Stephen Fazio focuses his practice on litigation and international arbitration. He has represented clients in complex commercial, mass tort, and products liability disputes before state and federal courts as well as international tribunals. He has represented clients in multi-direct and class action litigation involving environmental and products liability claims. He has served as second-chair trial counsel in contested restructuring matters.  He has also acted as counsel in international arbitrations under the ICC and UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules, including natural gas pricing arbitrations and investment treaty arbitrations.

Prior to practicing law, Stephen worked for several years in the environmental consulting field focusing on environmental claims management. As part of that work, he designed, developed and implemented environmental claims management software that tracked more than US$1 billion in environmental claims.

Stephen was recognized as a Rising Star in the last three editions of Ohio Super Lawyers–Rising Stars magazine, a distinction that recognizes the top 2.5 percent of Ohio lawyers under the age of 40 or those in practice for 10 years or less.

Representative Experience

• Representing a group of investors in an international arbitration under UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules involving claims arising under the bilateral investment treaty between the Russian Federation and Mongolia.
• Representing gas companies in international arbitration under the ICC Arbitration Rules involving gas pricing in European markets.
• Representing a major pharmaceutical manufacturer in multi-district litigation involving allegations of serious injuries relating to MRI contrast agents.
• Serving as member of the trial team representing a Phoenix-based home builder in contested Chapter 11 proceedings involving the restructuring of approximately US$163 million of debt.
• Defending a major steel manufacturer in class action litigation involving claims of nuisance and trespass for the facility’s operations.
• Representing the Enron Unsecured Creditor’s Committee in an adversary proceeding brought against one of Enron’s creditors.
• Defending a major petrochemical company in class action litigation involving claims of environmental damage and fraud.  Client obtained a complete defense verdict after a 17-week jury trial.
• Representing a specialty chemical manufacturer in toxic tort litigation involving allegations of cobalt-induced hard metal lung disease.
• Representing the US subsidiary of an international flavor company against claims that its products were responsible for workplace injuries.
• Serving as lead associate in representation of four large national and state lending institutions in multimillion-dollar multidistrict litigation, transferred by the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation to the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, involving claims made under financial guarantees in the form of surety bonds.