Overview
Steve has represented contractors, subcontractors, and other companies and individuals in construction, commercial, transportation, consumer and business disputes for almost 25 years. He has an active practice that involves counseling, contract review, mediation, arbitration, and litigation to meet his clients’ needs.
contact steve marso
Contact Steve today or call 515-288-6041 for more information.
Experience
Experience
Professional Experience
- Forty-nine jury trials, bench trials, and arbitration hearings
- Twenty-two appeals to federal and state appellate courts
- Arbitrator in eighteen cases for which award or dispositive ruling was issued
- Mediator in three cases
- Drafts Iowa construction-related legislation and speaks at legislative sub-committee hearings on construction-related legislation
- Drafts and reviews contracts
- Handles mechanic's liens, Little Miller Act claims, Miller Act claims, contract disputes, and other commercial and residential construction disputes such as payment, disruption, scope, delay, and defect disputes
- Handles commercial, business, and transportation disputes
Work Experience
- Member Attorney, Whitfield & Eddy Law
- Chair, Whitfield & Eddy Law Construction and Surety Practice Group, 2016—present
- Co-Chair, Whitfield & Eddy Litigation Practice Group, 2008—2009, 2018—2019
- Construction, Commercial, and Consumer Arbitrator for American Arbitration Association, 2009—present
Professional Activities and Affiliations
- Fellow, American College of Trial Lawyers, and Iowa Academy of Trial Lawyers
- American Bar Association (Forum on Construction Law, 2014—present)
- Associated General Contractors of Iowa (Political Affairs Committee, Leadership Academy 2011)
- Eighth Circuit Bar Association
- Iowa State Bar Association (Construction Law Section, 2013—present; Chair of Construction Law Section Council, 2024—present)
- Master Builders of Iowa (Leadership Program 2010; Associate Council 2009—2013, 2017—2021; Government Affairs Committee 2009—present)
- Mechanical Contractors Association of Iowa
- Nebraska State Bar Association
- Polk County (Iowa) Bar Association
Selected Presentations
- Co-presenter, "Mechanic's Liens in the Morning," Iowa Well Water Association 97th Annual Convention and Trade Show, January 2026
- Co-presenter, "Collecting Bad Debts: Mechanic’s Liens and Little Miller Act Claims," Iowa Well Water Association 96th Annual Convention and Trade Show, January 2025
- Presenter, "Getting Paid Faster with Liens, Bonds, and Contracts," SunRay Construction Solutions Iowa Lien Law Webinar, May 2025
- Co-presenter, "Construction Industry Legal Issues," Construction Financial Management Association Iowa Chapter, October 2024
- Presenter, "Construction Law Claims: The Basics," Iowa State Bar Association Bridge the Gap Seminar, September 2024
- Presenter, "Indemnity in Iowa: One Contract Term You Don't Want to Miss," SunRay Construction Solutions Iowa Lien Law Webinar, June 2024
- Presenter, "Everything Contractors, Subcontractors, and Suppliers Need to Know About the Federal Miller Act," SunRay Construction Solutions Iowa Lien Law Webinar, February 2024
- Presenter, "Mechanic's Liens in the Morning," Polk County Bar Association Fall CLE, December 2023
- Presenter, "Little Miller Act," SunRay Construction Solutions Iowa Webinar, December 2023
- Presenter, "Lien Waivers and Releases," SunRay Construction Solutions Iowa Webinar, August 2023
- Presenter, "Contract Provisions: the Good, The Bad, and the Ugly," client meeting, June 2023
- Presenter, "Mechanic's Liens," SunRay Construction Solutions Iowa Webinar, May 2023
- Presenter, "Contractual Payment Provisions," SunRay Construction Solutions Iowa Webinar, April 2023
- Presenter, "Supply Chain and Other Delays Affecting Construction Industry," Construction Financial Management Association of Iowa, 2022
- Presenter, "Construction Law: Advanced Issues and Answers," National Business Institute Virtual Presentation, November 2021
- Presenter, "Construction Contracts Drafting Tips, Pitfalls, and Case Law," National Business Institute Virtual Presentation, September 2021
- Presenter, "Negotiating Damages in Construction Disputes," National Business Institute, Virtual Presentation, 2020
- Presenter, "Negotiating for Damages in Construction," National Business Institute, Des Moines, Iowa, June 2019
- Co-Presenter, "Bids, Liens, and Public Project Claims" Polk County Bar Association Spring General Practice CLE, April 2019
- Presenter, "Mechanic's Liens for Lenders," Iowa State Bar Association 2019 Commercial and Bankruptcy Seminar, Des Moines, Iowa, April 2019
- Presenter, "Construction Contracts" and "Understanding Subcontract Terms and Flow-Through Clauses," National Business Institute, Des Moines, Iowa, June 2018
- Presenter, "Mechanics Liens and Surety Bonds: Essential Strategies to Prepare For On Counter Claims," National Business Institute, Des Moines, Iowa, December 2017
- Presenter, "Fundamentals of Construction Contracts: Key Provisions in Subcontracts," Client Seminar, Altoona, Iowa, February 2017
- Co-Presenter, "Negotiating Damages in Construction Disputes," National Business Institute Seminar, Des Moines, Iowa, February 2017
- Co-Presenter, "Dispute Resolution and Claims in the Context of Public Contracting," U.S. Department of Transportation Bonding Education Program (BEP) with the Surety and Fidelity Association of America, October 2016
- Presenter, "Construction Law: What Do You Do With a Defective Bid? What Do You Do If You Do Not Get Paid?" National Business Institute Seminars, Des Moines, Iowa, June, 2016.
