Portrait of Steven Thal

Steven H. Thal

Principal

Steven Thal has an extensive practice in international corporate and commercial transactions, with a particular concentration in U.S. and European cross-border transactions. Steven advises German, Swiss and Austrian companies and individuals on cross-border transactions and United States legal issues. He has represented numerous large and mid-sized, German-based multinational corporations. At Offit Kurman, he heads up our German practice area. The German Practice Area attorneys and German legal assistants provide seamless representations to clients from the German-speaking countries of Europe.

Steven is both a U.S. and German citizen, speaks German fluently and has been a visiting lecturer within the Faculty of Law at Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (University of Munich) and Ruprecht-Karls -Universität Heidelberg (University of Heidelberg) where he conducts seminars on international business transactions. Additionally, he is a frequent speaker in the United States, Germany, Switzerland and Austria on various matters relating to international investments, corporate matters, and U.S. litigation issues. He has lectured at Euroforum Deutschland, Europäisches Forum Alpach, The Council of American States in Europe, The Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes e.V. and U.S. Embassies and Consulates. He is also a trusted attorney to the German and Swiss Consulates in New York and the Austrian Trade Commission in New York.

Steven received his J.D. and B.A. in Economics from the University of Michigan. He also studied law at Eberhard-Karls-Universität Tübingen (University of Tübingen) in Germany as a Fulbright, DAAD and Ford Foundation Scholar and political economics at the New School for Social Research in New York. He is admitted to practice in New York and is also admitted as a foreign legal consultant in Frankfurt, Germany, on matters of U.S. and international law.

Steven served as president of Der Deutscher Verein in New York from 2008 until 2010.

Steven is also a co-founder, current general counsel and director of the German-American Partnership Program, which is the largest student exchange program between the United States and Germany, and is president of Städel Friends, Inc., organized in the United States to support the world-famous Städel Museum in Frankfurt, Germany.

Steven is listed in Who’s Who and Who’s Who in American Law. He is also a member of the American Council on Germany, The German American Chamber of Commerce in New York, The Swiss Chamber of Commerce, The German American Lawyers Association, The International Bar Association (Committee on International Sales), the New York State Bar Association (Committee on International Law) and The European Association of Lawyers (AEA – EAL).

    Education

    • University of Michigan Law School (J.D.)
    • (B.A.)

    State Bar Admissions

    • New York

    Professional Affiliations

    • New York State Bar Association
    • International Bar Association
    • The American Council on Germany
    • Der Deutscher Verein (New York)

    Languages

    • German
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Firm Highlights

  • Events
    AIA Tri-State Conference
    Princeton will serve as the backdrop for three days of connection, learning, and design leadership. From keynotes to tours to the Tri-State Design Awards, this year’s conference is designed to go far beyond education sessions. Kick off the week with pre-conference intensives and individual state component Design Award celebrations, followed by three days of education, inspiration, networking, and design excellence at the 2026 AIA Tri-State Conference—featuring pre-conference intensives, three keynote speakers, 25 education sessions, curated tours, an expo, spec academies, and the AIA Tri-State Design Awards—bringing together architects and design professionals from New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania to connect, learn, and celebrate the best of the profession. G2. Designing Secure Practices: Cybersecurity, Data Privacy, Contractual Provisions, and Insurance Risks for Architects (4:00 PM - 5:30 PM) Architects and design professionals increasingly rely on cloud platforms, BIM software, and digital tools to manage sensitive data, creating cybersecurity and privacy risks. A single incident can trigger liability claims, regulatory obligations, reputational harm, and insurance challenges. Yet many firms underestimate how contracts, insurance, and internal practices intersect during a breach. This program offers legal and insurance perspectives on cyber risk in architecture, examining liability exposure, risky contract provisions, and mitigation strategies. A cyber insurance expert will explain policy responses, coverage gaps, coordination with professional liability, and best practices for aligning insurance with contractual risk and protecting firms from evolving cyber threats. Learning Objectives: Identify key cybersecurity and data privacy risks faced by architecture firms and explain how these risks can impact professional liability and project outcomes. Analyze common contractual provisions to determine which clauses may increase exposure to cyber incidents and propose strategies to mitigate these risks. Evaluate the scope and limitations of cyber insurance policies, including coordination with professional liability coverage, to determine how a policy would respond in a breach scenario. Develop actionable risk management strategies by integrating legal, contractual, and insurance considerations to protect sensitive client and project data.