Lisa Steinmetz Morchower

Lisa Steinmetz Morchower is Of Counsel with Berman Fink Van Horn. Lisa's concentrates her practice in state and local government law, with a particular emphasis in the areas of alcoholic beverage licensing and hospitality law, zoning and land use matters, business licensing, police licensing and permitting, and general litigation. Lisa's practice includes representation of individuals and business owners regarding alcoholic beverage licensing; business licensing; police power licensing; issues related to special land use permits, variances and special exceptions; permitting (sign permits, certificates of occupancy, building permits, demolitions etc.); text amendments to zoning ordinances and other land use related issues.

During her career, Lisa has successfully represented clients before administrative agencies such as city councils, county boards of commissioners, and local government license review boards, zoning review boards, and boards of zoning appeals. She has also represented clients in the Georgia and federal trial courts, in the Georgia Court of Appeals, the Georgia Supreme Court, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit and in the U.S. Supreme Court.

Prior to joining Berman Fink Van Horn, Lisa was a Senior Assistant City Attorney for the City of Atlanta where she was employed for more than 11 years. In her position with the City, Lisa was responsible for providing legal advice and counsel to high level government officials, including the Mayor, City Council, the Chief of Police, and various city departments regarding alcoholic beverage and general police licensing, land use and various other matters.

During her career with the City, Lisa served as chief counsel to the Licenses and Permits Unit of the Atlanta Police Department and the Bureau of Taxicabs and Vehicles for Hire. She also represented the Planning Department, including the Bureau of Buildings and the Zoning Enforcement Division, the Civil Service Board, the Bureau of Cultural Affairs and the Bureau of Sanitary Services. During her employment with the City, Lisa litigated a myriad of lawsuits, including the revocation of the Gold Club's alcoholic beverage license; lawsuits by Olympic Vendors against the City; challenges to the City's Alcoholic Beverage Code, Zoning Ordinance, Wrecker Service Code and Vehicles for Hire Ordinance; and cases involving sovereign immunity, wrongful shootings and deaths and employment actions.

After graduating from the University of Alabama with a business degree, Ms. Morchower received her law degree from Emory University School of Law and is a member of the Atlanta Bar Association. Admitted to the Florida Bar in 1989 and the Georgia Bar in 1990, she is admitted to practice law before the US Supreme Court, US Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, the US District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, the Supreme Court of Georgia and the Georgia Court of Appeals.

Lisa enjoys writing and authored an article in the International Municipal Lawyer's Association Magazine regarding Preemption and Local Government Regulation of the Towing Industry (January, 2000). She also lectured at the Metro City and County Attorneys Seminar on Continuing Legal Education regarding Adult Entertainment Regulations.

Active in the Atlanta community, Lisa is Co-Vice President and Member of the Executive Board of the Hightower Trail Middle School Parent Student Teacher Association (PTSA) and Legislative and Advocacy Committee Chairperson for both Hightower Trail Middle PTSA and for Tritt Elementary School Parent Teacher Association. In addition, Lisa is a Board Member of Achieve Through Education, Inc., a non-profit 501c3 dedicated to raising funds for education and training of lower income persons. She is Legal Council of the Atlanta Marcus Jewish Community Center a member of Coventry Green Homeowners Association Social Committee, Life Member of Hadassah National Organization and Member of the U.S. Holocaust Museum.

Lisa has lived in Atlanta since 1989. Lisa is married to Scott Morchower and they have two daughters, Erica and Elana. While not practicing law, Lisa enjoys reading, travel, exercise, skiing, and watching her daughters dance and participate in sports.