Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2013 
Steven J. Katzman is a partner with Bienert Katzman Littrell Williams LLP in Los Angeles, California. His background includes more than three decades of experience in government service and private practice, with a focus on bankruptcy, insolvency, commercial litigation, and federal litigation matters. His practice includes Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Commercial Litigation, and Litigation - Bankruptcy.
From 2003 through 2008, Steven served as the United States Trustee for the Central and Southern Districts of California, the Districts of Hawaii and Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands. In that role, he oversaw more than 100,000 bankruptcy cases filed annually across five federal judicial districts. His work involved the administration and oversight of bankruptcy cases and trustees in some of the nation’s busiest jurisdictions.
Steven previously served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California from 1991 through 1996, where he prosecuted bankruptcy fraud and related federal crimes, including mail fraud, wire fraud, and bank fraud. From 1996 through 1999, he established and managed a new office of the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio in Youngstown. During his tenure as a federal prosecutor, he handled numerous trials and appeals involving embezzlement, concealment of assets, tax offenses, complex financial fraud matters, and threats against a federal bankruptcy judge.
In private practice, Steven served as senior insolvency and federal litigation counsel with Albert, Weiland & Golden LLP in Orange County, California. Earlier in his career, he practiced with the Newport Beach office of Buchalter, Nemer, Fields & Younger and served as a law clerk to Bankruptcy Judge John E. Ryan in the Central District of California.
Steven has also served as a witness in matters involving bankruptcy and insolvency issues, including matters involving a federal government agency and the California State Bar.
His professional accomplishments have been recognized by Best Lawyers® and Super Lawyers®. He was also selected by Best Lawyers® as the 2013 Lawyer of the Year for Litigation-Bankruptcy in Orange County, California.
Steven is active in the legal community and has served as President of the Orange County Bankruptcy Forum and Conference Co-Chair of the California Bankruptcy Forum. He has spoken at national and regional legal organizations, including the American Bankruptcy Institute, the National Conference of Bankruptcy Judges, the National Association of Bankruptcy Trustees, the California State Bar, and training programs for the U.S. Department of Justice.
Steven earned his law degree from the University of California, Davis, and his undergraduate degree in Economics from the University of California, Santa Cruz. Outside of his legal practice, he enjoys spending time with his family, skiing, yoga, adventure travel, charity work, and teaching cycle classes.
