board as well as co-chair of the Electrified Mobility & Infrastructure initiative and Smart Manufacturing initiative.

Steve formerly served as Chief Regulatory Officer for the State of Michigan and Chief Operating Officer of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation.

Representatieve ervaring

Fusies en overnames

  • Closed more than 200 M&A transactions in a variety of industries, including automotive, manufacturing, business services, advanced technology, and other sectors.
  • Represents private equity firms, private and publicly held corporations, closely held and family businesses, and family offices in a variety of M&A, joint venture, and other investment matters.
  • Has extensive restructuring experience in “distressed M&A” and guided two debtors through Chapter 11 plan confirmation.

Financiën

  • Represents borrowers and lenders in a variety of corporate finance transactions.
  • Began his career doing extensive work for a large global bank, a large complex of mezzanine loan funds, and a complex of venture capital funds, focusing on private transactions.

Corporate Counseling

  • Serves as outside general counsel to several companies, including both for-profit and nonprofit concerns. This work includes counseling on business formation and corporate and board governance, general corporate and commercial contract counseling, and a variety of other legal and compliance matters.

Nonprofit

  • Extensive experience in representing nonprofits, and counseling and service on nonprofit boards.
  • Served as chief operating officer of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, a 501(c)(3) focused on economic development.
  • Serves as secretary, treasury, and board member of NextEnergy Center, a 501(c)(3) focused on energy and mobility.
  • Served on several Boards in his capacity as chief regulatory officer of the State of Michigan.
  • Active with other nonprofits, including Invest Detroit (member of Investment Committee) and MichAuto (co-chair of Advocacy Committee), a statewide program of the Detroit Regional Chamber of Commerce.

Government Affairs

  • Assists with government and public affairs matters in Michigan as a registered lobbyist in Michigan and member of the firm’s Government Solutions Team, which assists clients with a variety of administrative and legislative matters in Michigan including in Lansing and Detroit.
  • Served as chief regulatory officer for the State of Michigan under Michigan Governor Rick Snyder. In that capacity, he served as director of the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) and its Office of Regulatory Reinvention (ORR). He later served as chief operating officer of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) under Governor Snyder.

Automotive

  • Co-founded Foley’s Automotive Industry Team, focused on representing automotive suppliers and technology companies with their full range of legal needs. In that role, he has handled mergers and acquisitions, finance, and other corporate mandates for numerous automotive suppliers.
  • Served as legal counsel to a number of strategy councils of the Motor Equipment Manufacturers Associate / Original Equipment Suppliers Association.
  • Currently co-chairs the Advocacy Committee of MichAuto, a statewide program of the Detroit Regional Chamber of Commerce focused on growing the automotive and mobility industries in Michigan and driving automotive and mobility policy in Michigan.

Prijzen en erkenning

  • Genoemd in DBusiness Top Advocaten (2025)
  • Named 2023 Leading Lawyer In Michigan
  • Beoordeling door collega's beoordeeld als AV Preeminent®, de hoogste prestatiebeoordeling in het Martindale-Hubbell® Peer Review Ratings™-systeem.
  • Recognized, JD Supra Readers’ Choice Awards in the field of M&A (2021)
  • Selected by his peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® in the field of Government Relations (2018-2024)
  • Named the Best Lawyers® Government Relations “Lawyer of the Year” in Detroit (2020)
  • Named a leading business law attorney in Michigan by Chambers® USA (2008-2010, 2016-2024)
  • Named as one of the “500 Most Powerful Business Leaders in Metro Detroit” by DBusiness magazine (2019-2023)
  • Recommended by The Legal 500 for his work in M&A (2015-2017)
  • “Leader in the Law” designation from Michigan Lawyers Weekly (2015)
  • Selected for inclusion to the Michigan Super Lawyers® list in the field of M&A (2006-2010)

Affiliaties

Steve serves or has served on the boards of directors of the:

