Steve R. Bertil

Steve focuses his real estate practice on representing businesses, developers, investors, property owners, and community associations on matters related to real estate development, zoning and land use, government and regulatory affairs, community development, code violations, commercial litigation and tax assessment appeals.

Before joining the firm, Steve worked at a boutique law firm in Philadelphia and as the Assistant City Solicitor for both the Philadelphia Law Department’s Commercial Law Group and Litigation Group. Steve began his legal career representing various City agencies and departments, such as the Department of Licenses & Inspections, the Streets Department, and the Historical Commission, in all manners of code enforcement surrounding land use, zoning, and property maintenance.

More recently Steve acted as in-house counsel to the City of Philadelphia’s Division of Housing and Community Development, the Commerce Department, and the Mayor’s Office of Community Empowerment & Opportunity; advising these City agencies on federal, state, and local laws and regulations that involve housing and economic development. In this role, Steve was frequently called on to shepherd public-private agreements between developers, lenders, and quasi-governmental agencies such as the Redevelopment Authority of Philadelphia, in furtherance of the City’s goals regarding property disposition.

Steve has experience appearing before the various administrative boards of the City of Philadelphia, including the Zoning Board of Adjustment, the Tax Review Board, and the Board of Licenses and Inspection Review.

Steve received his J.D. from Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law, where he was presented with the Dorothy Day Pro Bono Award, the Barristers’ Association Scholarship Award, and was Director of the Public Interest Fellowship Program.

Author, “Philadelphia’s City Council Proposes Changes to the Tax Abatement Program and a New Construction Tax,” December 4, 2020

Author, “PA’s Secretary of Health Issues New Building Safety Order for Large Buildings,” April 6, 2020

Author, “L&I Rolls Out New eCLIPSE System Amongst City Shutdown,” March 31, 2020