About Steve
Steve Forbes graduated from the College of William and Mary School of Law after entering the program in 1978 and earning his J.D. in 1981. He left law school as the newest member of a profession that quickly became the center of his working life. The early date of his legal training shaped a long career in Virginia courts and on appellate dockets.
He moved into practice soon after graduation. In 1982 he became managing partner at Forbes & Broadwell, a position he held through decades of day-to-day litigation and firm management. That role put him in the position of supervising other lawyers, directing courtroom strategy, and handling administrative responsibilities for the firm. In 2022 he opened Forbes Law Office and is listed as its owner, returning to a smaller-practice setting after many years in firm leadership.
Forbes has maintained active standing in federal appellate practice. He was admitted to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit in 1987 and remains admitted there. That appellate admission is part of a practice that has spanned trial and post-trial work in Virginia and appearances in federal courts. His calendar has included both courtroom appearances and the written advocacy required by appellate matters.
People who have worked with him describe a lawyer who combines courtroom experience with years of firm-level decision making. He has overseen litigation teams, managed case flow, and taken responsibility for client-facing strategy across a variety of matters. Those responsibilities often require coordinating discovery, preparing witnesses, and drafting briefs for different levels of court.
Over time Forbes shifted from a larger partnership to a solo practice structure. The change has meant fewer administrative duties and more direct client contact day to day. At Forbes Law Office he handles filings, motions, and appellate pleadings personally, while drawing on outside resources where cases demand it.
He remains based in Virginia and continues to practice from Forbes Law Office. He holds admission to the Fourth Circuit and works on matters in state and federal courts in the Commonwealth, maintaining appellate capability alongside trial-level work as part of his current practice focus.
