STEVEN ELIE
Co-Managing Partner
Musick, Peeler & Garrett LLP
Musick Peeler co-managing partner Steven J. Elie is a seasoned litigation partner whose career reflects uncommon depth, range and resilience. Based in Los Angeles but practicing statewide, he has spent more than three decades at the forefront of complex business, insurance and environmental litigation, often in matters where the legal, regulatory and human stakes are at their highest.Â
Elie’s professional experience spans dozens of actions in California state and federal courts involving groundwater contamination, hazardous substances, and high-exposure tort claims, as well as disputes arising under landmark environmental statutes and local regulatory regimes. He has served as lead trial counsel in complex, multiparty litigation and administrative actions, navigating cases that demand technical mastery, strategic discipline, and credibility with courts and agencies alike. In parallel, his insurance practice, which covers primary, excess and umbrella policies, has guided insurers through high-risk coverage disputes involving environmental loss, construction defects, chemical exposure, and bad-faith claims.Â
The challenges Elie has overcome are inherent in the work itself: managing sprawling, multi-forum disputes; reconciling legal risk with business realities; and advising clients facing existential regulatory or financial exposure. His success stems from a rare ability to synthesize law, science and strategy, paired with calm, decisive leadership under pressure.Â
That leadership has had a direct and lasting impact on Elie’s organization and clients. As former general counsel of Musick Peeler, he advised and supported attorneys firmwide, strengthening risk management and institutional judgment. As outside general counsel to mid-size companies, he has become a trusted advisor, guiding organizationsÂ
