Steven B. Hymas, II

Partner / Chair, Corporate, Securities and Tax Department

With over a decade of prior experience working in business and technology, Steve Hymas has a deep understanding of the legal issues clients face in relation to how their businesses work, the technical challenges they face, and how to handle those issues to best address their needs.

Steve brings these skills and unique perspective to representing clients in analyzing and negotiating complex business and technology transactions (such as licensing and distribution agreements, manufacturing and supply agreements, development and hosting agreements, technology acquisitions, and franchise agreements), and intellectual property matters (such as copyright and trademark registration and management, and intellectual property disputes involving patents, copyrights, trademarks, trade secrets, and unfair competition). He also represents clients in mergers and acquisitions, and in corporate and securities matters.

In addition to his civilian practice, Steve served in the California National Guard as a Judge Advocate where he served as cyber defense counsel. Steve has also served as trial counsel, trial defense counsel, and counsel to commanders on military law matters. Prior to joining Downey Brand, Steve worked for several years with information technology companies such as Dell-Perot Systems, where he worked as a software engineer, manager, and privacy and quality expert for programs like Six Sigma and CMMI.

Professional, Community And Pro Bono Involvement

  • California Army National Guard, Judge Advocate, Judge Advocate General’s Corps
  • Junior Achievement of Sacramento, Board of Directors, 2020
  • American Leadership Forum, Mountain Valley Chapter, Class XXVI, 2022-2023
  • Leadership Sacramento, Sacramento Metro Chamber of Commerce, Class of 2016
  • American Health Law Association, Health Information Technology Practice Group
  • International Association of Privacy Professionals
  • Rotary Club of Sacramento
  • Sacramento Regional Technology Alliance, AgStart Program, Former Member
  • Sacramento County Bar Association, Business Law, Intellectual Property Law & Tax Law Sections
  • California Lawyers Association, Business Law & Intellectual Property Law Sections

Honors & Rankings

  • Best Lawyers in America©, Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, 2025
  • Super Lawyers, Northern California Super Lawyers, Business/Corporate, 2023-2024
  • Sacramento Magazine, Top Lawyer, Business/Corporate, Information Technology, Intellectual Property, Mergers & Acquisitions, 2015-2023
  • Sacramento Business Journal, Best of the Bar, 2019
  • Order of the Coif
  • Witkin Award in Computer and Internet Law
  • Arizona State University, Graduate Certificate/Six-Sigma Black Belt, Statistics, 2005
  • Serves as a lead attorney in representing one of California’s largest grocery chains in business and technology transactions, including several multimillion-dollar transactions involving the redesign of the client’s IT infrastructure, websites, and customer programs.
  • Represents some of California’s largest healthcare companies in drafting and negotiating contracts, including multimillion-dollar information technology agreements and master services agreements.
  • Routinely represents clients in matters involving data protection and security, including confidentiality agreements, business association agreements, data retention policies, data testing agreements, agreements involving cardholder date, patient date, and other sensitive information.
  • Assists in the representation of clients in intellectual property disputes involving complex technology and intellectual property issues, including the representation of a leading supplier of computer software used by clerk-recorder offices throughout California in a copyright infringement and trade secret misappropriation case that resulted in extraordinary sanctions against the competing software company and a seven-figure recovery for our client.
  • Represents our financial institution clients in business and technology transactions, including assisting in the representation of a client in a $35 million dollar public offering.
  • Representing buyer in multi-million dollar acquisition of additional stores for franchise business.
  • Representing professional services company in the wireless industry in multi-million dollar stock redemption of certain shareholders.
  • Representing buyer in multi-million dollar corporate restructuring involving stock redemption of certain shareholders and purchase of the corporation’s assets.
  • Representing buyer in multi-million dollar acquisition of IT and delivery services company.
  • Represented buyer in $75 million acquisition of IT and subscription services company.
  • Represented sellers in $50 million dollar stock sale of energy and business solutions business.

Announcements

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Speaking Engagements / Events

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Publications

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In addition to Steve’s work for Downey Brand, Steve is committed to using his legal skills to serve his country and community. One of the most rewarding experiences in Steve’s legal career has been to be able to assist soldiers deploying and returning from combat with their legal needs, counseling them with issues they are facing, and finding them the assistance they need in their military and civilian lives.

In his personal time, Steve is an avid outdoorsman. Steve has been certified as Master Scuba Diver Instructor with PADI for over fifteen years, and volunteers as a Boy Scout leader.

Professional, Community And Pro Bono Involvement

  • California Army National Guard, Judge Advocate, Judge Advocate General’s Corps
  • Junior Achievement of Sacramento, Board of Directors, 2020
  • American Leadership Forum, Mountain Valley Chapter, Class XXVI, 2022-2023
  • Leadership Sacramento, Sacramento Metro Chamber of Commerce, Class of 2016
  • American Health Law Association, Health Information Technology Practice Group
  • International Association of Privacy Professionals
  • Rotary Club of Sacramento
  • Sacramento Regional Technology Alliance, AgStart Program, Former Member
  • Sacramento County Bar Association, Business Law, Intellectual Property Law & Tax Law Sections
  • California Lawyers Association, Business Law & Intellectual Property Law Sections

Honors & Rankings

  • Best Lawyers in America©, Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, 2025
  • Super Lawyers, Northern California Super Lawyers, Business/Corporate, 2023-2024
  • Sacramento Magazine, Top Lawyer, Business/Corporate, Information Technology, Intellectual Property, Mergers & Acquisitions, 2015-2023
  • Sacramento Business Journal, Best of the Bar, 2019
  • Order of the Coif
  • Witkin Award in Computer and Internet Law
  • Arizona State University, Graduate Certificate/Six-Sigma Black Belt, Statistics, 2005