Stephen Trivett Maher's Obituary
Stephen (Steve) Trivett Maher passed away on Saturday, December 15, 2018, surrounded by family and friends after a long illness. He was predeceased by his wife Sharon Leslie Wolfe, and is survived by daughters Meaghan Wolfe Maher, Caitlin Wolfe Maher, granddaughters Sharon Wolfe Perez and Grayson Olivia Paniewski, brother Chris Maher, sister-in-law Annette Morrin, brother-in-law Dr. Keith Wolfe, nieces Allie Maher, Sara Wolfe, nephew David Wolfe, and life companion Gillian Haber and her two sons Jonathan and Max Haber. The family wishes to extend special thanks to the nursing staff at South Miami Hospital for the exceptional care provided.
Steve always said that the greatest contributions in his lifetime were as a father and grandfather, and practicing law, his passion for 43 years. He touched the lives of so many other attorneys and law students, mentoring them, cultivating their minds and improving their skills. Steve's personality was not to seek out the limelight, preferring to perform great work and obtain successful results, while letting others take the credit. His personal satisfaction was in performing excellent legal work, taking on the challenge, and helping his clients.
Steve's life was filled with purpose and meaning, and he was always there for his friends and family for an encouraging word, a smile, and hug. He took great pride in his daughters, Meaghan and Caitlin, and great delight in spending time with his granddaughters, Grayson and Sharon. Steve had a dry wit that could make everyone laugh. He was an avid reader, was passionate about NFL football, and was always down for a good meal. He loved going for dim sum on Sundays at Tropical Chinese, a good corned beef sandwich, and a scramble of nova, eggs, and onions. Steve loved to decompress, spending time with his cousins in Canada by the lake. He embraced life in a positive and courageous way, even throughout his illness. Steve was both a gentleman and a scholar, with a keen mind and a great outlook on life.
Steve was born on November 21, 1949, in New York City, the son of William John and Jean Dorothy (Trivett) Maher. He attended New York University and received a bachelor's degree in Psychology in 1971. He then moved to Miami where he received his J.D. at the University of Miami in 1975.
Steve's passion for the law led him to become a voice for the disenfranchised, working as a staff attorney with Legal Services of Greater Miami from 1975 to1981, after which he went into private practice. With a natural instinct to teach and mentor others, and a passion for the law, Steve became the Director of the Clinical Program and thereafter an associate law professor at the University of Miami Law School from 1984-1992, after which he returned to private practice with the prestigious law firm of Shutts & Bowen LLP, serving as chair of the Administrative and Appellate Practice Group.
Steve never lost his desire to help the indigent of our community and he felt that community service, pro bono legal service and working to improve the skills of other attorneys were not just laudable goals, but were a lawyer's duty to the legal profession and the greater community at large. Steve served as Chair of the Administrative Law Section of The Florida Bar and as Chair of the Council of Sections of The Florida Bar. He also served as a director and member of the Executive Committee of The Florida Bar Foundation, where he is was a Life Member. He was a Member of the Florida Bar/Florida Bar Foundation Joint Commission on Delivery Legal Services to the Indigent, wrote articles and in legal periodicals on clinical legal education, lawyers and lawyering, Florida administrative law and other Florida law topics. Steve also lectured at law schools and law firms to train attorneys on various subjects and appeared before various bar associations, the International Legislative Drafting Institute at Tulane Law School, the National Association of Secretaries of State, Price Waterhouse Legal Tech and the Practicing Law Institute. As part of the International Legislative Drafting Institute, Steve taught participants from developing countries how to draft legislation. He was part of a delegation to South Africa after the end of apartheid, where he lectured on administrative law and the Internet and consulted on proposed changes to South African law as the country worked to create its first administrative procedure act. Steve found such work to be deeply rewarding.
Recognized as a Martindale-Hubbell AV® rated attorney and a "Super Lawyer" in appellate law, Steve handled cases that set significant precedents in Florida, especially in administrative law. With decades of appellate experience, Steve handled cases in every Florida District Court of Appeal, the Supreme Court of Florida, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth, Eighth, and Eleventh Circuits, and filed briefs in United States Supreme Court. He was a "lawyer's lawyer", a teacher, and a friend. He loved and was loved and he will be deeply missed.
A memorial service celebrating Steve's life will be held at Bay Shore Lutheran Church, 5051 Biscayne Blvd, Miami, FL on Saturday, December 29, 2018, at 1:00 PM. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to Legal Services of Greater Miami.
https://www.legalservicesmiami.org/donate
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