Education:
Vermont Law School, South Royalton, Vermont (J.D., magna cum laude, 2014)
University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont (B.A., English, cum laude, 2010)
Bar Admissions:
Vermont (2014)
United States District Court for the District of Vermont (2018)
Memberships:
Vermont Bar Association
Community Involvement:
Secretary, Board of Directors, Montessori School of Central Vermont (2021-2022)
Volunteer Attorney, Vermont Legal Food Hub (2020-2021)
Board of Directors, Vermont Grass Farmers Association (2017-2019)
Board of Directors, Royalton Community Radio (2014-2015)
Personal Interest:
Steve lives with his wife and two kids in Worcester, Vermont. He loves poetry and playing soccer. When he’s not working, reading, or on the field, Steve is usually with his family, exploring the woods and streams around their house.
About Stephen Coteus
Steve initially joined the firm in 2016 after two years of judicial clerkships, first with Justice Marilyn S. Skoglund of the Vermont Supreme Court and then with Judge Peter W. Hall of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. He practiced with the firm for five years and then spent two years as a staff attorney at the Vermont Supreme Court. Steve rejoined the firm in 2023.
Steve has advised and represented individuals, businesses, municipalities, and state entities in civil litigation, appeals, administrative proceedings, real estate and commercial transactions. Subject areas include municipal, public records, education, employment, land use and property, environmental, utility, commercial, contracts, and constitutional law.
Steve has served as an Adjunct Professor at Vermont Law School, teaching Municipal Law. He also has particular interest and experience in First Amendment and public records law.
Representative Reported Cases:
U.S. Right to Know v. University of Vermont, 2021-VT-33
State of Vermont v. Misch, 2021 VT 10
Hartland Property LLC v. Town of Hartland, 2020 VT 56
Huntington School District v. Vt. State Bd. of Ed. et al., 2020 VT 53
Athens School District et al. v. Vt. State Bd. of Ed. et al., 2020 VT 52
Doncaster v. Hane et al., 2020 VT 22
Doyle v. Burlington Police Dep’t, 2019 VT 66
Taylor et al. v. Town of Cabot et al., 2017 VT 92
Turner v. Shumlin, 2017 VT 2
Martinez v. Town of Hartford, 2019-060 (Mem.)
In re 109-111 Shelburne St./97 Locust St. Conditional Use, 2018-046 (Mem.)