Attorneys

Steven Klepper Steven Klepper

Steven M. Klepper

Principal

Biography

“Commended by peers for his insurance coverage work and appellate advocacy, according to Chambers USA sources, Steve is 'super smart and well respected.' He 'knows the Maryland appellate courts extremely well.' 'He is a terrific writer.'”

A lead attorney in Kramon & Graham's appellate practice, Steve Klepper has more than 13 years of successful appellate experience handling civil and criminal cases before federal and state appellate courts.

Serving as lead appellate counsel or co-counsel, Steve has successfully advocated for clients in in complex matters involving commercial litigation, insurance coverage, real estate development, business torts, employment law, the Americans with Disabilities Act, premises liability, attorney-client privilege, and constitutional and civil rights.

Steve's practice focuses on all phases of civil and criminal appeals, including briefing, emergency appellate motions, oral argument, certiorari practice, and trial preservation. He works collaboratively with trial counsel to bring favorable final results in multi-million-dollar cases.

Steve joined Kramon & Graham in 2001 following a summer associate clerkship in 2000.


Recognition

Recognized in Chambers USA, Appellate, Maryland since 2023; Insurance, Maryland, since 2018

Selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America, since 2019

Recipient, Maryland Leadership in Law Award, The Daily Record, 2019

AV® Preeminent™ Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell

Recipient of DV LEAP, Tip the Scales of Justice Award, 2018


Service

Alumnae and Alumni of Goucher College, former President

Fourth Circuit Criminal Justice Act (CJA) Appellate Panel Committee, District of Maryland Representative

The GreenMount School, former Trustee

United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, Criminal Justice Act Appellate Panel, Member

United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, Criminal Justice Act Appellate Panel, Member

University of Virginia School of Law, Law School Foundation, Baltimore Regional Manager

Women's Law Center of Maryland, Board of Directors


Memberships

American Bar Association, Member; Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Law Journal, former Editor

DRI, Appellate Advocacy Committee, Member; Online Community, Co-Chair

Federal Bar Association, Member; Government Relations Liaison

Insurance Risk Management Institute, former Editor, CGL Reporter

Maryland Bar Foundation, Fellow

Maryland Criminal Defense Attorneys' Association, Member; Amicus Committee

Maryland State Bar Association, Member; Section Council, Section of Litigation, Former Member; Appellate Litigation Committee Co-Chair; Maryland Appellate Blog, Editor in Chief; Administrative Law Section, Member

Wednesday Law Club, Member


Events

Presenter, "You've Filed an Appeal – Now What??? A behind-the-scenes view from Chief Judge Wells, ADR Court Staff, and an experience appellate practitioner," Maryland State Bar Association Legal Summit & Annual Meeting, 2023

Presenter, "Critical Appellate Rule Changes and Writing Techniques That Every Trial Lawyer Should Know," Maryland Association for Justice, 2023

Presenter, "What D.C. Lawyers Should Know About Maryland Appeals," D.C. Bar Association, 2022

Presenter, "Appellate Practice Skills Program," at the St. Mary's County Bar Association, Maryland State Bar Association, 2022

Moderator, "Appellate Practice Tips from the Bench and Bar," Maryland State Bar Association Litigation Section and Young Lawyers Section, 2018

Moderator, "United States Supreme Court Term in Review," Maryland State Bar Association Annual Meeting, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022

Moderator, "Maryland Impact Decisions," Maryland State Bar Association, 2017

Presenter, "Preserving the Appellate Record at the Trial Court," Maryland Legal Aid Appellate Advocacy Training, 2017

Presenter, "The Personal Divide Between Jefferson and Marshall," Wednesday Law Club, 2017

Presenter, "Mid-Construction Losses: The Intersection of Liability and Builder's Risk Coverage," 2016

Presenter, "Growing Your Appellate Practice, Both Within and Without," DRI Appellate Advocacy Program, 2016

Co-presenter, "The Renewed Debate Over Unpublished Appellate Opinions," Federal Bar Association Annual Meeting, 2015

