Stephen E. W. Hale

Mr. Hale’s practice focuses on commercial litigation with an emphasis on disputes arising out of: construction projects, including defect claims and claims for delay and disruption involving resort hotels, refineries, highway construction and commercial and residential developments; coverage disputes concerning policies of insurance for commercial general liability insurance, title insurance, directors and officers liability, employer liability, professional liability, and health insurance; employee disputes involving enforceability of noncompetition agreements and related issues concerning trade secrets and confidentiality agreements; real estate development, including disputes concerning real estate contracts, and zoning and planning matters; business organization disputes relating to ownership, officers and directors liability and accounting for losses and profits; general disputes arising out of commercial transactions, such as the sale of businesses; collection disputes arising out of equipment leases and commercial loans; and property damage arising out of mass torts.

He represents clients in a variety of industries, among, others: contractors engaged in commercial, residential and heavy construction; commercial and residential developers; lenders; health care; equipment lessors; heavy and light manufacturers; investment banking; private equity; airlines; and chemical manufacturing. He serves as an arbitrator and mediator.

Mr. Hale has an AV Preeminent Attorney rating in Martindale-Hubbell’s Judicial Edition. He has been listed: as a top general commercial litigation lawyer in Utah in the 2010-2023 editions of Chambers USA – America’s Leading Business Lawyers; as a Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Corporate Law and Litigation, and Construction law in the 2007-2023 editions of The Best Lawyers in America®; as Litigation-Construction “Lawyer of the Year” in Utah in Best Lawyers® 2021; in the 2009-2023 editions of Mountain States Super Lawyers, and continuously named in that publication as one of Utah’s “Top 100” lawyers in the Intermountain area for construction litigation; and in Utah Business magazine as one of Utah’s Legal Elite since its inception.

Mr. Hale was a Certified Public Accountant, Licensed with the State of Utah from 1982 to 1985. He worked for Ernst & Whinney (currently Ernst & Young) providing auditing and management consulting services from 1983 to 1985.

Mr. Hale received his Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting, magna cum laude (1982), M.B.A. (1983), and his Juris Doctorate degree, Order of the Coif (1988) from the University of Utah – S.J. Quinney College of Law.