About the author
Attorney Steve Gottlieb specializes in landlord-tenant proceedings, bankruptcy, and civil rights law. He also operates a free weekly community legal clinic at local soup kitchens and homeless shelters in Ulster County, New York.
Since starting his law career at Bronx Legal Services in 1990, where he represented tenants threatened with eviction, he has been passionate about protecting tenants' rights to a safe, clean habitation. He has successfully taken on numerous pro bono cases in Ulster County related to issues of eviction and substandard housing.
Originally from Queens, Steve came to the Catskills in 1970 to attend college. He dropped out to write and perform puppet shows and stage plays, performing as a Punch & Judy puppeteer for more than 20 years. Tired of scrounging a living in "artist's mode," he went back to college and earned a BA degree in Sociology and Elementary Education. From there he then went on and taught first grade in the South Bronx while at night completing a law degree at Pace University.
For his work as a first-grade teacher, he received several awards, including the Reader's Digest American Hero in Education Award and the Law-Related Educator of the Year from the American Bar Auxiliary.
He has a solid rep as accessible to all--but beware Wednesday evenings, when it's close to a sure bet that Steve and his motley crew of fellow avid poker players will be deep into the cards (all legal, of course).
Steve lives in Woodstock, New York, with his wife, Ricki, and their fantastic feline, Ringo.