About David Steinberg

David L. Steinberg graduated from the University of Michigan in 1977 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in History and Communications and earned his Juris Doctor Law degree from the University of Detroit School of Law in 1980 where he served as Article and Book Review Editor of the Law Review.  In 1982, Mr. Steinberg obtained his Masters degree in International Trade Regulation from the Georgetown University Law School. He was admitted to practice law in the States of Michigan in 1980 and California in 1987.

Mr. Steinberg concentrates on business transactions, litigation and multi-level marketing matters and is an expert in the field of franchise law, having served as general counsel of a publicly held franchise company and advisor to numerous national franchisors and franchisees throughout North America.  Since 1993, Mr. Steinberg has served as an arbitrator with the American Arbitration Association adjudicating numerous complex commercial, intellectual property, licensing, franchising, commercial, non-competition and other employment related disputes.

Mr. Steinberg has written numerous law review and trade journal articles concerning franchising and the application of the anti-trust laws to professional sports.  His publications and engagements include:

  • Program Speaker, American Bar Association Annual Forum on Franchising, Austin, Texas (2008).
  • Co-author, "Breaking Up is Hard to Do" FRANCHISE LAW JOURNAL (Summer, 2007).
  • Guest Speaker, Direct Selling Association, Washington, D.C. (February, 2004).
  • Program Host, "Legal Talk", "Franchise Focus" and "It's Your Business", Comcast Cable (1995 - 2001).
  • Contributor, LOS ANGELES DAILY LAW JOURNAL (1990).
  • "May and Steinberg, Great Expectations for Franchising: The 1984 Amendments to the Michigan Franchise Investment Law", MICHIGAN BAR JOURNAL (January, 1985).
  • "Application of the Antitrust and Labor Exemptions to Collective Bargaining of the Reserve System in Professional Baseball", WAYNE LAW REVIEW, Vol. 28, p. 1301, 1982.
  • "The Role of Section 2 of the Sherman Act in International Patent Fraud: Walk Tall and Carry a Big Stick", WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY LAW REVIEW, Vol. 59, p. 123, 1981.
  • "The National Hockey League Reserve System: A Restraint of Trade?" comment, UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT URBAN LAW REVIEW (1979).

Mr. Steinberg is a member of the American Bar Association, Anti-Trust Section, as well as the ABA subcommittee on Franchising and Forum Committee on Franchising.  He has served as a member of the Government Relations and Legal Counsel Committees of the Direct Sales Association in Washington, D.C. He was named by D Business Magazine as Metro Detroit's Franchise Lawyer of the Year in 2010 and 2011. 

Mr. Steinberg has also served as a Director, Farmington/Farmington Hills Chamber of Commerce (2005 - 2008); Board Member, President and Capital Development Committee Chair, Farmington/Farmington Hills Community Foundation for Youth and Families (2004-2010); Board Member, Foundation for Youth and Excellence for Walled Lake Schools (Feb. 2011 to Present); Board Member, University of Michigan Student Board of Publications (March 2011 to Present)