Photo of Stephen R. Estey

Stephen R. Estey Member

Areas of Practice

Industries

Bar Admissions

  • Michigan, 1997

Court Admissions

  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan, 1997
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, 6th Circuit, 2001
  • U.S. Supreme Court, 2001
  • U.S. District Court, Western District of Michigan, 2004

Education

Wayne State University, J.D., cum laude

University of Michigan, B.A.

Stephen R. Estey is a member in Dykema’s Real Estate Department and has over 20 years of experience. Mr. Estey represents individuals, municipalities, small businesses and Fortune 500 corporations in all aspects of commercial and governmental real estate development projects. He has extensive experience in expediting land use entitlements, and resolving a wide variety of disputes related to zoning, planned unit developments, special land uses, variances, eminent domain, easements, adverse possession, boundary and title issues, and various regulatory and administrative challenges, among others. He handles a wide range of matters at the trial and appellate levels of state and federal courts, as well as administrative and municipal tribunals and arbitration, involving both business and real estate related disputes.

For over a decade, Mr. Estey has handled hundreds of eminent domain proceedings for various energy industry clients including electric transmission providers and petroleum pipeline companies to secure the necessary property interests required for their capital projects. In this capacity, he routinely assists his clients with regard to legal and strategic considerations in the planning and siting of new transmission infrastructure and represents their interest in easement acquisition, contract negotiations, and condemnation actions.

Mr. Estey also has extensive experience in the siting of wireless telecommunication towers under the Telecommunications Act of 1996 and frequently appears before local municipal boards and commissions in support of applications for construction of new towers and collocation. 

Mr. Estey is a member of the State Bar of Michigan Real Property Council and previously served as the Chair for the State Bar of Michigan, Real Property Section Zoning and Land Use Committee. Since 2013, Mr. Estey has been recognized in Michigan Super Lawyers and was recognized in 2018 and 2019 by The Best Lawyers in America for Land Use and Zoning as well as DBusiness Magazine Top Lawyers 2019.

  • New Par v. Lake Township, 2007 WL 128944 (W.D. Mich. 2007)
  • Mino v. Clio School District, et al., 255 Mich App 60, 661 N.W.2d 586 (2003)
  • Richards v. Sandusky Community Schools, 102 F.Supp.2d 753 (E.D. Mich., 2000), Judgment Affirmed by 23 Fed. Appx. 466, 160 Ed. Law Rep. 774 (6th Cir. 2001)
  • Boundaries and Easements: "Understanding Utility Easements and Rights of Way", HalfMoon Education, Grand Rapids, Michigan
    January 17, 2018
  • The Uniform Condemnation Procedures Act ("UCPA")—Pitfalls and Practical Considerations, International Right of Way (IRWA), Michigan Chapter, Fall Education Seminar, Inn at Bay Harbor, Michigan
    September 2013
  • Bright Lines: The Law of Siting Transmission Lines, MEnergy, Michigan Energy Law Association, University of Michigan Law School - Moderator and Speaker
    March 12, 2013
  • Redevelopment after the Great Recession: Lessons from the Sunshine and Great Lake States, "Michigan Construction Lien Act—Practice and Pitfalls, Lessons for the Unwary," Orlando, FL (Speaker)
    March 2012
  • Identifying and Overcoming Legal Hurdles to Vegetation Management, North American Transmission Forum Vegetation Management Workshop (Keynote Speaker)
    September 15, 2010
  • Conditional Zoning In Michigan, Detroit Land Development Conference, Sheraton Hotel, Novi, MI
    April 4, 2006
  • “Hydraulic Fracturing – The Case for State Regulation”
    January 10, 2015
    Michigan Real Property Review
  • "High Tension, A Look At the Current State of Vegetation Management's Battle Against Property Law"
    Fall 2010
    Energy Today
  • "Michigan Zoning, Planning, and Land Use"
    2008
    ICLE
  • "Real Property"
    Spring 2008
    Wayne State University Law Review Survey Article Vol.54 No.1
  • "Real Property"
    Spring 2007
    Wayne State University Law Review Survey Article Vol.53 No.1
  • "Conditional Zoning—A New Development Option For Property Owners And Municipalities"
    April 2006
    Detroit Land Development Conference—Tools for Successful Development
  • "Commercial Transactions and Contract"
    Summer 2002
    Wayne State University Law Review Survey Article, Vol.48, No.2A

Memberships & Involvement

  • State Bar of Michigan, Real Property Law Section Council, Council Member
  • State Bar of Michigan, Real Property Law Section, Land Use & Zoning Committee, Co-Chairperson, 2012-2017; Eminent Domain Committee, Member; Homeward Bound Chairperson, 2013-2015
  • State Bar of Michigan, Real Property Law Section, Groundbreaker Breakfast Roundtables, Chairperson, 2010-2011
  • Oakland County Bar Association
  • Federal Bar Association
  • Catholic Lawyers Society, Board of Directors, Member, 2007-2008
  • American Inns of Court, Oakland County Circuit Court, Barrister
  • Energy Bar Association, Member
  • International Right of Way Association, Member
  • Urban Land Institute, Member

Community/Civic Activities

  • City of Plymouth Planning Commission Plymouth, Michigan, 2002-2003
  • City of Plymouth Board of Zoning Appeals Plymouth, Michigan, 2000-2002

Wayne State University, Bronze Key Certificate, Recipient

Recognized in Michigan Super Lawyers® for Land Use/Zoning, Eminent Domain and General Litigation, 2013-Present

Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® for Land Use and Zoning Law and Real Estate Litigation, 2018-2019. Copyright 2015 by Woodward/White, Inc., Aiken, SC