Philip Steptoe and Louis A. Johnson, both graduates of the University of Virginia School of Law, and John Rixie, formed Steptoe, Rixey & Johnson in 1913 in Clarksburg, West Virginia. The following year, Rixey left the firm, which became Steptoe & Johnson. In 1928, Steptoe & Johnson opened an office in Charleston, West Virginia, to meet the expanding legislative and regulatory work available in the state capital. Meanwhile, Johnson, a veteran of World War I, helped found the American Legion, bringing national prominence to himself and the firm when he served as the organization's commander in the mid-1930s. President Franklin D. Roosevelt appointed Johnson United States Assistant Secretary of War in 1937. After leaving the Roosevelt administration, Johnson opened the Washington D.C. office of Steptoe & Johnson in 1945. In March, 1949, President Harry S. Truman appointed Johnson as United States Secretary of Defense, and he served in that job until September, 1950.
The firm's Washington office grew quickly under Johnson's influence. Among its first clients were the members of the growing airlines industry, as well as pipelines, railroads, and foreign companies whose assets had been seized during World War II. In assisting these clients, Steptoe & Johnson became known as a prominent firm in regulatory law, tax, and international trade. In 1980, the firm had a period of tumult, beginning with the separation of the Washington and West Virginia offices. The West Virginia firm known as Steptoe & Johnson PLLC is still based in Clarksburg, WV. In 1987, a combination of client needs and business opportunities led to the opening of a Steptoe & Johnson office in Phoenix. Since 1997, the firm has opened offices in Los Angeles, London, Brussels, New York, Chicago, Beijing, and Palo Alto. Steptoe & Johnson attorneys have frequently served in high-level government positions, and are often quoted on current business, political, and legal happenings in national media. The firm is notable for being one of the first to establish a blockchain practice and to accept payment in bitcoin.
Pro bono
Steptoe ranked 19th among Am Law 200 firms in The American Lawyer's 2015 pro bono report, based on average hours spent on and breadth of commitment to pro bono work. The firm's pro bono efforts have been recognized by the Animal Legal Defense Fund, the John Carroll Society, the Children's Law Center, the Lex Mundi Pro Bono Foundation, and the ABA Death Penalty Representation Project, among others.
Reputation
Steptoe & Johnson is an American "white shoe" law firm and according to the Am Law 100 is the 93rd highest-grossing law firm worldwide.
Karl Tilleman, former member of the Canadian National Basketball Team who played in the 1984 and 1988 Olympics; current Olympic record-holder for the most three-point baskets in a single game.
