Benjamin Knox Steffans

Ben Steffans was born in Detroit, Michigan, and raised there and in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. As a youth, Ben Steffans enjoyed playing nearly all sports, eventually focusing on soccer and having the opportunity to play soccer throughout Europe and in Brazil. Ben Steffans graduated from Michigan State University in 2003 with highest honors and with degrees in History and Latin. He graduated from Boston College Law School in 2006.

Prior to practicing law, Ben Steffans held a number of jobs, including waiting tables (Chili’s and Macaroni Grill), shelving books in a book warehouse, selling books in a bookstore, and working in a pizza restaurant.  

In 2006, Ben Steffans began practicing law at Butzel Long in Detroit, Michigan, a large international law firm. During his time at Butzel, Ben Steffans focused solely on employment law, learning how to defend employment claims and advise employers from some of the country’s best employment lawyers. While at Butzel, Ben Steffans represented only employers in employment disputes, focusing on those in the automotive, retail, manufacturing, educational, financial, and construction fields.  During that time, Ben wrote countless employee handbooks, employment contracts, employment policies, and non-compete agreements for employers of all sizes.  He also provided day-to-day counseling for those clients on how to comply with state and federal employment laws.  

In 2011, Ben Steffans founded Detroit City Football Club along with four friends. DCFC plays semi-professional soccer in Detroit and has become the darling of the U.S. Soccer community. In 2016, DCFC averaged over 6,500 in paid attendance and reached the national semifinals of the National Premier Soccer League.  

In 2012, Ben Steffans began practicing law at Cohen Kinne Valicenti & Cook LLP, again focusing almost exclusively on employment law. This time, however, Ben Steffans began representing employees in all sorts of claims against their employers, including harassment, retaliation, discrimination, and wage-and-hour claims.  In 2017, Ben Steffans started Steffans Legal.  

For Ben Steffans, being a lawyer has offered an unexpected opportunity for personal connection. Ben Steffans’s down-to-earth approach makes him easy to talk to and allows him to work closely with his clients through what are often difficult and stressful times.  Ben Steffans’s clients know him to be personable, enthusiastic, funny (sometimes), tenacious (always), honest, direct, efficient, and effective.  Some of them have even become close friends.    

In his spare time, Ben Steffans enjoys watching true crime programs, doting on his dog Elliot, and running.  Ben Steffans currently is trying to run (not always fast) a half marathon in all 50 states. To date, he’s tackled Maine, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, South Carolina, Georgia, Louisiana, Michigan, Texas, Oregon, Utah, Nevada, Colorado, and New Mexico.