Education

Northwestern University School of Law, J.D.

Tulane University, B.A., magna cum laude

Bar Admissions

Illinois

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Steven M. Elrod

Partner
Chicago
t: 312-578-6565

Steven M. Elrod represents private and public sector clients on a broad range of land use, zoning, real estate and entitlements matters. Mr. Elrod is the chairman of Holland & Knight's National Land Use and Government Team and is the executive partner of the firm's Chicago office. He also served on Holland & Knight's national board of directors for two consecutive terms.

Mr. Elrod is the corporation counsel for the City of Highland Park, Ill., and the village attorney for the Villages of Northbrook and Lincolnwood, Ill. He is also actively involved in the general representation of the firm’s more than two dozen Chicago area municipal clients.

Mr. Elrod represents land owners and tenants in a variety of real estate and transactional projects. He handles large tract property acquisition and retail and shopping center leasing and is regularly engaged to secure zoning relief and government entitlements, incentives and approvals for developers and land owners. His land use and local government law practice focuses on:

• public-private partnerships
• tax incentive and abatement agreements, including tax increment financing (TIF)
• annexation, subdivision and development agreements
• historic preservation regulation
• affordable housing regulation

Mr. Elrod also has extensive experience in the litigation of land use issues, including eminent domain; regulatory takings and inverse condemnation; development impact fees; procedural and substantive due process, RLUIPA; and the First Amendment. He recently successfully argued a religious land use case before the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit.

In 2010, Mr. Elrod was elected to the board of managers of the 20,000 member Chicago Bar Association, and he currently serves as chairman of the board of directors of the Constitutional Rights Foundation Chicago, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing law-related and civic education to elementary and high school students.

Mr. Elrod is an adjunct professor at Northwestern University School of Law, where he teaches State & Local Government Law.

Professional Honors & Awards

  • Tree of Life Award for Civic Service, Jewish National Fund, 2007
  • The Best Lawyers in America guide, Land Use & Zoning Law, Real Estate Law, 2005-2012
  • The Best Lawyers in America guide, Government Relations Law, 2005-2010, 2012
  • Leading Illinois Attorney in Commercial Real Estate and Government, 2005-2011
  • Lecturer of Merit Award, National College of District Attorneys

Memberships

  • Urban Land Institute, Public/Private Partnership Council - Vice Chairman
  • American Planning Association
  • Chicago Bar Association, Board of Managers and Past Chairman - Local Government Committee
  • International Council of Shopping Centers
  • International City/County Management Association
  • Illinois Decalogue Society
  • Constitutional Rights Foundation Chicago, Board of Directors
  • Lambda Alpha International Honorary Land Economics Society
  • Jewish National Fund, Board of Directors
  • American Bar Association, Committee on State and Local Government Law

Court Admissions

  • U.S. Appeals Court, Seventh Circuit

Speaking Engagements

  • Annual Commercial Real Estate Forecast Conference, Illinois Real Estate Journal, 2012
  • "Community Benefits Agreements," ULI Fall Meeting and Urban Land Expo, 2011
  • Kratovil Conference on Real Estate Law & Practice, John Marshall Law School, 2011
  • "Land Use Hot Topics," American Bar Association, 2010
  • Chicago Daily Law Bulletin, Real Estate Law Conference, 2008
  • CLE International, Land Use Law Conference Chairman, 2008
  • RLUIPA and Zoning of Religious Institutions, American Planning Association, Chicago Chapter, 2005
  • National Symposium on Racial Profiling, Northwestern University Center for Public Safety, 2005
  • Current Trends in Land Use and Zoning, National College of District Attorneys, 2003
  • Smart Growth and Government Regulation, International Council of Shopping Centers, 2003
  • Regulatory Takings, ALI-ABA, 2002

Published Articles & Books

  • "Elected Official Immunity in Making Local Zoning Decisions," The Urban Lawyer, June 2010
  • "Zoning Glossary - Land Use Law," Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education, 2010
  • "The Law of Eminent Domain," Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education, 2007
  • "Vested Rights: Debate Fodder," Illinois Real Estate Journal, 2006