- Presenter, "Mechanic's Liens / Residential Projects" Iowa State Bar Association Construction Law Seminar, February 2016.
- Presenter, "Mechanic's Liens, Public Project Liens, Indemnity and Other Recent Statutes of Interest" Iowa Limestone Annual Convention, February 2016.
- Presenter, "Does a State Impermissibly Act as a Surety When it Guarantees Subcontractor Payments on State-Owned Projects? The Iowa Supreme Court Says 'No.'" American Bar Association Forum on Construction Law - Division 7 (Insurance, Surety, Liens) September 3, 2015.
- Presenter, "Proper Procedures for Filing Early Release of Retainage," 2015 Construction Loss Control and Safety Seminar, March 2015.
- Presenter, "Contract Resolution 101," The Design-Build Institute of America/Iowa Chapter, February 2015.
- Presenter, "Construction Lien Law in Iowa," Lorman Seminars, October 2014.
- Presenter, "Public Construction & Mechanic's Liens and Recent Statutes of Interest," American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) Cedar Valley Chapter Conference, May 2014
- Co-Presenter, "A Practical Guide to Construction Liens," National Business Institute, 2013
- Presented on various construction-related issues for clients and construction industry groups.
Seminars and Events Recently Attended
- Associated General Contractors of Iowa Annual meeting, Des Moines, Iowa, January 2026
- American College of Trial Lawyers Annual Meeting, Washington, D.C., October 2025
- American Bar Association Forum on Construction Law Annual Meeting, Austin, TX, April 2025
- Iowa Academy of Trial Lawyers 63rd Annual Seminar, Des Moines, Iowa, February 2025
- Master Builders of Iowa Annual Winter Conference, Des Moines, Iowa, February 2025
- American Bar Association Forum on Construction Law Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA, April 2024
- Master Builders of Iowa Annual Winter Conference, Des Moines, Iowa, February 2024
- Iowa Academy of Trial Lawyers 62nd Annual Seminar, Des Moines, Iowa, February 2024
- Iowa State Bar Association Construction Law Seminar, Des Moines, Iowa, May 2023
- Master Builders of Iowa Annual Winter Conference, Des Moines, Iowa, February 2023
- Iowa Academy of Trial Lawyers 61st Annual Seminar, Des Moines, Iowa, February 2023
- Master Builders of Iowa Annual Winter Conference, Des Moines, Iowa, February 2022
- Iowa Academy of Trial Lawyers 60th Annual Seminar, Des Moines, Iowa, February 2022
- Iowa Academy of Trial Lawyers 59th Annual Seminar, Des Moines, Iowa, February 2021
- Master Builders of Iowa Annual Winter Conference, Des Moines, Iowa, February 2021
- Master Builders of Iowa Annual Winter Conference, Des Moines, Iowa, February 2020
- Master Builders of Iowa Annual Winter Conference, Des Moines, Iowa, February 2019
- Associated General Contractors of Iowa, 97th Annual State Convention, Des Moines, Iowa, January 2019
Insights
News
Events & Speaking Engagements
Honors & Recognitions
Honors & Recognitions
- Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, 2025
- Iowa State Bar Association Rolland E. Grefe Pro Bono Publico Award, 2024
- Selected for inclusion in the Best Lawyers in America as a top-ranked attorney in Appellate Practice, Construction Law, and Litigation - Construction (2013—2026)
- Selected by Best Lawyers in America as the Des Moines area's "Lawyer of the Year" in the area of Litigation - Construction (2022)
- Named Best Lawyers® 2015 Construction Law “Lawyer of the Year” in Des Moines
- Selected for inclusion in the Great Plains Super Lawyers in the area of Construction Litigation (2014—2025)
- Fellow of the Iowa Academy of Trial Lawyers, 2020
- Polk County Bar Association Volunteer Lawyers Project: recognized for pro bono work hours in 2014—2015, 2015—2016, 2019—2020, 2022—2023; recognized for 50 or more pro bono work hours in 2016—2017, 2017—2018, 2018—2019