  • Michigan Strategic Fund
  • Michigan Economic Growth Authority
  • Michigan Emergency Loan Management Board
  • Michigan Land Bank Fast Track Authority
  • Michigan Governor’s Talent Investment Board
  • Investment Advisory Committee to the Michigan State Treasury overseeing the state’s pension funds
  • Forgotten Harvest, Inc.
  • NextEnergy Center
  • Investment Committee of Invest Detroit
  • He is also a member of the following legal organizations:
    • Member, Business Law, Administrative Law, Government Law and International Law Sections of the State Bar of Michigan
    • Member, American Bar Association, Business Law Section

Firm Leadership

  • Co-chair, Foley’s Electrified Mobility & Infrastructure (EV) initiative
  • Co-chair, of the Smart Manufacturing initiative,
  • Member, Manufacturing Sector Advisory Board
  • Two terms as managing partner of the Detroit office (2002-2006, 2009-2011)

Gedachtegoed

  • Instructor, American Counsel of Corporate Attorneys (corporate, M&A, economic development, and government affairs topics)
  • Instructor, “The Board’s Role in M&A” and “The Board’s Role in Talent Development and Site Selection,” National Directors Institute
  • Co-founder and Instructor, Wayne State University Commercial Law Clinic
  • Lecturer, “Drafting Asset Purchase Agreements and Related Documents” and “Formation and Initial Operation of Business Enterprises-Financing Issues,” Michigan Institute of Continuing Legal Education
  • Participated in numerous programs focused on advanced automotive technologies in Detroit, Palo Alto, Boston, New York, and London, including:
    • Presenter, update on U.S. autonomous and electric vehicle legal developments, Financial Times’ “Future of the Car Summit” (May 2019)
    • Co-chair, I “Concordant Crossroads” program, New York, NY (October 2018)
Grote autofabriek met robotarmen die auto's assembleren op een productielijn die doet denken aan de precisie in advocatenkantoren of ondersteuningsteams voor rechtszaken; meerdere onafgewerkte autocarrosserieën bewegen efficiënt langs de geautomatiseerde assemblagelijnen.
21 november 2024 Industrie Adviseur

MEMA Original Equipment Suppliers Jaarcongres - Economische en groeivoorspellingen van het Outlook Panel voor de auto-industrie

In een jaar met veel wereldwijde marktuitdagingen die de auto-industrie hebben beïnvloed, presenteerde de MEMA Original Equipment Suppliers Annual Conference op 12 en 13 november in Novi, Michigan, een gedetailleerde analyse van de huidige situatie en toekomstige vooruitzichten voor de auto-industrie.
An electric car is plugged into a charging station, sunlight reflecting off the vehicle and charger—just outside a busy office of Chicago lawyers specializing in intellectual property law.
November 13, 2024 Blogs

EV and EV-Infrastructure Deployment Encounters Regulatory, Political, and Market Challenges in 2024: Hitting Speed Bumps or Shifting into Reverse?

The road to electrified mobility has been a tumultuous one for automakers, battery-electric vehicle infrastructure developers, and their supporting industries.
November 12, 2024 Events

MEMA Jaarlijkse conferentie voor leveranciers van originele onderdelen 2024

Bezoek Foley op de MEMA Original Equipment Suppliers Annual Conference op 12 en 13 november.
6 juni 2024 Persberichten

Foley behaalt toppositie in Chambers USA 2024

Foley & Lardner LLP is verheugd aan te kondigen dat het opnieuw door Chambers & Partners is erkend als een van de toonaangevende advocatenkantoren in het land in de 2024 editie van Chambers USA, America's Leading Lawyers for Business.
February 27, 2024 Honors and Awards

Steven Hilfinger Named to Hall of Fame, Michelle Freeman as Up & Coming Lawyer by Michigan Lawyers Weekly

Foley & Lardner LLP partner Steven Hilfinger and senior counsel Michelle Freeman are honored by Michigan Lawyers Weekly.
17 januari 2024 Deals en overwinningen

Foley vertegenwoordigt Barnes Group bij verkoop van Associated Spring™ en Hänggi™

Foley & Lardner LLP trad op als juridisch adviseur van Barnes Group Inc., een wereldwijde leverancier van hoogwaardige technische producten, gedifferentieerde industriële technologieën en innovatieve oplossingen, bij het sluiten van een definitieve overeenkomst voor de verkoop van zijn Associated Spring™- en Hänggi™-activiteiten aan One Equity Partners.