Presenter, "Fourth Circuit Impact Decisions," Maryland State Bar Association Section of Litigation and Maryland Chapter of Federal Bar Association, 2014

Panelist, Supreme Court panels, Goucher College, 2012, 2013, 2014


Publications

Author, "Adnan Syed's Freedom Is at Risk Due to Hearing's Short Notice," Bloomberg Law, March 29, 2023

Co-editor, "Appellate Practice for the Maryland Lawyer" (5th ed.), Maryland State Bar Association, 2018

Author, "Larry Hogan Shows How Judicial Appointments Are Done," Editorial, Washington Post, 2022

Chapter Author, "Choice of Law for Coverage Disputes," General Liability Insurance Coverage: Key Issues in Every State (4th ed.), Maniloff & Stempel, Wolters Kluwer N.V., 2018

Author, "Mid-Construction Losses: The Intersection of Liability and Builder's Risk Coverage," The Brief, Volume 46 Number 2, American Bar Association, 2017

Author, "Uncertainty for Corporate America Under the Post-Scalia Supreme Court," In-House Defense Quarterly, DRI, Summer 2016

Author, "The Changing Certiorari Dynamic at the Supreme Court," Certworthy, Volume 17 Issue 1, DRI, 2016

Author, "Appellate Counsel: When It Makes Sense," Focus, Association of Corporate Counsel - Baltimore Chapter, 3Q, 2015

Author, "The Love Song of J. Anthony Kennedy," 19 Green Bag 2d 101, 2015

Chapter Author, "Provisions Concerning Coverage Disputes," The Reference Handbook on the Comprehensive General Liability Insurance Policy (2d ed.), Rutkin & Tugander, 2014

Author, "Maryland's Contractual Conception of Insurance: The Improvident Grant of Certiorari in PICD v. State Farm," University of Maryland Law Review, Endnotes 1, 2014

Author, "Whose Conception of Insurance?," University of Pennsylvania Law Review, Vol. 162: Iss. 1, Article 13, University of Pennsylvania, 2013

Author, "The Practical Implications of Recusal of Supreme Court Justices: A Response to Professor Swisher," University of Maryland Law Review, Endnotes 1, Rev. Endnotes 13, University of Maryland, 2013

Author, "Confirming Consensus Nominees Quickly," The Federal Lawyer, 2012

Author, "The Elite Federal Bar in Baltimore, 1818 - 1934," The Federal Lawyer, 2011

Author, "Choice of Law for CGL Insurance Policies: Toward a Uniform Rule," The Brief,  American Bar Association, 2009


Outside the Office

An avid writer, Steven authored “Hell, Incorporated,” a play produced as part of the Baltimore Playwrights Festival.

Representative Matters

In November 2020, in two unrelated appeals, the Court of Special Appeals vacated defaults that trial courts had entered as sanctions for discovery violations. The sanctioned parties—one a property manager, and the other a custom home builder—retained Kramon & Graham on appeal. Steve successfully argued both appeals. CSA-REG-1396-2019, CSA-REG-730-2019.

After the Court of Special Appeals affirmed the reduction of a criminal defendant's sentence from 10 years to 1 year, the State of Maryland petitioned the Court of Appeals to grant review. The State argued for a change in sentencing law, which two concurring Court of Special Appeals judges had urged. The defendant retained Kramon & Graham after the Court of Appeals granted review. Steve Klepper successfully argued against a change in the law. 231 A.3d 482.

Successfully argued before the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit that an Assistant Attorney General acting in service as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney was shielded by absolute prosecutorial immunity from allegations of the fabrication and destruction of evidence in a criminal fraud case.

In a major victory for a law firm client, prevailed in the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit in challenging the appropriateness of a “filter team” of the U.S. Attorney’s Office to review files and emails confiscated from the client's office. The Fourth Circuit agreed, summarily reversing the District Court only two days after argument and granting all relief requested by the client. The case is In re: Search Warrant Issued June 13, 2019. Click here for the published opinion.

Podcasts

News

Publications

Events

Recognition

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