Cases Published and Other Publications
Cases Published and Other Publications
Published Cases
- Payne Drywall v. Bi-State Contracting, 2025 WL 1704454 (Iowa Ct. App. 2025)
- Five Rivers Carpenters Dist. Council Health and Welfare Fund v. Covenant Construction, 114 F.4th 957 (8th Cir. 2024)
-
Graphite Constr. Group., Inc. v. Des Moines Area Cmty. College, 14 N.W. 3d 111 (Iowa 2024)
- Ryan Companies US v. FDP WTC, 2023 WL 5607164 (Iowa Ct. App. 2023)
- Estate of Farrell v. State, 974 N.W. 2d 132 (Iowa 2022)
- Ryan Companies US v. FDP WTC, 2021 WL 4592249 (Iowa Ct. App. 2021)
- Ryan Companies US v. FDP WTC, 2021 WL 211156 (Iowa Ct. App. 2021)
- Ewing v. Rochon Corp. of Iowa, 2016 WL 146275 (Iowa Ct. App. 2016)
- CSS2 Enter. v. Farmers Coop. Co., 2015 WL 4935834 (Iowa Ct. App. 2015)
- Star Equip. v. State, 843 N.W.2d 446 (Iowa 2014)
- John T. Jones Constr. Co. v. Hoot Gen. Constr. Co., 613 F.3d 778 (8th Cir. 2010)
- Accurate Controls v. Cerro Gordo County Bd. of Supervisors, 627 F.Supp.2d 976 (N.D. Iowa 2009) & 2009 WL 427374 (N.D. Iowa 2009)
- Weitz Co. v. Lloyd's of London, 574 F.3d 885 (8th Cir. 2009)
- John T. Jones Constr. Co. v. Hoot Gen. Constr. Co., 543 F.Supp.2d 982 (S.D. Iowa 2008)
- Saydel Cmty. Sch. Dist. v. The Denis Della Vedova, 2007 WL 1201748 (Iowa Ct. App. 2007)
- U.S. v. Vandry, 2007 WL 216291 (8th Cir. 2007)
- Marquart Block Co. v. Denis Della Vedova, 2006 WL 3018227 (Iowa Ct. App. 2006)
- Cornell v. Grinnell Mut. Reins. Co., 2006 WL 2419134 (Iowa Ct. App. 2006)
- U.S. v. Hernandez, 436 F.3d 851 (8th Cir. 2006)
- Lee v. Iowa Dept. of Transp., 693 N.W.2d 342 (Iowa 2005)
- U.S. v. Perez-Perez, 337 F.3d 990 (8th Cir. 2003)
- Curtiss v. Mt. Pleasant Correctional Facility, 338 F.3d 851 (8th Cir. 2003)
Selected Publications
- Contributing Co-Author with Anna Mallen, "AGC/ABA State Law Matrix," Associated General Contractors of America and American Bar Association, 2025
- Chapter Co-Writer with Anna Mallen, Construction Checklists, Second Edition: A Guide To Frequently Encountered Construction Issues, by Carrie L. Okizaki, Terrence L. Brookie, Eric A. Berg, and Misty Hubbard Gutierrez, American Bar Association, 2022
- Contributing Co-Author with Anna Mallen, "AGC/ABA State Law Matrix," Associated General Contractors of America and American Bar Association, 2021
- Contributing Author, "The 2017 A201 Deskbook" American Bar Association Forum on Construction Law, 2017
- Author, “Does a State Impermissibly Act as a Surety When It Guarantees Subcontractor Payments on State-Owned Projects? The Iowa Supreme Court Says 'No.’” American Bar Association Fidelity & Surety Law Committee Newsletter, Spring 2014.
- Author, “Appellate Practice Compendium: A Comprehensive, Detailed, Authoritative Guide to Handling Appeals In Any Court,” The Iowa Lawyer, December 2013.
- Author, "Are Subcontractors Directly Liable to Homebuyers for Defective Construction Claims?" Homebuilders Association of Greater Des Moines Blueprint Magazine, September 2013.
- Author, “Public Construction Liens in Iowa: A History and Analysis of Iowa Code Chapter 573,” 60 Drake Law Review 101 (Fall 2011).
Practice Areas
Education
University of Iowa College of Law, J.D., with high distinction
- Senior Managing Editor, Iowa Law Review
Hope College, B.A., Spanish, magna cum laude
Admissions
- Iowa
Nebraska
U.S. District Court - Central District of Illinois
U.S. District Court - Northern District of Iowa
U.S. District Court - Southern District of Iowa
U.S. District Court - Eastern District of Michigan
U.S. District Court - District of Nebraska
U.S. Court of Appeals - Seventh Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals - Eighth Circuit
U.S. Supreme Court