Stephen A. Bromberg
Former Butzel Long Director and President Stephen A. Bromberg, who had a 35-year career with the firm, passed away on September 3. Most recently, Bromberg was Counsel to Butzel Long.
"Steve was a legend in the legal profession and in the real estate community, but he was also a role model, mentor and friend to fellow lawyers within and outside the firm," said Justin G. Klimko, president and CEO, Butzel Long. "I had the good fortune to know him for over thirty years. Though Steve was dedicated to excellence in his practice and could be a stern taskmaster, he was unfailingly kind and considerate to everyone. We are all richer for having known him."
Bromberg graduated from the University of Michigan in 1952 and was elected Phi Beta Kappa. He received his law degree from the University of Michigan Law School in 1954.
He represented borrowers and institutional lenders, purchasers and sellers, non-profit entities (including the Detroit Symphony Orchestra) and contractors and owners in all kinds of office, commercial shopping centers, apartment and subdivisions matters, and major construction and zoning matters and workouts, reorganizations and foreclosures, in years of specialization in real estate transactions and litigation. Notably, he was involved with numerous high-profile development projects.
Bromberg was a lecturer at Institute of Continuing Legal Education seminars for many years on subject matters relating to the current State of Michigan real property law, land contracts, zoning, and finance. He wrote numerous articles for legal and other professional journals and industry publications concerning business, real property and zoning matters, including co-authoring the 1984 Michigan Survey of Real Property Law.
Bromberg served in 2002 and 2003 as president of the American College of Mortgage Attorneys (ACMA), an organization comprised of carefully vetted attorneys in all 50 states. In addition to the State Bar of Michigan, he was a member of the Detroit, Oakland County, and American bar associations, American Judicature Society, and the American College of Real Estate Lawyers. He served as chairman of the Real Property Law Section of the State Bar of Michigan, as well as chairman-elect, vice chairman, member of its Council and chairman of its Committee on Land Use and Land Sales.
For more than two decades, Bromberg was named in the Best Lawyers of America. In Chambers USA 2004, he was described as "'one of the deans of the industry,' who has 'experience second to none,' according to interviewees, particularly in the development field," while in the 2005 edition he was described as "the model of a practitioner" who "commands the highest respect and top accolades within the local real estate community for his experience and effective handling of complex cases."
Bromberg's legal expertise was recognized throughout the years in Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business, Real Estate, 2003-2009, 2013-2015, 2018 & 2019; The Best Lawyers in America, Litigation - Real Estate; Real Estate Law, 1987-2021; Michigan Super Lawyers, Real Estate Law, 2006, 2017 & 2018 International Who's Who - Legal, 2006-2009; and, DBusiness Top Lawyers Metro Detroit, Real Estate Law, 2011, 2015-2018 Land Use and Zoning Law, 2013.
Bromberg's family is having a private memorial service. In lieu of flowers, the family has asked that donations be made to Doctors Without Borders-USA or Friends of The IDF.
Published: Tue, Sep 15, 2020
