Michael Rips is special counsel in Steptoe’s New York office, where he is a member of the Litigation Department. Mr. Rips, a former clerk to Justice William Brennan on the US Supreme Court and Judge Henry Politz of the US Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, has extensive experience in various areas of appellate and trial litigation, including securities law, intellectual property, criminal law, antitrust, and art law.

Specifically, Mr. Rips successfully tried one of the largest class action cases involving alleged securities fraud. His securities litigation matters have also involved internal investigations, arbitrations, and white-collar criminal cases. Mr. Rips has an outstanding record representing Fortune 500 companies in pre-trial and post-trial legal proceedings, including briefing and arguing dispositive motions and appeals across the country. Additionally, Mr. Rips has served as a senior supervisory lawyer for Steptoe’s service as national coordinating counsel for a major client's asbestos litigation.

In the areas of art law and litigation, Mr. Rips is sought out by the top artists, museums, and foundations to provide legal representation on matters involving copyright and intellectual property issues. For example, his esteemed clients include the Dia Art Foundation, the Estate of Dan Flavin, and the artist James Rosenquist, to name a few. Mr. Rips also writes extensively on the subjects of art law and art theory for The New York Times and other publications, and provides commentary on these topics.