Steve Tomkowiak
Fair Housing Center of Metropolitan Detroit
Approximately 28 years of experience specializing as a trial attorney in fair housing and mortgage lending discrimination cases under federal and state protected class categories. Obtained federal court jury verdicts of $130,000 and $700,000 in fair housing discrimination cases.
Trains attorneys, civil rights investigators, and private and public housing providers on fair housing and civil rights. Has spoken at various seminars nationwide, including HUD policy conferences. Approved as a fair housing trainer by the U.S. Department of Justice.
Served for fourteen years as an instructor with HUD’s National Fair Housing Training Academy, drafting and revising courses and advanced courses on fair housing for public sector attorneys; fair housing for private sector attorneys; litigation of fair housing cases; lending discrimination and predatory lending; conciliation; and fair housing testing.
Currently serves as Executive Director of the Fair Housing Center of Metropolitan Detroit.
- Civil Rights
- Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Discrimination, Employment, Fair Housing, Police Misconduct, Privacy Law
- Fair Housing, Fair Lending and Public Accommodation
- Not Currently Accepting Clients
- Michigan
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- 6th Circuit
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- US District Court - District of Colorado
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- English: Spoken, Written
- Executive Director
- Fair Housing Center of Metropolitan Detroit
- - Current
- The Fair Housing Center of Metropolitan Detroit is a non-profit enforcement agency, engaged in fair housing outreach and education, complaint intake and investigation, and enforcement proceedings in the Metropolitan Detroit area. The FHC serves the counties of Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb, comprising approximately forty percent of Michigan’s population.
- Attorney
- Law Office of Steve Tomkowiak
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- Representative litigation includes: -Mortgage lending discrimination. See, e.g., Edwards v. Flagstar Bank, FSB, 109 F. Supp. 2d 691 (E.D. Mich. 2000)(lead counsel in $700,000 federal jury verdict in residential mortgage lending discrimination case under the FHA and Sections 1981 & 1982); Edwards v. Flagstar Bank, FSB, 295 F.3d 565 & 297 F.3d 431 (6th Cir. 2002)(awarded rare 50% attorney fee enhancement award based on outstanding legal representation on behalf of borrowers in difficult case against lender), cert. denied, 537 U.S. 1227 (2003); Stevenson v. Towne Mortgage Company, Fair Housing-Fair Lending Reporter Rptr. (PH)16,129 (E.D. Mich. 1996)(lead counsel in $130,000 federal jury verdict in residential mortgage lending discrimination case under the FHA, along with award of $54,000 in attorneys’ fees and costs against lender); Williams v. Mortgage Plus, Inc., Case No. 2:99-cv-76241 (E.D. Mich.)(E.D. Mich. 2001)($75,000 consent judgment in residential mortgage lending discrimination case under the ECOA). -Foreclosure defense. See, e.g., U.S. Bank, N.A. v. Smith, Case No. 10-C-5015 (35th Dist. Ct. Dec. 15, 2010)(order cancelling Sheriff's deed, vacating foreclosure by advertisement proceedings and dismissing complaint); CitiMortgage, Inc. v. Thomas, No. 2008-092109-CK (6th Cir. Ct. Feb. 23, 2009)(dismissal of deficiency claim of over $40,000 for amount owing on second mortgage following foreclosure of first mortgage).
- Attorney
- Honigman Miller Schwartz and Cohn LLP
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- Judicial Clerk to the Honorable George E. Woods
- United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan
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- Wayne State University
- J.D. (1986) | Law
- Honors: Order of the Coif
- Activities: Managing Editor, Wayne Law Review
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- Wayne State University
- M.A. (1982) | Education
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- Central Michigan University
- B.S.
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- Fair Housing Attorney Appreciation Award
- Fair Housing Center of Metropolitan Detroit
- Michigan State Bar # 40042
- Member
- Current
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- Christian Legal Society
- Member
- Current
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- Dove Academy of Detroit Public Charter School
- President, Board of Directors
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- Michigan Foreclosure Laws and Procedures: A Consumer Advocate's Guide
- Mortgage Lending Discrimination & Predatory Lending
- Using Testing Evidence in Mortgage Lending Discrimination Cases
- URBAN LAWYER
- Litigating Fair Housing Cases
- Fair Housing Updates and Conciliation, Palm Beach County Fair Housing Summit, Palm Beach, FL
- Palm Beach County Office of Equal Opportunity
- Creative Conciliation for the Benefit of the Public, Omaha Nebraska FHAP Conference, Omaha, NE
- Nebraska Equal Opportunity Commission
- Legal Updates – Fair Lending and Predatory Lending, Quad Cities Fair Housing Symposium, Davenport, Iowa
- Davenport Civil Rights Division
- Fair Housing Claims in Summary Proceedings, Michigan Poverty Law Program, Okemos, Michigan
- Michigan Poverty Law Program
- Tips and Techniques for Effective Intake and Conciliation, 2016 FHAP Training Conference, Kansas City, Kansas
- Missouri Commission on Human Rights
American Black Journal Clip | Housing Bias
